How did you come to do what you do? When did the first idea of creating the label come about?
We (Mirko Drommer and Klaus Rakete) have been involved in electronic music since the late 1990s, whether as DJs or producers with our first releases coming out on netlabels in the early 2000s. Our roots and love for music were always tied to vinyl, analog gear and minimalistic structures. So there really was no other path for us. It started simply with the desire to release our own music on vinyl. Nothing more, nothing less. If that first record hadn’t resonated, it could just as easily have been the last. The name came about rather spontaneously and wasn’t driven by any particular goal. We didn’t really have a plan back then.
Some statistics — since the label was created, how many releases, how many vinyls and how many packages have you sent?
The label was founded in 2007 in Berlin. We’ve put out 48 releases to date, exclusively on vinyl, covering all common formats — 7″, 10″ and 12″. How many packages we’ve shipped is a really good question. A lot…
From which country do most of your buyers come from?
Germany, primarily. But right behind that, our buyers are spread across all of Europe, as well as the US, Japan, Australia and beyond — quite a colorful crowd. And many returning customers who’ve picked up every single release for years. :)
What is the release you are most proud of?
That’s really impossible to say. Every release is great and is exactly as it should be. Maybe just the very first one — because we simply had the courage to go through with it.
Can you describe what a typical day at the office looks like for you?
Always interesting — you never know what’s coming in, what requests will land, who’s placing an order. Otherwise it’s quite classic: packing orders, getting them ready for pickup, checking emails, sourcing quotes and doing a lot of research. There’s always inspiration for new projects somewhere…
Who’s on your team? Are you a music producer or DJ?
Just the two of us. And the name is both an alias and a label at once. We are producers, DJs and label operators all in one. Of course we have some really close persons connected to us, such as Sven Weisemann who is brilliantly mastering all of our stuff and always had and has an influence on our own music and the music we choose to release !
Which distribution channels do you use?
That’s evolved quite a bit over the years. We have a great distribution partner in WORDANDSOUND from Hamburg, but we also sell directly through Bandcamp. And here in Leipzig, the record shop Phonocentrum is a local partner carrying our records.
Did you use YouTube, and what kind of impact did it have?
We do have a YouTube account for the label and a few videos, including some from the „29th Nov Films“ in Berlin. Things have been a bit quieter there lately, but through our distribution and our fans, tracks find their way onto YouTube pretty quickly — which we don’t mind at all. It simply shows the interest.
Have you ever boosted your click and play counts on SoundCloud?
Honestly, we’re actually surprised by how high our click numbers are given the relatively modest output of our label over the years. No boosting needed.
Where do you find hungry and ambitious artists?
Mostly we find artists through our own network. Somebody knows somebody, and connects us or someone is recommending the label. But as you mention “young, hungry and ambitious” Arists, the artist’s age is completely irrelevant to us — just as our focus is on timeless music, the same applies to the artists we work with. Everyone has their own story, their own journey, whether short or long. It’s the music that counts.
What impact does streaming on Spotify have on the economic situation of an indie label?
Since we’ve had our catalog removed from Spotify… We do have parts of our vinyl catalog on other streaming platforms, depending on the agreement and wishes of the respective artist. The revenue is modest and wouldn’t be enough on its own to sustain either an indie label or the artists. The payout rates would need to be significantly higher than they currently are.
When you’re looking for new music to sign, what are some key elements and factors you look for, aside from it obviously being a great track?
There’s no secret to it. Either the music speaks to us or it doesn’t.
How would you describe the style and vision of your label?
It started firmly in the dub techno space, with Detroit influences, but opened up quickly. Even though FDF remains rooted in dub techno, there have been excursions into house, dubstep, techno, electronica… So at least from our perspective, it’s quite broad. The one thing you can say about the entire label catalog is that it’s DEEP — deep electronic music. Beyond that, it’s hard to narrow it down further.
What are some sites or apps you use to listen to or discover new tracks?
YouTube, Tidal, internet radio.
For producers out there sending in their demos via email, what tips would you give them?
No tips — just send. Be bold.
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