Sound/Friends

nik.mercer — Wed, 28 May 2008 10:00:51 -0700

Sound/Friends―a new New York City-based indie label―does exactly what it says: makes music for friends, supported by friends! So far, the collective has released a split 7" featuring the House Floor and Convoj, a Chubby Behemoth 7" EP, and, most recently, spectacular 12" LP by Mas Y Mas.

Each work sounds aesthetically different, but Sound/Friends is a tightly-knit label; every roster member feeds of and benefits from the energies and talents of the others, making the whole operation resemble a commune rather than a bureaucratic music-making company.

Anthem asked founder Archie Coates a few questions about his burgeoning new label.

Tell me a little about how Sound/Friends started. What was the catalyst to create the label and who else is involved?

It started when I thought it'd be fun to try to release a record for our friends in The House Floor. I had been listening to this unsigned band from Gothenburg, Sweden called Convoj, and they had sent me some of their new demos, wrapped in a coffee filter, paper towels and some scotch tape. A couple friends and I flew over to Scandinavia a month or so later, and met up with Convoj at a bar, got drunk and made some new friends. When we came back, we released a 7" with those two bands. It was just exciting to love what someone's doing, make a real honest connection with them, and follow through with it by giving them a gift, in this case, a record.

You were saying that all the projects are group-oriented. Friends help other friends make their music. Without Sound/Friends would this musical community that the label supports be around? Did you solidify the 'scene' or was it there to begin with?

The music community is bullet-proof. There will always be creative people making creative things out love. Sound/Friends is just a small corner of it, but I'd like for it to grow to the point that as many people as possible are involved, investing in each other's lives, helping them afford the opportunity to continue to make things.

You've released three vinyl records. Are you deliberately sticking with wax formats, and if so, why?

When we put on records over here, it's an event. We have to decide what we want to listen to in advance, take it out of the sleeve, out of the dust cover, turn on the receiver, place it on the turntable, wait for the needle to hit, and manually choose what track to hear. Each time we do this, we rediscover the artwork, a song, an experience. That's an incredible thing that shouldn't be lost. I believe in people that go through the process of pressing vinyl. There are other ways to get that experience, too, though. For example, I experience something new or forgotten on my iPod every time I hit shuffle. Nothing should be discounted. Our next release could be a book, a poster, or a USB drive. We'll keep trying to make releases that help someone experience the music in way that's memorable.

There seems to be a common thread connecting all the artists you represent. Everything's sort of lighthearted and fun, but tightly packaged and thoughtfully produced. Is there a specific sound that Sound/Friends ties itself to or do you just promote what your friends are doing?

There's no specific sound, it's just whatever we're listening to or close to. We're pretty positive people, so we tend to listen to pretty positive music. I think we'll keep releasing records of people that we're friends with, no matter what bucket it fits into.

What do you personally think will make your label lasting? What gives a record company longevity today?

I think the label will last if the network of friends is strong and everyone believes in what they're doing. That might be lofty, but I don't think it's money that will make the label last. The friends and the music exist without money, so the community can as well.

Would Sound/Friends work outside of New York? If you were in L.A., for example. What is it about the NYC scene that makes creative endeavors like your work and/or continue to pop up?

Sound/Friends should be able to work anywhere. It's based in Brooklyn now because that's where our design studio is, but the studio is here because of the amount of quality creative things happening here, of course. There are creative things happening everywhere though. Wherever there are people, there is probably creation. I'd live everywhere at the same time if I could, but I can't, so the people involved with Sound/Friends will rely on touring, and traveling to new places to make new friends.