What started out as a record store that combined art, design and music in Utrecht has now grown into a strong network of over 800 retailers in 28 European countries. With their wide portfolio of record players, record accessories and record storage, all Tessa and Marlein want to do really is to make it fun, affordable and easy to play analog music & start a vinyl collection.
Inspired by the quirky and magical universe Leaving Records has created, we couldn’t be happier to have a chat with Leaving founder Matthew David McQueen to learn more about the strong LA music community, the magic of sample-based music, and the joys and rigors of running a genre-free label.
Jeffrey Silverstein is a musician, writer, and special education teacher living and working in Portland, Oregon. He recently put out his debut album inspired by the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest, mindfulness meditation, long-distance running and his work as a teacher. We asked Jeffrey to share with us a mood list that captures the mood he was in when he recorded the album.
We invited Ghostly founder Sam Valenti IV to share with us a mood list. Inspired by his ongoing #HerbSundays playlist featuring music he’s collected under the simple intention of deep enjoyment — “dedicated to post-ironic listening habits for deep enjoyment. Complete albums enjoyed without fear of reproach or judgment, often obvious or in plain sight.” — Sam shares with us a sampler that is undeniably a reflection of Ghostly’s genre-less philosophy. Enjoy!
As we constantly find ourselves dabbling in the space between music, design, culture and lifestyle, we feel a strong pull towards concepts and endeavors that resonate with this mindset. Record is an independent music publication that highlights unique music subcultures and communities around the world – but it’s more than that. Music is just a starting point for Record and simply a lens to see the world.
After experiencing the wonderful art of wine making during harvest season, where Griet got absorbed by the microcosmos between her and the vines, she started SIP – a natural wine shop with selections that suit all emotions. As we have a soft spot of working together with likeminded locals who share our love for good music and mood setting, we couldn’t resist working together.
Hailing from Los Angeles, Michael Hentz is an all-round creative. He’s an avid collage maker, he runs the limited tape label auasca out of Brooklyn & Los Angeles, he is guitarist and vocalist for the Secret Flowers Band and he also airs a monthly radio show called Quietudes with George Jensen on Dublab. With the year coming to an end, we asked Michael to capture his current mood in to a mood list.
As we love to set the mood, we teamed up with Ghent-based multidisciplinary artist Ann Vincent to complement a few of our favorite records with her handmade candles. With their organic shapes and soft earthy tones, they almost look too perfect to burn. But the magic is in the burning.
Dauw is a Ghent-based label that draws its main inspirations from nature and imperfection. This seeps in through the music as well as the visual elements of the label — forming a strong marriage between different art forms. The result: unique handmade pieces of art that flatters both the ear and the eye.
Our next mood talk takes us all the way to San Jose in California. We spoke with Austin Cairns who releases music under the pseudonym r beny. After his first encounter with a synthesizer a few years ago, he started a YouTube channel focused on gear tutorials. That gave him the platform to share the music he makes and loves, which is greatly inspired by the surrounding forests and the nearby ocean.