Spectrum Spools – My Favorite Label of the Year

                Spectrum Spools, I knew you were destined for great things. There you were, newly born into the world of weird; ready to take the world by gradually increasing electronic pulses. You had it all, great fathers of John Elliot and Peter Rehberg, two of the most-otherworldly label heads known to man. An instruction on noise, relatives like OPN and Emeralds, you had advantages most other boutique labels dream of. Mix that in with a few impulses towards noisier works and it is no surprise you exceeded everyone’s expectations. 

                I feel confident picking you as my favorite label of the year. Some of your records brought me back to greener electronic pastures. Container’s album especially, with its suffocating noise and relentless beats, reminded me of an aggressive Farmers Manual, a particularly successful early project of Mego’s back when Megos were Megos.  Mist, I can’t even describe what it felt like to hear it for the first time, it reminded me of the rubber band from an early Warner Brothers cartoon mixed with 70s German komische music. In other words, somebody had been reading my dream journal, which is fairly extensive for an animal that sleeps two thirds of the day away. A few of these artists even feel like you’ve gone nostalgic on us, looking to Mego’s (or I’m sorry, Edition Mego’s) past for inspiration.

                Did I love everything you put out? Well for someone this ridiculously snobby there were things I didn’t enjoy as much, but considering the limited output I’d say you did a fantastic job. Any label that finds obscure tape releases and gives them a proper home is more than welcome here. I’m talking about the Soft Coast, Bee Mask and previously tape exclusive types. So I don’t expect everything to be perfect but considering what you’ve done thus far in such a short time, well, baby I’m amazed. 

                Everything you do makes me happy. That logo looks like a pharmaceutical company’s logo, reminding me to take my brain pills. Your label has really helped me through some hard times, through some long trips looking at dreary parts of the East Coast. Making a drive through Delaware suburbs feel remotely interesting takes a great deal of skill and I’m glad your groups were more than up to the challenge. I’m happy that Spectrum Spools has fit in with the rest of the Editions Mego family, for a while I was worried. For a while I thought this was some sort of ‘cash in’ on a temporarily popular sound, especially after Oneohtrix Point Never became a critical darling. 

                You’ve made the music world a little bit better. Thank you.