I had planned to do my album of the year blog post and call it a wrap for 2024. But I've been enjoying putting together these blog posts, and so my mind is often coming up with ideas on what to share. I decided since I've recently done a winter sale that it'd be nice to run through the releases on Whitelabrecs this year.

It's been such a busy year and a real journey; I've tried so many new things in 2024 and on quite a steep self-improvement journey. But whilst juggling all of this change, there were so many wonderful records to produce and share with the world - 31 in fact! The physical copies for a few of these sold out and for some I'm low on stock, so I've indicated below for each along with a few reflections and the odd press review quote included too.

I also decided to put together a mix and short cinematic film, taking stock footage that corresponded to the theme or mood of the music. The mix doesn't feature music from the full 2024 catalog but hopefully it's an interesting watch and listen, even if the story of the film doesn't make any kind of sense!

The Whitelabrecs winter sale runs until 23:59 (UK time) on the 31st of December 2024 and if you enter the code below in red at checkout, you'll get 20% off:

20% Discount Code:
20off

JANUARY

Various Artists - Sleeplaboratory4.0
Copies available

The year started with the fourth instalment of the flagship Whitelabrecs compilation album, known as the Sleeplaboratory. In this series I hand-selected a range of artists and asked them to create some music that is sleepy or minimal in nature, as a restful soundtrack for the listener. The series is inspired by Janek Schaefer's 12k classic 'Lay-by Lullaby', of sleep concerts run by Tanner Menard and my personal preference to listen to low-volume Ambient music very late at night. It's been great curating this over the years with each edition featuring new artists. This one opens with a piece by Michael Scott Dawson, whose album 'Music For Listening' is another firm sleep favourite. It also features the likes of Wil Bolton, David Cordero, Tatsuro Murakami & Shuta Yasukochi and more. Rest assured, there's a Sleeplaboratory5.0 on its way in January!

"For many listeners that means this album can double as jumping off point for discovery across a spectrum of ambient, electroacoustic, and modern classical music, but rest assured the curatorial compass here is always pointed to true north and both selection and sequencing work together very well to deliver the desired anodyne effect"
◼️Stationary Travels

David Cordero - Restless Nature
Copies available

I've followed the work of the talented and industrious Spanish artist David Cordero for many years, initially through his collaborations with Miguel Otero. He's done some great records with Ian Hawgood's Home Normal imprint in particular and so I was thrilled when David reached out and sent me Restless Nature. He also introduced me to the wonderful George Korunov for cover artwork, whom I've become pretty acquainted with this year with several more artwork collaborations. Restless Nature is a beautiful electronic-leaning Ambient suite and I'm pleased to say he'll be returning next year with another record; a collaboration in fact!

"A minimalist synth excursion, its reverberations amplified like the the echoes of winter woods"
◼️A Closer Listen

Gregory Paul Mineeff - So Many, Diminishes
Digital-only eRecord

I get sent a lot of demos and whilst there's just too much music out there to sift through, and it is not often I'm in a position to say yes, sometimes you get something through that's a must. This was the case when Australian composer Gregory Paul Mineeff sent me his album 'So Many, Diminishes' with its minimal artwork. In his message he told me he composes music for film and that always tends to grab my attention, suggesting that the music might pique my interest for cinematic music. It turned out to be just the case, with this quality eRecord getting quite a bit of interest. So we plotted a path to work together again...more about Greg further down the list!

"Although Australian composer and multi-instrumentalist Gregory Paul Mineeff has published some digital albums on the Cosmicleaf Records label, this release on Whitelabrecs‘ eRecords series is my first encounter with his music. And it’s a delightful introduction! Mineeff uses a variety of instruments (piano, analog synths, guitar, bass) to create his music ‘focusing on minimal structures and melody’. Most of the tracks began with simple analog synth drones, then he added layers of guitar motifs, bass, and electric piano."
◼️Ambient Music Blog

FEBRUARY

Luis Miehlich - Re-Cartographies
Copies available

Luis Miehlich's 'Timecuts' a few years back was one of the early printed editions in the WLR catalog and I did a remix for him as Glåsbird. That album did really well and it's a personal favourite. It's been quite a while but Luis sent me some music he'd been making as part of his studies with several fellow students performing various instruments. It was instantly an absolute must-release, bridging carefully between the minimalist Ambient and Modern Classical styles that I love to release. So many beautiful tracks!

"Luis Mielich, very handily for a Sunday, explores hypnagogic states with the help of his fellow music students via Whitelabrecs, by taking conceptual recordings, then rearranging & augmenting the classical sounds into thoughtful, abstract ambient & modern classical compositions - real or dreamt, & at times using uncomfortably long silences, to relaxing, almost terminal minimal effect. Sometimes less is more."
◼️Slow Music Movement

Henrik Meierkord - Proscenium
Last few

Swedish cellist Henrik Meierkord returned to Whitelabrecs with his album Proscenium, after we discussed a release following his Cello Improvisations eRecord last year. We worked together on selecting some tracks from a much bigger collection and through themes of nostalgia and Ancient Greek theatrical culture, I enjoyed putting together the artwork for this one. The album blends viola, violin, piano, and of course, Henrik's signature cello sound, recorded in his Stockholm studio. He's been very busy this year across many labels and even, a return to Whitelabrecs later in the year which you'll see below...

"His cello is never far away and is often the composition’s foundation. But Meierkord embeds the instrument in dream-like orchestrations created with piano, double bass, violin, synths, and whatever else is needed. His music thus borders on neo-classical and atmospheric ambient."
◼️Ambient Music Blog

Henrik Meierkord - Proscenium
Digital-only eRecord

I'd been a bit slow to reply to Mark David Hadley after he sent me a superb demo some time back, and unfortunately this happens sometimes! But we kept in touch and Mark agreed to work on something new. After a while, he sent me the beautiful mini album 'Homegrown Apples' which blends Ambient drones, electronics and licks of warm guitar and whilst it was released at the end of winter, the cover artwork and warm feel of the music gave an optimistic outlook for the summer months ahead. I should add, Mark's recently been posting some really interesting YouTube videos about music production which you can check out HERE and hopefully he'll be back with Whitelabrecs soon!

"Mark David Hadley makes his debut on the Whitelabrecs imprint with Homegrown Apples, which he developed using an improvisational approach that involved building loops from acoustic and electric guitars which were then later enhanced with additional instrumentation and effects. As the title suggests, rustic warmth of those improvised live recordings shines through to create a welcoming set of soundscapes with a genuinely pastoral feel."
◼️Stationary Travels

MARCH

Low Altitude - Boat
Sold out (Digital available)

I'd bought Low Altitude's 'Waves' back in 2022 and loved it, so I was all ears when Bruce Magill sent me this record as a demo. I was even more destined to release it for him, when I realised that it was inspired by some sailing he'd done around the Pembrokeshire coast. This is an area of the world that I really love and a fond family holiday destination. The album itself really is incredible and has rightly done pretty well this year, helped by Bandcamp's New & Notable editorial feature.

"The gorgeously minimalist “boat” blends long, sustained major chords with the sound of lapping waves."
◼️Bandcamp Editorial

Adrian Lane - Vignettes
Sold out (Digital available)

I've been working with Adrian Lane for a few years now and he's a very important regular. I'll never forget how he painted the cover artwork for the pandemic-inspired Home Diaries series and then sent it to me as a gift when I moved house. That aside, I love to get sent records by him as they're always top-notch and here in Vignettes, we have a collection of Modern Classical moods, complete with some incredibly beautiful collage artwork that he created. Like all of Adrian's releases, the CDs sold out in a flash but you can still stream and download the digital.

"It's difficult to know where to start describing how much this album impacted me on the first listen. it's immediately a feeling of beautiful melancholic drifts and lulls; romantic textures sweep over you almost taking your breath away. Filmic, kind of, but I felt it deeply, as if it were just made for me."
◼️James A. McDermid, Bandcamp fan review

Christian Wittman - The Story of the Sun, Moon, and Stars
Digital-only eRecord

Through Andrew Heath I met Christian Wittman, a French artist and one half of the legendary Ambient artists 'Lightwave'. I really enjoyed the demo he sent to me, which blends a form of traditional Ambient space music with more modern classical, orchestral inspired tones. Christian had a clear theme in mind, inspired by a 1900s book by Agnes Giberne and I enjoyed having a chance to produce the artwork for him. Christian's been busy releasing music and connecting with the scene and has most recently collaborated with Andrew Heath in an album for Netherlands-based label Shimmering Moods.

APRIL

Andrew Heath - The Cloud Machine
Sold out (Digital available)

Speaking of Mr Heath...in April I welcomed back Andrew for a new album and I'm always excited to work with him after the successful campaigns for his previous Whitelabrecs editions. This is down to his incredible sound, always inspiring electro-acoustic environments and wonderful field recordings. Neither of us had any idea when we released this that by the end of the year, he'd be running a sister label and shared Ambient music community! If you've not yet checked out what's in store for Driftworks, take a look HERE.

"It is Gloucestershire-based artist Andrew Heath’s musical depiction of his memories of childhood innocence and fascination with watching clouds and shadows passing over the windswept fields of his youth. As such, the album takes a lighter, more bucolic tone as compared with some of his other works. A perfect soundtracking for daydreaming under summer skies."
◼️Stationary Travels

Simon McCorry & Wodwo - Every Creeping Thing
Last few

And from Andrew onto another artist from Stroud, I was pleased to welcome back cellist and composer Simon McCorry who I've worked with on previous releases. He sent me a record that he'd collaborated on with Wodwo, an artist who previously released 'Veils' in the eRecord series last December. Between them, there's a wonderful mix of Simon's cello and Ray (Wodwo)'s guitar, introducing me to the capabilities of the Microcosm... I've bought one of these pedals now for myself, but will never be able to coax the level of quality sound out of it that these guys have. This record is a joy to listen to, rounded off by exquisite artwork by Christopher Crouch and Cherish Marrington.

"With so much music immediately buried under the relentless release deluge, this wonderful collaboration from Wodwo & Simon McCory from April, definitely deserves a second wind. Both prolific artists, it's a slowly fermented project, giving the complex folkloric, modern classical & questing ambient electronic flavours time to deepen & round. The strings dig deep into ancient lore & nature's essence, whilst the somehow complimentary electronic frequencies voyage up and out to unravel the mysteries of the cosmic dark ages & join the universal dots."
◼️Slow Music Movement

MAY

Giannis Gogos - Linger
Copies available

A new name to me when he got in touch, I was instantly mesmerised by the sound of Giannis Gogos' album 'Linger'. His artwork was right up my street too and he's also done some amazing cinematic film work which can be seen on the Bandcamp page. I also enjoyed checking out Giannis' YouTube videos, of live performances he did during the pandemic. You can check these out HERE. We're hoping to share a new record in the eRecord series in the coming months but in the meantime, I recommend you check out his beautiful new 12" LP on Greek label SAOS which is being distributed in many a record store.

"If you're going to craft an ambient LP around a word then you could do a lot worse than "linger" - an inspired choice by Giannis Gogo for his new LP on Whitelabrecs. I've certainly been reluctant to leave it's reflective electronica, gentle haze, unhurried instrumentation & aura of calm. Well recommended for all your meditative moments."
◼️Slow Music Movement

Xu & Francis Gri - Valley Of Languages
Copies available

As much as it's nice to welcome new artists aboard, it's always great to work with friends again who have released before on Whitelabrecs. Especially when two of them collaborate! Despite both being based in Italy, 'Valley Of Languages' is a collaboration between Xu and Francis Gri who had never met. I know each of the artist's sound well and can hear the elements that they contributed to this record, but it's always fascinating to hear how two artists combine to create something greater than the sum of its parts.

"The sonic dialogue gradually transforms into an aural sculpture, as if phonemes were reshaped without caring for any meaning, instead looking for harmonies within their textures and combinations."
◼️A Closer Listen

lofield - drifting
Digital-only eRecord

Lofield was another name whom I'd worked with before, with this US based artist having previously released 'Of Light and Shade' under his more electronic-leaning alter-ego Overshift. As Lofield, he has produced an EP of piano-led electronic Ambient soundscapes. It is a gentle, pensive listen, glistening with fine micro-textures. We put together a studio walkthrough blog in which he shared his jaw-dropping studio, and you can check this out by clicking HERE.

JUNE

Slow Heart Music - Hope
Copies available

A bit of a theme to this year was working with some artists who had released with the label a while back. Ben Rath had released 'This Body Is Not Me' as Slow Heart Music on Whitelabrecs in the early days, followed up by 'Any Given Moment' under his own name. This was the follow-up to his classical-guitar led work as Slow Heart Music, a beautifully performed collection of compositions rounded off my the unseasonal Autumn artwork provided by George Korunov.

"As has been the case since the beginning of the project, the sound is stripped down to the bare essentials, allowing the warmth and emotive eloquence of the central instrument to resonate."
◼️Stationary Travels

Braulio Lam - Redscale
Copies available

I was really impressed with a demo received by Mexico/US border based artist Braulio Lam, who is also a photographer. These Ambient pieces feel like long, faded summer days and Braulio's photography looks really impressive for the cover image. He shared some further images and a short film in a blog post we put together. You can take a look at this HERE.

"Many of Rescale's tracks follow a pattern of sticking to a similar emotional range — there are no abrupt changes in chord or key. This gives the music a lilting, introspective dimension, but there are flecks of sounds and details that reward repeated listening."
◼️Ambalek

The Unknown Shape - Transient
Digital-only eRecord

Tobias Dziapko got in touch to share an EP of three pristine Ambient and Modern Classical pieces, which are really full of cinematic presence. His use of silence in these tracks is really impressive, with the rise and fall of the strings balancing a delicate between tension and beauty. The opener builds to an amazing crescendo and it was a straight forward decision to make to release this one in the eRecord series, rounded off by the striking artwork of George Korunov.

"Not only is this a lovely, clever suite of ambient music, but it’s part of a lovely, clever idea from label Whitelabrecs."
◼️Warren Ellis, A Writer's Notebook

JULY

Daou - Bluebird
Copies available

Georges Daou known for his multidisciplinary artistry and architectural background, brought his deeply personal project Bluebird to Whitelabrecs in the summer. Daou’s music builds on a foundation of lofi aesthetics, with tape loops, crackling hiss and shortwave radio interwoven with Ambient drones and intricate layers of found sound. The album reflects on the beauty in flaws and the nostalgia of simpler times, drawing inspiration from a fictional tale of longing, memory, and the pursuit of hope.

Circa Alto - Faint Structures
Copies available

Adrian Lane returns with Vignettes, an intricate album featuring piano-led pieces and string quartet compositions. Drawing inspiration from modern classical giants like Philip Glass and Arvo Pärt, the album is a study in counterpoint and minimalism. Adrian’s distinctive approach merges acoustic and synthesized elements, offering a rich and varied exploration of his sonic artistry.

"Circa Alto’s ‘Faint Structures’ finds Copenhagen-based Mathias Lystbæk “getting across the calm and unhurried sensations felt when it was created”. It is an incredibly calm piece of work with each piece coming from no more than two core sound sources."
◼️Moonbuilding Weekly

Glåsbird - A Sonic Expedition
Sold out (Digital available)

After concluding my A Sonic Expedition series as Glåsbird, I decided this year to celebrate it by compiling two tracks from each of the eight albums, in which I'd effectively explored some of the harshest, most remote places on the planet from the comfort of my own home. This record sold out in a flash, thanks in part to the artistic talents once again, of George Korunov. We created a booklet included inside the sleeve with some liner notes and this album effectively served as a bridge onto my next chapter as Glåsbird, after I decided to no longer be anonymous under this artist name.

"This project is nothing short of epic. To attempt to soundtrack the world is no small feat. A Sonic Expedition not only distills the impressive body of work Glåsbird has produced so far into a much easier to digest compilation, but also documents his growth as an artist over the last several years as it is delivered chronologically as well as geographically. It has taken me longer than usual to digest this project. It’s depths and mysteries continue to unfold with each listen, every track an invitation to educate myself about the area of the world Glåsbird is exploring, and this is just the surface of his work."
◼️Slow Music Movement

AUGUST

Paper Relics - Time To Start
Copies available

For a lot of this year, I worked once again with my brother Stuart who is a guitarist and bass player. He is the musician of the family, as I can't actually play any instruments properly! We've been making Ambient music experiments for many years, from back when we both lived with our parents. Our debut was released in the early days of the wonderful Time Released Sound label and this year's album celebrated our experiences of building a family, with both of us having young children. To celebrate the album release, we went all out and created a logo and some branded merch. I used our Paper Relics project as an experiment, to see how I could possibly build a brand around the artist. That said, Stuart was involved with some superb input into every decision. After the release, we also made a blog post in which we shared some of our biggest musical influences, but ones which are themed around the guitar and indie music. You can check it out HERE.

"Brothers Harry and Stuart Towell AKA Paper Relics return with Time To Start, their third full-length studio offering. Layers of guitars meander and bob, while distant synth pads resonate. The odd vocal part might drift through a piece like a ghost. This is an album to get lost in. Gorgeous album sleeve, too."
◼️Norman Records

Gregory Paul Mineeff - I Knew You Once
Copies available

After the success of So Many, Diminishes I welcomed back Gregory Paul Mineeff after he sent me an amazing record called 'I Knew You Once'. This felt like a perfect fit to release alongside the Paper Relics album, as August focused on Post Rock influenced music. Not just down to Greg's cover artwork, this record has such a wonderful late night feel to it. Greg shared that a big theme around the album was about the loss of an old friend and so there's a sense of nostalgia, and loss, throughout with some incredible musicianship. Greg also did an interview with Kevin Press's Moderns Blog, which you can watch HERE.

SEPTEMBER

Henrik Meierkord & Knivtid - I ett annat land
Last few

After the release of the wonderful 'Proscenium', Henrik was back with a new record and a collaboration with his compatriot Knivtid, whose work I was familiar from elsewhere in the scene. These guys combined to make an album inspired by a book by Mare Kandre, borrowing the title which translates to 'In Another Country'. The cinematic feel to this album led to cinematographer Ralf Moussa collaborating, with the production of a film shot in Beirut during the war. You can see a short trailer of this HERE.

"Henrik Meierkord and Knivtid collaborate on an LP of rich, moving, expansive compositions with beautiful melodies that unfold slowly."
◼️Bandcamp

Polaroid Notes - Quiet Rooms
Last few

I've talked about working with returning artists and there's one artist I've had a particularly long-standing relationship with and that's Polaroid Notes. I first started working with Andreas in my netlabel days when I ran Audio Gourmet and we've kept in touch ever since. He's released a few much-loved albums on Whitelabrecs and this one went down well this year, with just a few copies remaining at the time of writing. I particularly love the cover artwork, shot inside the artist's home which for me, is a wonderful match for the album title and theme. He also put together a list of some of his most loved records in a blog post, which you can see HERE.

OdNu - Time Is A Place
Digital-only eRecord

I was aware of Michel Mazza's music as OdNu from his work on the Audiobulb label, and alongside Ümlaut. Michel sent me this album of faded electro acoustic pieces, driven by his guitar compositions from out of his impressive studio. Speaking of his studio, we put together a blog post sharing some photographs which you can check out HERE.

"Time is a Place is a series of plucky electro-acoustic offerings that slowly drift to the corners of your mind. It’s not immediate, and while you need to be in a certain headspace for it to reveal its true self, when you are the results are grand. For these ears at least, Time is a Place is for those quieter moments of the day. Get up early, put the kettle on and let the sound of OdNu occupy the space. It’ll make your day a better one."
◼️Sun 13

OCTOBER

Mardit B. Lleshi - Monumenta
Last copy

In 2023 I had a demo in from Albanian musicians Bledi Boraku, and a certain cellist called Mardit B. Lleshi. It was called 'Saggio' and was a beautiful blend of guitar and cello that was a proud edition in the discography. They kept in touch and Mardit sent me his solo album 'Monumenta'. I was floored when I first heard it; initially I expected it to focus more on his cello work and whilst this was of course a feature, he'd built a real palette of sound from a few different instruments and some electronic genius. We're down to the last copy at the time of writing!

Glacis - This Darkness From Which We Cannot Run
Last few

Euan Millar-McMeeken is someone I've been chatting to for what seems like donkeys years. He's been very busy this year, writing an interesting Substack blog and making plenty of music, with a particularly impressive collaboration with a certain Craig Tattersall as Civic Hall. He also sent me a solo demo of his work which I simply had to go for. His work usually places an intimate piano sound at the forefront but in 'This Darkness...' he experimented with more of an Ambient soundscaping approach. It was rounded off by yet more impressive artwork from George Korunov. Then on the Whitelabrecs blog, Euan also shared some key moments from his personal music collection which you can read HERE.

Tom Smith - Electio
Digital-only eRecord

I received this beautiful Whitelabrecs debut from London classical guitarist and composer Tom Smith and I was immediately impressed by both his sound, and his live videos too which you can see on his YouTube account HERE. His EP 'Electio' has been doing well with some radio coverage on the likes of Skylab Radio and more and I look forward to checking out some more of Tom's music in the future.

NOVEMBER

Feeling Flying - Spirit Level
Copies available

I got sent a record from New Zealand duo Feeling Flying, whose work I admire from earlier in the year, from Tim Diagram's Handstitched imprint. That was an immediate endorsement that had me checking it out and I realised that one half of the project is Andrew Thomas, whose work I've admired for many years after discovering him through Kompakt's much-loved Pop Ambient series. His collab with Bevan Smith here is a wonderfully immersive collection, which at first glance appears minimal. But it's full of detail, of depth and power and it's something that's easy to soak into. The cover artwork by Philip Kelly for me, has an iconic feel to it, as well as being really suggestive, without projecting a clear theme.

Glåsbird - Fenscapes
Vinyl and digital copies available

After 9 years of running a record label releasing CDs that are inspired by vinyl, finally I took the plunge and pressed a batch of 100 12"s. This was an interesting experience and a proud moment for me. The music is particularly special too, as it's my first body of work as Glåsbird that has not been anonymous. I revealed my identity as 'the bird' this year and whilst I found it hard to know where to turn for a concept to begin with, once I settled on exploring the local fen landscape around my village it was something I really enjoyed. My two young daughters were with me too as we explored quiet dead-end roads together, capturing field recordings and making discoveries. I did a run of CDs too and these sold out quickly - but I've still got some vinyl copies left if anyone wants one.

"Each of the pieces is richly textured and multi-layered, with great attention to detail throughout. The result is a really absorbing listen that repays multiple listenings. I get a sense that these compositions mark a significant moment in Harry’s musical career; they certainly represent a significant development from his earlier work, and communicate a high level of confidence in the means of his expression."
◼️Evergreen Music

One Far West - Heliacal Risings
Digital-only eRecord

To close out the year, I welcomed back Johnny Wilkins for another eRecord, following his 'Bow & Clatter' album as Many Pretty Blooms. Here he was working under his alter-ego, One Far West and I was instantly hooked by his gapless star-inspired album 'Heliacal Risings'. Not to mention the photography and his short film too, which are really impressive. Whilst there's a wealth of detailed textures throughout this record, Johnny uses field recordings to wonderful effect here.