Whitelabrecs has reached the grand old age of 10 years as of January and since the first releases of 2026 are all compilations and not artist-specific, I’ve had to get a little creative with the blog posts. I thought I’d ask three questions to members of our community, Inner Echo, to see how they might reflect on their experiences with the label over the years. We get the perspectives of those who’ve followed since day one, to newcomers and artists too.

Things on the label have become a bit more routine and consistent over the last couple of years, and we have this amazing community which you'll hear from shortly. I had a moment to wonder, how on earth did we get here? Well, as you'll see in the video above - there was never a big, clear plan. I've sort of swung from one decision to the next, made quite a few mistakes, and have stuck at it long enough to learn. What guides me first and foremost now more than ever, is community. It's much easier to make decisions when you have a group of supportive friends to share ideas and plans with.

I must say, some of the responses below made me blush a bit and I feel uncomfortable sharing some parts, as I don’t want to take any kind of praise. The reason I keep doing this is out of pure passion for the music (inspired by the original masters of Ambient music like those in the video!) and to build a sense of community and support for fans of Ambient music and artists alike. I never imagined this project would last 10 years - as a creative, I’m used to my ideas fizzling out before I move onto the next shiny new thing. Somehow we’re still here and at this milestone, it cements for me that I’m in this for the long haul - despite all the challenges, late nights, early mornings. The community makes it all so special and worthwhile and it’s all the encouragement I need to have a stab at making it to the next decade...

A big thanks to Andy, Marjorie, Percolator, Phil, Ryan and The Medic for taking the time to share your thoughts! And I'd extend my thanks to my Ambient Label Hub friends, Andrew Heath, Adrian Newton and James Osland, James Edward Armstrong whose ears I couldn't be without and all the artists who I have worked with over the years.

How and when did you discover Whitelabrecs?

Andy: First off - congratulations on reaching this huge milestone Harry! Via Whitelabrecs you've sent literally hundreds of great releases out into the world, and made many sets of ears, mine included, very happy! I first discovered early on in 2016 - I'd been a fan of Audio Gourmet, an earlier label curated by Harry, so when Whitelabrecs popped up it was a no brainer for me to get on board.

Marjorie: My husband pointed me at you!

Ryan: I discovered (well, sunk into) WLR in the pandemic doldrums of early-to-mid 2020, although I'd been aware of the label at that point as a standard for modern Ambient and neoclassical for a few years.

Percolator: I can’t remember exactly how I got into Whitelabrecs but I was listening to a lot more Ambient from the mid-2010s. I remember being very captivated by Glåsbird, anthéne and James A. McDermid around 2017-2018 and being aware of Whitelabrecs as a label then, but it was the Home Diaries series (during the pandemic) that really made me a fan. I loved the concept, the peek into other lives, the feeling of connection and all the different musical interpretations. It would always make my day when a new Home Diaries was released, and there wasn’t much else to look forward to at that time.

The Medic: It was sometime around 2018-2019 when I'd first stumbled across it. Andrew Sherwell's ‘Orthodox Tales’ had my attention drawn to it by way of Stephan Mathieu's involvement (mastering). It wouldn't be for another little while before I became enamoured with the label, which I really took to after Grønland, Vihne, and Asymmetry had all released shortly after each other. The right sounds at the right time.

What do you like about Whitelabrecs?

Andy: Whitelabrecs is responsible for releasing some of my most treasured albums. The label regularly releases material by some of my favourite artists, and has introduced me to some incredible musicians over the years. Both the CDs and digital releases have a consistent design aesthetic that perfectly reflect the sounds they accompany.

Marjorie: I get serious anxiety overwhelm when faced with a lot of choice so having found someone whose judgement I trust, I go with Harry's choice of artists. Best of all? The listening parties on Bandcamp. The range of informed comments is always an education. Some people are creators and ask about instruments/techniques/tech devices and, when a track hits a nerve, the chat explodes (quietly!!) with admiration.

Phil: What I like is how I'm constantly exposed to new artists, and the sense of community around the music.

Ryan: What really grabs me about WLR is the sense of community and engagement. Since joining Inner Echo, and having an eRecord on the label, I've started a few collaborative projects, received incredible remixes from community members and other label artists, and have signed projects off-label with label heads within this community. WLR has fostered so much growth I don't even really have a way of thanking everyone properly because I'm routinely lost for words (which is saying a lot for an American-Italian who doesn't know when to shut up, lol). I mean, high level, I love all the music first and foremost, but the community behind it all is astonishing, and was unexpected - as such, this is what I like about WLR.

The Medic: Over time, I've come to think of the music of the label as a sort of ‘living room Ambient’ space. There's a warmth and intimacy in even the most experimental and dramatic releases on the label, each record a place I can retreat to and idle by watching the weather through the window or enjoying a cup with a nice little read about far-away places in hand.

The community aspect is another which must be mentioned. I think it was Alex over at Quiet Details who really put me on to listening parties on bandcamp, but the work you've done to cultivate a larger space beyond that through the newsletters, blog posts, videos, and the Inner Echo has been essential and unique in the modern Ambient sphere.

Percolator: All the above is still true of Whitelabrecs today - strong concepts, connection with the artists, always excellent music. In a time when anyone can produce any music they want, it’s great to have a label that you can trust to curate music to a very high standard but without being pretentious or exclusionary. I’ve already had some wonderful experiences with the community of Inner Echo so that’s a huge bonus too.

What is your favourite Whitelabrecs release of all time, if you had to choose just one?

Andy: I'm sure it'd be easier to pick 20, than just one...I'll go with Starigrad by Letna, but ask me again in 5 minutes and I'll say blochemy's aithem, or the 4th by Steve Pachecho, or Below by Jens Pauly, or...

Marjorie: My all time favourite WLR record I go back to is your 'Infinite Light', or, if pushed Adrian Lane's 'Vignettes'.

Phil: I came across WLR when somebody in a Discord channel posted a link to 'I ett annat land' by Henrik Meierkord & Knivtid. This is probably still my favourite release, but I haven't dug very far into the label.

Ryan: My all-time fave is a more recent release, Yuta Ota's 'Dramatic Syndrome' from a few years back’.

Percolator: Hard to pick just one? Right now probably The Deccan Traps’ 'Sentinel of the Moors' - a really beautiful sounding album which I listen to most days. An older favourite is Harry’s 'Infinite Light', I love the sense of place.

The Medic: I couldn't possibly pick just one. Too many certified bangers, and still more I've yet to delve into!

If you're new to Whitelabrecs or haven't explore the catalog for a while, you can check out the label Bandcamp page HERE.

If you're curious to go a little deeper and become part of Inner Echo, our free community, simply join the email newsletter via the form below and you'll receive the details on how to join us.