This month we have a very special treat for all the readers of the Monograph, a special treat if you will. As part of our Label of the Month scheme, which has included Robot Needs Home and Maneki Neko in the past, we are pleased to open our doors and let in Erased Tapes. Since its formation by German-born Robert Raths in 2007, the label has released music from epic artists such as Leicester heroes Kyte and Rival Consoles (pictured below) as well as internationally renowned The British Expeditionary Force, Ólafur Arnalds and Codes in the Clouds to name a few. The label proclaims that they  release “picturesque, universally speaking music for people of all ages to dream to”, a manifesto that they have proven time and time again in their acts and events. This outlook is also relected in their artists, with Ryan Lee from Rival Consoles commenting on the music industry giants: “It’s a piece of shit full of deluded “yes” men, most real talent gets located and sent to a horrible beast who then proceeds to program a machine to churn out the idea” and its clear to see why he has made Erased Tapes his home.

With an ever aware community looking on bigger labels with a degree of uncertainty at their intentions, Erased Tapes is a label driven by love, sharing and most of all music. This passion and determination possessed by Erased Tapes hasn’t gone without recognition in the press, boasting reviews from giants such as Uncut, Drowned in Sound, Clash and being Huw Stephens ‘DIY Label of the Week’ on BBC Radio 1 (hopefully soon to add the Monograph to that list) and their success and consistency has garnered them a loyal following, both from fans and from the media.

Not to be a label to sit static, they have a tirade of music streaming from their London based hub and during this month we will be presenting all that the epic label has to offer, from the ambient, atmospheric classical tones of Icelandic Ólafur Arnalds to the brilliant electronica from Rival Consoles. As we sit and write this we try to name another label where we have found an interest and vibe in each of the artists and its hard, this label however certainly makes it onto the list.

For more information on Erased Tapes you can visit their website at www.erasedtapes.com, but be sure to keep checking back in the coming days/weeks to hear all this mighty unit has to offer with even some news of how you can submit some of your work to possibly feature on a Codes in the Clouds remix album. From all of us here we say once again, welcome to our label of the month, Erased Tapes.

Words by Jon Dodd
Editor of The Monograph, Jon Dodd is a designer by trade but a music lover and writer at heart. Along with Duncan Graham he is one of the founding members of the Monograph.
Read all articles by Jon Dodd