OndaLabel #1: Snowstar
Snowstar
In 2003 Cedric Muyres founded Snowstar, an independent label devoted to punk-rock. As the last embers of the 90s died out, the label began to draw in the Dutch strands of the new folk movement, building up a recognizable Snowstar sound – managing to get noticed on a European scale, despite its entirely local roots.
We therefore got in touch with Cedric – and, along with him, his most prominent artists: I Am Oak, Kim Janssen and LUIK. Not so much because there are secrets to uncover, or some supposed “winning formula” to imitate. After all, it’s all about music.
It’s becoming harder and harder to define what a label can actually do for its artists, since it’s now so much easier to promote your own record and so on. How do you think the role of a label has changed in recent years, and how does Snowstar deal with this new situation?
I think that, despite everything, the most important role of labels is still discovering new music. Their role as trendsetters is what I love about the labels I like. I own almost every release by Saddle Creek or Suburban Home, and nine times out of ten I like what they put out. I like the idea that people who enjoy one Snowstar release might give the other releases a listen too, and find some pleasant surprises among the rest. That hasn’t changed and never will. Independent labels have never had big budgets, so the key thing is the network they manage to build around their bands.
One thing that, in my view, Snowstar has managed to do more successfully than other, bigger independent labels, is bringing together and promoting its own scene, its own sound, even though each of its artists still keeps their own “signature”. The way Sarah and 4AD did. Is that something you've done consciously? Would you go as far as passing on a band you like because it doesn't “fit” Snowstar?
The only condition for signing a band to Snowstar is that I have to love their record. That's the only way it can work: since I put so much of my time into it, I can't do what I do unless I back the releases 500%. That said, I'm really proud of this “scene” of ours, of our sound, and I'm glad people notice it.
How has the Dutch music scene changed since Snowstar was founded, back in 2003?
Just like on a global scale, the independent scene has grown. It's become much easier for bands to record and distribute their music do-it-yourself. And, for the “audience”, it's easier to discover bands. Because there are millions of songs out there online. And that's also why the people who help shape “taste” – labels, blogs, or trusted friends – still matter.
Of course genres change, even on a personal level. When I was younger, I mostly listened to punk-rock. It's only recently that I realized just how many new-folk bands and artists there are in the Netherlands, small a country as it is.
Who would be your dream signing?
Tough question. I'm really happy to have Kim Janssen with us, because I'm a huge fan of his first record, and I think his next one – which will probably take him a couple of years – is going to be a massive success. But I guess he doesn't count… So, I would have loved to sign Emmy The Great, an extraordinary English singer-songwriter I discovered years before her debut album came out, and who is now working on her third.
Do you also look for bands outside the Netherlands?
Not actively, no; I used to work with a UK band before they broke up. It's easier for me to work with Dutch bands, for reasons of communication and because I have my strongest network here, but that doesn't mean it will never happen. In the end, it’s all about the music.
Does Snowstar earn money only from record sales, or do you also manage to organize tours and shows for your bands?
Yes, whenever I have the chance, absolutely, I help out with tour booking. Or I put artists in touch with agents I know and work with. Actually, a big part of my work at the label is artist management. I do make some money from that side of things.
Many of the classic independent labels had a distinctive image, with their record covers designed by the artists themselves or by dedicated illustrators. Have you taken a different approach? Why? Do you think it's important to give your artists total control over their output?
Yes, I think it's really important. Besides, it just so happens that I work with artists who have a strong vision for their own artwork. And I don't think it would be right to limit their options with some kind of label house style. Personally, I wouldn't like that. And I'm really happy with the covers of all our latest releases, so I think we've made the right call on that front.
How involved are you in the creative process? Do you like being in the studio with the artists or bands, giving suggestions, or do you prefer to hear the finished product?
I'm involved throughout the whole process, but not in the studio. I like listening to the "work in progress". And, if asked or if it's needed, I help out with advice or with the tracklist, which is always a tricky thing to get right.
What's your approach to the internet? Do you also use it to look for interesting new bands? Do you think it can hurt independent labels, or can it actually be useful?
I use it, I love it, I couldn't do without it. I have no idea how people used to book tours without it. It's the easiest way to get your music heard and to reach people, so yes, I love it. All our releases are on our Bandcamp page. Please listen to them as much as you like and tell your friends about them.
How many people are behind Snowstar? And how many of them actually make a living from the label?
I'm the only one working on it full-time. Then there's just one guy who helps me one day a week, and we're lucky enough to have a few really good interns.
Is there any "trick" you use to figure out whether a band or a song is worth your interest, or do you just judge based on your own taste?
My taste is the starting point, and then I usually get a few people whose opinion I trust to listen to it. But if I end up playing the record on repeat for more than a week – which really does happen – then I know I'll probably end up putting it out anyway, whatever anyone tells me.
Do you encourage the artists on your roster to play live? Do you think that's the best way to promote themselves, or are there more effective methods?
Absolutely. It's by far the best way. I really think bands should tour as much as possible. Get out there, play for people and build yourselves an audience.
I Am Oak
Why did you decide to sign with Snowstar instead of self-releasing your music?
Cedric and I met through Stefan – the bassist in I Am Oak – a few years ago. Stefan and I had become friends simply by appreciating each other's music. He then introduced me to Cedric, saying it would be a great idea if Snowstar put out something by I Am Oak. I really liked the idea too. At that point I'd only done a few low-key lo-fi self-releases, which I enjoyed a lot, but I also felt ready to make a "real" record.
So, working with Snowstar also meant I'd be able to raise the stakes. In the end Cedric liked what I was doing musically, I liked what Snowstar had to offer and the direction the label was heading in at the time, and we seemed to click on a personal level too, so we decided to join forces: which has worked out really well!
What's your relationship with the other Snowstar artists?
We all know each other, we have friendly relationships. We try to support and help each other, one way or another. I guess that's the nice thing about being part of a small, local independent label.
On "Oasem" we find a feeling that's quite new to the "usual" mental space of singer-songwriter records. An expansive feeling, a breath of freedom, like a process of self-discovery in which one finds an exotic and pure inner world. Was this concept inspired by something or someone in particular?
I think this concept comes from the state I was in at the time. I was really caught between two phases of my life. I was taking a break from my three-year course at art school so I could focus more on my music, which suddenly gave me a lot of freedom, but it also scared me a lot, because I'd lost all the stability and routine I'd had before.
So I started seriously focusing on this exploration of myself, to find out what I was made of.
You took inspiration for your moniker from your hometown. How did your "environment" shape "Oasem"? Does it have anything to do with the distinct feeling of swimming you get from it?
The environment can have a direct effect on my music, I suppose. While writing the tracks for "Oasem", I'd spent some time during the summer in Finland, which had a pretty strong influence on the lyrical imagery of the record and became an important chapter of "Oasem". A song like "Island", for instance, describes a real experience I had at the time, standing in full wind on top of a hill, on an island, at sunset.
I've read that your process for arranging your sound is also fairly random: borrowing instruments from friends, etcetera. Are you satisfied with the final result?
I am. I'm satisfied with the direction the record took throughout the writing and arranging process. I felt like I was creating something completely new, something that didn't sound similar to anything I'd done before, but also different from anything I'd ever heard.
Why did you choose to title your record with a dialect word, when you decided to sing in English? And why English and not Dutch?
"Oasem" means "breath", which is a fundamental part of life. By using a word from the dialect of where I was born, I'm pointing to my origins, my roots. "Oasem" is pronounced like "awesome", which ties into the feelings of wonder and the nature and landscapes depicted on the record. So it's a very rich title that relates to the album's content on several levels.
I think the most important reason I don't sing in Dutch is pretty mundane: sonically, it's a very ugly language. Some people know how to make it work and pull it off, more or less, but I can't. I find English much richer, poetically. Maybe it also distances me further from reality, being a foreign language, which makes it easier to be honest and open, while also giving me a sense of being protected.
This "Nowhere Or Tammensaari" is the first record you've made with your band rather than on your own. What was that like? Does it show in the album's sound, and how?
"Nowhere Or Tammensaari" is the first record to be recorded with my band. It was a great experience. I think everyone – more or less – knew what I Am Oak means to me, and we all knew each other's skills and qualities; we used that knowledge to turn my unfinished songs into an album fairly quickly. We also played together as a band during the recording sessions, and I think you can hear that – it has a more live, more relaxed sound compared to the previous record. It also sounds a lot more dynamic, for the same reason.
Can you tell us about this "island of oaks" that gives your album its name? Is it an actual place where you recorded, or a broader theme you wanted to express?
"Tammensaari" is a Finnish word that translates as "island of oaks". It's the name of an invented place. It's a different way of pointing to that "nowhere" which is also in the album's title ("Nowhere"). An intangible place, constantly shifting and moving. It's also the origin of I Am Oak itself.
Kim Janssen
Why did you decide to sign with Snowstar rather than self-releasing your music?
I had known Cedric for a while before we decided to put this album out together. I'd had the chance to watch how he worked with other bands over the years, in touring, promotion, and management, while building his label at the same time. I have a lot of respect for that.
So it felt like a real privilege to have Cedric – and Snowstar – on board for this record's release. I've also known the other Snowstar artists for a long time, so it really feels like joining a family.
What's your relationship with the other Snowstar artists?
I've known Thijs and Aino from I Am Oak and Secret Love Parade for a few years now, through mutual friends – we play shows together, host each other during festivals and tours. Plus, I've been a fan of theirs from the start!
I've known the guys from LUIK for even longer, since we were classmates at the Pop Academy in Leeuwarden. Lukas (Dikker) also recorded my record. Bart Van Der Lee and I were in the same band many years ago, and our families have known each other since we were kids.
Basically, I've known all of them for ages! It's something special because we all know each other really well, and at the same time we're all fans of one another.
"Ancient Crime" is a concept record set in a "school in the north-west of England in winter". Is that an ideal setting representing the spirit of the album, or is there a specific connection to the subject matter of your songs? What "ancient crime" are you talking about?
Yes, the boarding school in the north-west of England provides the setting for the whole record. Everything takes place in this world built around an old, isolated, idyllic boarding school in winter. A world where tradition, ambition and discipline are part of everyday life, just like string quartets, clarinets, horns and church choirs.
"Ancient Crime" comes from an Edward Elgar Christmas hymn. I think it refers to the "ancient crime" that made the birth and death of Jesus necessary. I thought it would be fitting to have a title that referred to winter and Christmas while at the same time carrying the weight of tradition, of history – in a subtly dark sense. It's an interesting thought, whether or not ancient history can cast a shadow over lives today.
Your record has some very minimal songs, others with orchestral and even choral arrangements, and a lot of instrumental tracks. What's your musical background?
During high school, I listened to Coldplay, Muse, Travis, etc. I think I became a different person after discovering artists like Sufjan Stevens, Mark Kozelek and Iron & Wine, right after high school. Composer Nico Muhly and his work with Sam Amidon, for instance, has also been a big influence on me recently.
How do you juggle your solo career with Black Atlantic?
It's pretty hard to juggle, and I think that's a good thing. It's a good problem to have. But it does mean making some sacrifices on both sides. We really have to plan out the hours to make it all work. We plan a year ahead.
Why did you feel the urge to express yourself as a folk musician, as a singer-songwriter, when you were already in a band?
I think both things are really fun: rocking out with a band and doing quieter, folk-oriented stuff. Of course my solo material is much more personal. With Black Atlantic it's more of a collective effort, and the main spark comes from the frontman, Geert van der Velde.
LUIK
Why did you choose to sign with Snowstar instead of self-releasing your music?
We were actually self-releasing, but if you grow as a band, it's a good thing to have people working with you on the things you want to sign off on. I think the main reason is that we and Snowstar share the same ambition and approach when it comes to making and releasing music.
Then, living in Utrecht, we met a great bunch of like-minded musicians who had signed to this small but great label! If Cedric releases your record, you can be sure he genuinely loves it – that's an important thing!
What's your relationship with the other Snowstar artists?
We joined Snowstar together with Kim last year; we've known each other for years because we were friends and classmates at the Pop Academy in Leeuwarden. Kim and I have also played together for a while. I know the guys and girls from Secret Love Parade and I Am Oak through house shows in Utrecht, where Keimpe and I have always lived. We're fans of each other. We played a few shows with I Am Oak for the promotional tour of their album "Oasem", and that's when Thjis introduced me to Cedric.
"Luik" is Dutch for "Liège". Why did you choose this name? Is it because of the famous World War I battle? Are you connected in any way to that Belgian town?
It's the Dutch name for "Liège," just as it's the Dutch word for "hatch," or "shutter." I chose it as an anagram of my name (LUkas dIKker). I like the fact that it lends itself to different meanings and translations.
Unlike other Snowstar bands and artists, your background seems to be influenced more by slowcore than folk. What are your musical influences?
I think LUIK is more influenced by blues than folk. Slow, groovy stuff. I'm influenced by progressive and psychedelic rock bands, by jazz musicians, and by soul and funk music, for the way the musicians play together, in an (inter)communicative way. I'm influenced by indie and folk bands in the attempt to create an authentic sound, a space in which to tell your own story. These days we're listening to Julian Lynch, Real Estate, John Frusciante, Mount Eerie, Ilyas Ahmed, Dirty Projectors and many others! Also great Dutch bands like Herrek, Bebe Fang, Woud, and our labelmates Secret Love Parade, I Am Oak, Kim Janssen, and The Subhuman.
We really know very little about the band, and both your website and Snowstar's are quite sparse when it comes to news and information. Is that a conscious choice? Do you prefer to deal with your fans only through the music?
Rather than doing everything possible to be "seen," we choose to communicate our things in a non-intrusive way. I myself have no interest in what other musicians do once they get home and take their shoes off. Our music is the only thing we want to be known for.
What are the themes of "Owls," your debut? Is everything in this world really so dark and gloomy, or are there glimpses of light?
The main theme running through "Owls"' lyrics is loneliness. In a romantic and nostalgic way, as well as in an unromantic, cold and empty way. I try to write in a contemplative way... considering things and asking myself questions. That way, I hope the words end up sounding rather hopeful.
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This article is an English translation of the original Italian text by Francesco Amoroso, published on OndaRock.it. It was translated with the help of artificial intelligence, under the editorial responsibility of OndaRock's editor-in-chief, Claudio Fabretti.
Discography
I AM OAK - On Claws (2010)
I AM OAK - Oasem (2011)
I AM OAK - Nowhere Or Tammensaari (2012)
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KIM JANSSEN - Ancient Crime (2012)
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LUIK - Owls (2012)
I AM OAK - Oasem (2011)
I AM OAK - Nowhere Or Tammensaari (2012)
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KIM JANSSEN - Ancient Crime (2012)
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LUIK - Owls (2012)
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