.jpeg Artefacts
Label Spotlight. June 24, 2021.
.jpegArtefacts is an independent record label based in Naarm run by Joe Buchan. Since its inception in March 2019, the label has already released 19 projects spanning LPs, EPs and even a compilation.
Featured artists include Other Joe, Bluetung, Pseudo Fruit, Lalić and many more.
Naarm/Melbourne scene
Around 2013, I met a bunch of artists while studying at the Victorian College of the Arts. I remember I’d rock up to lectures every week and someone would be passing around a hard drive with gigabytes on gigabytes of the wildest music I’d ever heard.
Up until then I’d never really strayed past what Pitchfork recommended or whatever, so pouring through those archives of recommendations was a revelation. It’s those classmates and artists - Darcy (Baylis), Nico (Niquo, Haji K), Jordan (OBA, Body Clock) that gave me a point of entry into a musical community that I could be a part of. I’m very grateful for it.
I think what I love about it is also why I continue to engage - it keeps life interesting. Much better to be putting out records, going to shows, and meeting new people than just watching basketball on YouTube ad nauseum (although a little bit of that is always good too).
Beginnings of the label
I just always had the feeling that my closest friends were making incredible music that nobody seemed to know about. I feel pretty vindicated that I was right about that too, it’s wild to see truly how many people care.
The journey has been remarkably cruisey. Behind every record is an artist that I’m truly a fan of, and a friend who I love dearly. Couldn’t get much better than that.
The label's prolific output
The original goal was one release every month, so I’m actually a bit behind on that key performance indicator. I remember starting the label I was just so afraid that it would fizzle out, that I’d put out two releases and then forget about it or whatever.
Now I’m just starting to slow down. I feel really happy with the catalog so I’m kinda just focussing on maybe one or two more releases this year. The artists that have released on the label have left a pretty remarkable back catalog, so I’m trying to honour that and keep the curation tight.
Physical releases
Many of the releases on the label have physical counterparts. It’s in the name - they’re artefacts. I like that they exist beyond zeroes and ones.
The physicals are there for someone to uncover years from now - for someone to find at an op shop, in their parents record collection, in some other time capsule.
Mastering the releases
Many of the releases on the label have physical counterparts. It’s in the name - they’re artefacts. I like that they exist beyond zeroes and ones.
The physicals are there for someone to uncover years from now - for someone to find at an op shop, in their parents record collection, in some other time capsule.