A cynic may argue it is utter madness to start a record label in 2022. A romantic would see it as prove that there will always be passionate musicians and fans of music crazy enough to spent their most valuable resource (i.e., time) on putting out and promoting the music of others. That romantic may have thought about starting a label as well, but scared to take the plunge.
Count us among the romantics. Hence, it’s been a joy to witness the birth of Wilbur & Moore, a label started by two Dutch friends (Joep & Bas) who live 10.000 miles apart but share a love for experimental indie music. Early on, it was clear that the label had the looks – the art direction by Bas van Genugten is pretty great. And now we finally have a first impression of the sound direction. Or perhaps not, since the label’s debut release is an eclectic selection of artists covering the music of Jeffrey Lewis. The comp contains lo-fi rockers, anti-folk, slacker pop and stripped down acoustic tracks and everything in between. The comp is all over the place really, and if there is a commonality among the songs it is (a) the home recording vibe (b) the heart and soul the artists have put in their renditions. Indie rock, underground pop and alternative music seem to be points of departure for Wilbur & Moore, no hard borders or boundaries.
Sea Creatures Stared at Us and We Stared Back at Them is a bold start by Wilbur & Moore. Like the best tribute compilations it offers a lot to discover and makes you want to check out many of the artists featured – and revisit the orginals, for which the label made this convenient playlist. Below are some of my favorites. Press play and, if you are curious, read more about the label’s backstory here.
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