Circuit Sweet Interview, Feature, Reviews

Rad Releases 20 – Black Basset Records

December 27, 2020

Rad Releases 20 – Black Basset Records

It’s that time once again, as the countdown to the end of 2020 rapidly approaches and we quickly want to move away from this year- we take a personal look back on familiar names, labels, promoters, and musicians’ best releases of the past 12 months. In what has been a challenging year for all, the one constant has been how artists and their labels have adapted and produced some of the best records of our time and it’s those releases that have the audience has depended on to get them through the year.

This year the Rad Releases special celebrates 10 years, to mark the decade-long feature we let our favorites take over the site to tell us the records that have kept them going throughout this trying year. Telling us how they’ve adapted, if they’ve returned to a loved record and what we can look forward to from them next year.

As we come to the final of our festive feature, we handover to a label who we’ve admired for years and one that has contributed to this yearly feature for 7 years now. We speak to Didier who is behind the incredible Charleroi-based DIY record label Black Basset Records. This year may have thrown a huge curveball for labels to adapt to, but in the midst of our first lockdown receiving a new 7″ release from All Caps via BBR really came at the right time. Didier tells us more about the labels year in music and the records that have made a big impact..

Top Releases

OVTRENOIR – Fields of Fire

Their eagerly debut on Consouling Sounds. We were lucky enough to have manage to book their Belgian release party, as part of one of our two labels nights in our hometown of Charleroi. Only for it to be cancelled 24 hours before the actual thanks to the second wave of covid-19. Smashing album, and a huge disappointment not to have been allowed to witness it live.

GNOT – DEAD BIRDS

I have been lucky enough to travel to Russia at the very beginning of the year. A fantastic experience which has led me to delve into Russian bands a lot. This is just one of my findings, and what a finding it is. This band is looking for a record label by the way….

INGRINA – Siste Lys

Their sophomore album on A Tant Rêver du Roi. Best French album of the year, full stop. No surprise to see the vinyl record edition selling out in no time. This band is just incredibly exciting.

FALL OF MESSIAH – Senicarne

The new album by our pals from the North of France. This release got the double “covid 19 / Holy Roard disaster” treatment, yet it made an instant impact.

THROANE – Une balle dans le pied

One track. 13 minutes and something. The record is an incredibly beautiful object and the track itself is, well, simply incredible.

The best gig attended (if you had the opportunity at the start of the year)

Best show attended was definitely BOLT RUIN at the Slovenian Cinematheque in Ljubljana during MENT festival, although seeing our very own BILLIONS OF COMRADES play an intimate show in an old watermill in Tubize for the maximum allowed audience of 40 people in early July (when live shows made a short lived come back in Belgium) was a blessed moment in itself.

Has there been any record that’s got you through this year?

CORIKY, definitely the most played album at BBR towers this year.

How have you adapted with releasing/recording/promoting during this year?

We basically got stopped dead in our tracks by the pandemic, it is as simple as that. The third pressing of LA JUNGLE’s first album and the second pressing of the CHOOLERS DIVISION debut were released right on time for their upcoming tours in March, both of which were of course cancelled. Our CD edition of the GLASSING debut album was also ready for their April/May European tour….which never happened.

Best discovery this year?

Russian band SHOW ME A DINOSAUR and their album Plantgazer. Instant love.

Label Highlight of 2020

No surprises, 2020 has not been a great year, all our label nights ended up being cancelled or postponed, hardly any shows going ahead for any of the artists we work with and most of our records’ stocks carefully stocked while waiting for better days.

The closest to a highlight would be the posters’ sale we launched for our two cancelled label nights in October. All benefits went to a local charity taking care of homeless people and we managed to raise a nice little amount of money to support them.

As this is our 10th year of Rad Releases, we want to look back on your 10 years- has there been on standout moment/standout record of the past 10 years for you?

There have been quite a few for sure but one of my favourite moments was definitely seeing LA JUNGLE play the ARTE festival. Live on a major TV channel from a household Paris concert venue (La Gaité Lyrique). We would not have dared to dream of such events when we started the label. https://www.arte.tv/fr/videos/090953-008-A/la-jungle-au-arte-concert-festival-2019/

Artist/Band to watch for 2021

DEAD MAMMALS, from Rochester.

Their first album is set to be released in 2021. I am usually not a big fan at all of covers, but their Reskin EP has been heavily in repeat since its release. This is, itself, surprising enough to have me impatiently waiting for their proper debut.

Label Plans for the New Year

The new PEDIGREE album is just out, a joint release with no less than 5 other labels. A very discrete release that should really become more visible once live shows can make a come-back.

We do not expect 2021 to be much more exciting than 2020 to be honest and we will limit ourselves to two releases: LA JUNGLE’s 4th album and the new JEAN JEAN album, which is going to be massive, mark my word!

Well, those 2 releases alone will make 2021, thank you BBR

blackbassetrecords.com

You Might Also Like

No Comments

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.