Man, it hasn’t been the best decade for record companies, has it? What with the oncoming digital age, file-sharing and online mp3 stores, it’s getting harder and harder with every passing Tuesday to keep the general public interested in the physical products that the labels are slaving over. If in you’re still in the game of making and distributing compact discs, it’s either because you don’t have any other way to make money or you’re in it for the love of the records you’re pushing. More and more small handmade CD-R labels are sprouting up nowadays that obviously fall into the latter categories, and frankly, all of our record collections are better for it.

One of the latest handmade labels to strike our fancy at RetroLowFi is cass_et_tape_records, or CETR for short. CETR is the brainchild of one John Russell, and the label was founded shortly after he graduated with a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) and a minor in electronic music from the University of South Florida. And, well… here’s some things that he recently told us about the genesis of CETR via email:

“Since the spring of 2005 I have designed, coded, and maintained “Tampa Bay and Beyond (art | music | events)“… The site is focused around emerging artists and musicians and showcases many alternative events. I host cass_et_tape_records on/off of the same domain… so Tampa is the home base right now but the artists are all over the states: Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, N. Carolina, New York, Oregon, Washington DC, Colorado and very recently Japan.

I was involved in the SYCOM (electronic music studio) program for the five years that I was at USF and worked with analog equipment (Moog and EMU Modulars, Profit Synth, Reel to Reel, etc) and digital equipment in their respective studios in the basement of the school. It was a grand working environment for experimentation. The community and ideas that were in the air helped inspire some of my working methods and some thoughts of starting a music project that would combine my music and art endeavors.”

He went on to tell us that despite the name cass_et_tape_records, there aren’t actually any CETR releases that are currently available on tape. Instead, it was more the DIY ethos of lo-fi cassette culture that struck a chord with him and the labels roster. As a matter of fact, each copy of a CETR release has something slightly different about it, as each one is painstakingly handcrafted, and not simply xeroxed and thrown into a sleeve. John also went on to say: “I attempt with the label to use the obviousness of the syntax, artist’s hand in the mark-making, in the tactile construction of the packaging to revitalize interest in life and contemplation through sharing of human experience.”

And let me tell you, each release looks and feels like your buddy specifically designed a disc just for you containing his latest works. That personal touch is vital in understanding each artist on the label, and if the artists themselves aren’t making an interesting product, why even bother running a label, eh? With that, let’s take a look at the releases to date on cass_et_tape_records:

cetr_release#001: The Loneliest Punks “Elpeas EP + Bonus”:

The inaugural CETR release was a cacophonous recording by Alex and Lucas. Chock full of cello, guitar and pretty much any stringed instrument they could find, Elpeas is a fractured all-over-the-place record that is the most fitting starting point for a label of this nature. Free-spirited and coated in experimental glee, The Lonliest Punks have been making their brand of jam since 2004.

The Lonliest Punks - Little Birdie.mp3

cetr_release#002: Chaotic Formula Orkestra “April Fools Day (Live At Sacred Grounds)”:

On April 1st, 2005, Tom Kersey, Ryan Pate and John Russell got together with their respective cello and guitars to do, well, whatever felt right at the time. The result is a spacious recording that keeps the listener guessing through a constantly shifting set of moods and improvisational structures that frame the albums centerpiece, “The Child, In All Of Us”. It’s a shame that the tape ran out after 71 minutes, eh?

Chaotic Formula Orkestra - The Child, In All Of Us.mp3

cetr_release#003: Mikel Bisbee-Durlam/Dynomite “Split 2007″:

Sharing a set of song titles, these two outfits share a record and even take turns doing each others tunes. Dynomite is yet another John Russell project - this time with Scott Moore in tow - and this one is firmly planted in the hindsight of No Wave, while Mikel Bisbee-Durlam’s portion of the disc is somehow the most free-form sounds heard on the label yet.

Dynomite - Local Universe.mp3
Mikel Bisbee-Durlam - Plato And Socrates.mp3

cetr_release#004: Desmond Reed “The Baby-Sitters Club EP”:

We’ve already sung the praises of Desmond Reed from the proverbial mountaintops, but it bears repeating that this cat is a lo-fi pop genius. Relying on top shelf pop chops and structures, Reed’s musical output is a far cry from the play-it-as-it-lays suggestiveness of the first few CETR releases, but sits comfortably alongside the DIY ethos while being the most immediately accesible release the lable has offered up to date.

Desmond Reed - When I Met Michelle.mp3

So yes, cass_et_tape_records certainly deserves the attention of low-fi DIY enthusiasts, but also those that appreciate outsider art in general. If you’ve got a spare moment or two, navigate over to their website and check out some the the utterly dumbfounding packages that these releases come in, keeping in mind that these albums are available at dirt cheap prices. This is a label you’ll want to keep your eyes on, and now you’re getting in on the ground floor. Don’t say I didn’t warn you…