Plunderphonics: label interview
Published September, 2012
by Easterndaze
New label alert. Plunderphonics is a new digital imprint established this year by the 18-year old Krystian Stebnicki. Since its inception in June 2012, he managed to bring out four idiosyncratic releases ranging from faux French-sung wave/EBM of Cochon Porc, to MOLR DRAMMAZ’s disorienting experiments. The plunderphonic maxim is applied subtly, without obvious allusions to pop culture, recalling the often inherently disturbing sonics of the Residents rather than playfulness of Negativland.
Can you tell us about Plunderphonics, its history?
It all started two years ago, when I was sixteen years old. I had heard about the netlabel ‘by?em kobieta’, founded by a friend of my sister from her university. I immediately fell in love with the sound of the label and it is still the case today. Later I started to search for my own experimental music performers. Sangoplasmo records (cassette label) delivered another dose of inspirations. I bought some tapes from this label and told to myself, “I dig the music, so maybe I should try my own netlabel”. I read on twitter of the band Satanicpornocultshop that Dagshenma’s album is the best thing they have heard. I checked this and indeed it was fantastic.
I asked Dagshenma if he would like to release a record on Plunderphonics and he agreed, and it was a hit. I created the site on bandcamp and I started promotion. When my friends listened to his ‘Humane Humane’ they told me:“What’s that sounds?! Some noise and crackles from the speakers …” haha. The interest has increased significantly after the release of the MOŁR Drammaz’s last album: ‘Semperflorens’. Wojtek Kucharczyk was very helpful.
ON TOUCHE NOS CULS from cochon porc on Vimeo.
What sort of sound are you concentrating on?
I am concentrating on all kinds of experimental music, but I’m open to all genres. I’m just trying to promote extraordinary music. for people who are looking for new musical horizons.
<a href=“http://plunderphonics.bandcamp.com/album/humane-to-humane” data-mce-href=“http://plunderphonics.bandcamp.com/album/humane-to-humane”>Humane to humane by Dagshenma</a>
Can you tell us about the releases you have so far?
First release was Dagshenma’s “Humane to Humane”. This is white noise from Japan. Second release was WeeGee’s “megatr[ ]nne EP” from the US. This is a very nice, short EP, which sounds a little like chillwave. The third release was by CochonPorc from Poland with an album called: “Tête”. This record aims to mix French arrogance with the brutality of industrial mass killing. The fourth release was MOŁR DRAMMAZ’s “Semperflorens”., a compilation consisting of 10 previously unreleased tracks by Mołr Drammaz’s more electronic period between 2000 and 2004 (and beyond) and 10 songs that were already released on previous albums. This album shows the originality and variety of the work of MOŁR DRAMMAZ
<a href=“http://plunderphonics.bandcamp.com/album/semperflorens” data-mce-href=“http://plunderphonics.bandcamp.com/album/semperflorens”>Semperflorens by MOŁR DRAMMAZ</a>
Are you in any way inspired by John Oswald’s plunderphonics concepts? Sampling, reappropriation, etc?
Yes, I’m big fan of the plunderphonics phenomenon, but I’ve heard about plunderphonics for the first time when I read a review of the cassette ‘Death Beam’ by Lutto Lento. Maybe someday I will be able to promote an artist in this genre of music.
What are you planning for autumn?
Still looking for new interesting artists. All I can say now is that in late autumn I’m planning a Czech surprise.