Modern ideas around music consumption, distribution and marketing are in flux to say the least. The old industry paradigm of large companies selling millions of overpriced CDs to consumers turning artists into millionaires is one that, thankfully, seems to be on its last wavering legs. In an era where Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails are releasing albums to dedicated followings for free online, modern music fans are reassessing what it means to be into music and artists. A simple CD or 12 inch release is no longer enough to keep most people interested. Avid fans don’t just want music; they want direction, an aesthetic, a way of thinking, a lifestyle.

Ghostly International exemplifies this vanguard in its truest sense. Founded in 1999 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Ghostly was the techno-pop brainchild of Sam Valenti IV, a then-college-freshman who sought to release music by then-unknown house producer Matthew Dear. He wanted to create a label that could cater to a new kind of fan. He explained his ambitions in our correspondence over email: “I just came across the original ‘mission statement’ which called for a new kind of label that was electronically informed, independent and group-minded but with no specific genre. A label for the iPod generation, though I didn’t know that at the time.”

 

Over the course of the last nine years, Ghostly and its dance-oriented sister label Spectral Sound have produced some of electronic music’s most critically adored releases. From Dabrye’s dub-infused minimal hip hop beatscapes to Audion’s ruthless techno voyages (a Matthew Dear side project), Valenti and co. have managed to morph into a modern, malleable entity that has more to offer than just good tunes. Ghostly/Spectral have nurtured a navigable realm of design, clothing, art and other lifestyle accoutrements, all the while adhering to a slick visual aesthetic that engrosses the eye as much as the ear.

Valenti likens his label to an art gallery. “The ‘label as gallery’ metaphor is a template for running a label that isn’t genre-fied. It’s based on the idea that you can develop a dialogue with the public that isn’t based on only offering one thing,” he explains. “It’s like how you pick friends, you can’t help it, you choose to be with like-minded people that you respect. Since day one we worked with the assumption that we are speaking to a big audience, even if it wasn’t there. I think that not talking down to our audience is really the core tenant of what we do. It’s a relationship, not a transaction.”
This enthusiasm fuels Valenti’s optimism toward adaptation inside the rusting music industry. “I’ve always looked at labels as not only galleries, but as the mom-and-pop shops that make up a small town. You have the cobbler, the wine store, the cheese shop, the tailor. You go to each for their specific trade and specialty. So those who are good at what they do will thrive because they have a skill that can’t be replicated or made into ‘artificial intelligence.’”
 
2009 will mark the tenth anniversary of Ghostly International. Despite electronic music’s ever-constant struggle with North America’s short attention span and a crumbling music industry, Ghostly/Spectral is as strong and vibrant as ever, coming off an amazing 2007 that saw the release of Matthew Dear’s critically hailed sophomore effort, Asa Breed. Recently, Ghostly paired up with Adult Swim (providers of such brilliant late night programming as Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Harvey Birdman) to release Ghostly Swim, a free downloadable compilation featuring staples Osborne, Dear, and Dabrye, while introducing newcomers like The Reflecting Skin and The Chap. Busy indeed.

Restless innovation and evolution requires inspiration. It’s a resource that Valenti isn’t short on. “We try to look everywhere for influence, from fashion houses to art galleries. The record label as a construct is an outmoded idea, but the philosophy can be married to new concepts.” Valenti and company walk the talk; from jewelry to figurine toys to mascots (Detroit artist Michael Segal’s Boy Cat Bird characters represent Ghostly in a comic realm), Ghostly has grown beyond the pulsing micro-house of Matthew Dear’s early 12 inch releases. “I think labels remain relevant if they can grow and change without losing their ethos. Great art doesn’t come from a committee or demographic study.”

Today’s glut of information and music is intimidating for many, but faith in the guidance of labels like Ghostly International helps seekers of new interesting sounds navigate from point A to point B. “I think record labels, the good ones anyway, have always been the beacons to guide fans to good music.” These values are reciprocated; a genuine sense of gratitude and mutual respect abounds with Valenti and co., not just with listeners and fans, but with artists as well. “The ethos of working with artists we admire,” says Valenti, “is a big part of what we do, both visually and sonically.”

Not only that but the label’s reliability on quality control serves listeners and fans consistently. It’s something that gives Ghostly/Spectral a sharper edge. As archaic ideas about music’s commercial avenues crumble, it’s comforting and refreshing to engage with a group of individuals who confront such challenges. Valenti is nothing short of energized to bring Ghostly’s ideas and art to those in search of inspiration. That they’ll do so with a smile, a nice shirt and killer minimal techno banger is an added bonus few labels can offer.

Ghostly.com
Boycatbird.com