Smalltown Supersound

Smalltown Supersound
Name	Smalltown Supersound
Founded	1993
Founder	Joakim Haugland
Genre	Electronic, jazz, experimental, noise, pop
Country	Norway
Location	Oslo

Smalltown Supersound is an independent Norwegian record label founded in the early 1990s that became notable for its cross-genre catalogue combining electronic music, jazz, noise music, and pop music. The label's releases attracted attention from scenes associated with Berlin', London, New York City, Oslo, and Stockholm and were covered by publications such as The Wire (magazine), Pitchfork, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, and NME. Its activity intersected with festivals and institutions including Melt! Festival, All Tomorrow's Parties, North Sea Jazz Festival, Sonar (festival), and Jazzland Recordings.

History

Smalltown Supersound was established in 1993 by Joakim Haugland amid the aftermath of the 1990s rave and club culture scenes in Europe, drawing from networks tied to Tobacco Factory, Bergen Wave, Bjørvika and contacts in Berlin Techno circles. Early releases referenced scenes around NRK radio shows, collaborations with artists associated with Rune Grammofon and exchanges with labels such as Thrill Jockey, Warp (record label), Domino Recording Company, Ghostly International, and 4AD. Throughout the 2000s the label expanded alongside touring routes through venues like Kronstad Hovedgård, Prestøya, Roskilde Festival, and partnerships with cultural bodies including Arts Council Norway and institutions such as Munch Museum and Oslo Jazzfestival.

Artists and Roster

The roster featured a diverse set of musicians spanning experimental and mainstream spheres. Notable collaborators included artists with ties to Jaga Jazzist, Motorpsycho, Pål Moddi Knutsen, Nils Petter Molvær, Mika Vainio, Lindstrøm, Bjørn Torske, Sidsel Endresen, Arve Henriksen, Karin Dreijer (of The Knife), and projects connected to Stereolab, The Field (musician), Tim Hecker, Oneohtrix Point Never, Jon Hopkins, Four Tet, Aphex Twin, Fennesz, Arca (musician), Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon, and Sunn O))). The label also issued records by rising acts linked to scenes around Kurt Vile, Angel Olsen, Perfume Genius, Cate Le Bon, Destroyer (band), Circuit des Yeux, Shabazz Palaces, Earl Sweatshirt, and Armand Hammer through collaborative compilations and remix projects. Smalltown Supersound fostered crossovers with producers and remixers associated with DJ Shadow, Diplo, M.I.A., Burial (musician), Four Tet, and Ricardo Villalobos.

Musical Style and Aesthetic

The label cultivated an aesthetic that juxtaposed free jazz improvisation traditions exemplified by Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane with electronic practices tied to Detroit techno, Chicago house, ambient music from Brian Eno, and noise lineages linked to Merzbow and Throbbing Gristle. Releases often referenced production methods used by Steve Albini, Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, and J Dilla, and drew inspiration from scenes around Krautrock bands such as Can, Neu!, and Cluster. Visual aesthetics and sleeve art showed affinities with designers and collectives like Peter Saville, Hipgnosis, Pentagram (design studio), and photographers associated with NME and The Face (magazine), while live presentation intersected with performance practices from Fluxus and institutions like MoMA and Tate Modern.

Notable Releases and Compilation Highlights

Key releases that defined the label's profile included albums and EPs that received international attention alongside compilations curated with peers such as Throne of Blood-era experimentalists, and compilations paralleling series by Now That's What I Call Music! only in ambition rather than style. Highlighted artists' records drew comparisons to albums by Sun Ra, John Zorn, Brian Eno, and Aphex Twin, and remix packages featured contributions from Four Tet, Ben Frost, Mount Kimbie, Andy Stott, Clark (musician), Tim Hecker, and Oneohtrix Point Never. The label also released collaborative projects that connected to scores and soundtracks for films and installations by directors and curators associated with Kristin Scott Thomas, Lars von Trier, Björk, and composers linked to Philippe Glass and John Adams.

Label Operations and Distribution

Operations combined DIY independent label strategies with distribution partnerships across networks including Secretly Group, PIAS, ADA (Warner Music Group), Kobalt Music Group, and regional distributors in Scandinavia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and continental Europe. The label maintained relationships with booking agencies and promoters linked to William Morris Endeavor, CAA (Creative Artists Agency), DICE (ticketing), and collaborated on vinyl pressings with manufacturers used by Rough Trade, 33⅓ rpm specialists, and mastering engineers who worked for Abbey Road Studios, Metropolis Studios, and Sterling Sound. Business activities interfaced with collective initiatives like Bandcamp, SoundCloud, and streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and YouTube Music while engaging rights organizations such as ASCAP, PRS for Music, STIM, and TONO.

Influence and Legacy

The label's cross-genre catalog influenced scenes spanning contemporary jazz, club culture, and experimental electronic communities, informing artists who later worked with ECM Records, Blue Note Records, Ninja Tune, Sub Pop, and Matador Records. Critical discourse in outlets like The Wire (magazine), The Guardian, Pitchfork, The New Yorker, and Rolling Stone positioned the label alongside influential independent imprints such as ECM, 4AD, Factory Records, Rough Trade, Warp (record label), and Thrill Jockey. Its legacy continues through archival reissues, festival programming credits at Moers Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, and ongoing pedagogical references in curricula at institutions like BIMM, Berklee College of Music, Royal College of Music, Stockholm, and Norwegian Academy of Music.

Category:Norwegian record labels