Interview: Around the world in 80 labels- Teng

teng

Whilst the re-emergence of deep house is old news, and many less creative outfits have long-since jumped aboard the bandwagon, when the sound is good it remains very good indeed. Solid, chunky beats, hypnotic repetition and an ‘all night long’ attitude being just a handful of the sub-genre’s merits.

With that in mind we were keen for Nick Wolfson to join Plain & Simple’s 80 labels community. His imprint, Teng, has been responsible for putting out quality four fours boasting enough depth to have us all falling under a stomping, heads down spell. But the organisation’s remit doesn’t end there, either. Representing a wide-variety of canons then, take a look below for details of exactly how the bossman does the do.

Teng

Nick Wolfson – Teng – UK

 

Describe your imprint’s output. 

Teng’s output varies from deep house and techno to old school acid techno with a little bit of experimental electronica thrown in for good measure. In other words we are all over the place… but in a good way.

What would you say makes it different?  

I would like to think we are not particularly interested in trends but more concerned with interesting, well-made and produced music, and artists who fit our ethos. 

What is it that makes you keep looking for new talent to expose? 

I like to find artists who are willing to do their own thing musically without being generic or following the latest micro trend. I don’t mind if they are very experienced producers or new up and coming young producers. Whatever gets me excited musically and makes me want to help them put their music on the map… I get a kick out of that.

What’s the label’s pinnacle achievement so far?

Managing to get to our 11th release in this difficult environment is a pretty big achievement for us. I can’t really choose from the releases because I think they are all really strong but if I had to choose, I would say Bluredism’s Beautiful Ugly Collection. It’s a really interesting collection of experimental and sometimes beautiful electronic music which really does show Bradley’s music writing and production skills to the max.

It’s not club music. It’s a very intriguing collection of well crafted electronic tunes. It’s also really gratifying to get so much positive feedback from DJ’s and the press in general. It makes it so worthwhile, especially when we are such a small outfit. 

If people were going to hear one release from your camp, what would you prefer it to be? 

It would have to be Akra Tunnelvision, as it’s my track… Shameless self promotion, but nevertheless it’s a track I am very proud of.

All being well, skip forward five years, where would you like things to be?

Total world domination would be good… Major label status and selling 100,000 vinyl a time from each of our releases. But saldy I can’t see that happening. I would just be happy to still be building up the label and still be able to make and sell the records I love just for the hell of it.

 

Recent stops

UK – Wolf Music – Matt Neale

Holland – EevoNext – Estroe


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