Interview- Around the world in 80 labels: Ten Thousand Yen

TTY

We’re particularly excited to present this edition of 80 labels. Our guest is an esteemed tastemaker who, whilst remaining comparatively under the radar himself, has been dropping the kind of bombs people hear for miles around for knocking on four years now.

 

Fittingly, this week also sees the imprint in question- Ten Thousand Yen- co-host a showcase of artists (alongside 50 Weapons) at Egg in London, featuring the likes of xxxy and Chesus, who have all released through the organisation. Quite a selection of names, all of whom have garnered serious acclaim in recent times, its rosters like this that make it clear something is very right indeed. Introducing Ian Yeti then, the man in charge of this kingdom alongside Doc Daneeka, who was kind enough to share some words of wisdom with us.

 

Yeti

 

Ian Yet – Ten Thousand Yen – UK

 

 

 

Describe your imprint’s output. 

In a nutshell, we’re an electronic label. Usually our records are aiming at the dance, but that said, we’re not afraid to put out tracks that just sound right to us, for instance: Tobyjug. We always try to put out records that excite us both, that we find interesting and are forward-looking in some way.

 

 

 

What would you say makes it different?  

When we launced the label in 2010, UK underground music was in the best place it’s been for years, it was literally a load of genres being thrown into a blender with so much great music coming out. I suppose we’ve continued to try and reflect that diversity throughout, drawing together releases that are pretty different to each other but have some kind of common thread running through each one. Like Mickey Pearce’s Tempted 12″ came after Tobyjug but it doesn’t sound out of place. Design wise, we always wanted to keep the aesthetic of the label really strong, and have worked closely with our long term art director Bingo Boutique as the catalogue evolves. 

 

 

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

I think that digging-for-new-stuff is a pretty common theme to anyone that’s deeply involved in music really, DJ’s, producers and music heads are no different from labels in that respect. We all want to hear that new track or a fresh artist. We do actively listen to demo’s and would love for something new to come in via that route, but generally new talent comes to us in quite an organic way, via our artists and wider network. Our next release is by Presk, an incredible artist from Amsterdam. His Saluki EP is out this week – and each track seems to be flicking different peoples switches so we’re mad excited about that one dropping.

 

 

 

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

To be honest, i’m not sure if it can be classed as an acheivement – but watching the careers of the artists that we’ve worked with grow has probably been the pinnacle of what we’ve been doing over the years. Seeing Julio Bashmore blow up early on and watching guys like xxxy, Benjamin Damage, Chesus, The Organ Grinder and Presk go from strength to strength as artists is literally the best thing about it. That, and to be able to look back over the catalogue and feel proud of each release is a pretty special feeling.

 

 

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

Haha, that’s gonna be a tough one for anyone running a label to answer I’m sure, we’re always going to want you to check out the new stuff and this year we’ve got tons of exciting releases lined up, particularly the new Presk, Bodhi & xxxy 12″s, so stay locked… If I was pushed, I suppose a “classic” TTY record would be xxxy’s You Always Start It / Ordinary Things. I still get a kick to watch a club going off to these tunes I gotta say.

 

 

 

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

 

Sipping drinks on the yacht somewhere warm! Ha, but in all seriousness, if we’re still able to put out music in some form or another in 5 years time i’ll be more than happy!

 

 

 

 

Recent Stops

 

Israel – Lost & Found – Guy J

 

UK – Teng – Nick Wolfson 


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