As music obsessives know, what makes a label fascinating is not just the sounds they release. The most intriguing labels offer a conceptual framework and consistent aesthetic philosophy that connects their releases, creating a mysterious, immersive world that enthralls the listener and demands that one absorb all their releases as one cohesive body of work. Often these types of labels construct a hidden, private, esoteric atmosphere with an occult mystique that cultivates a small dedicated cadre of followers who revel in the enigmatic and the secret, an obscurity that encourages the listener’s imagination to fill in the gaps. Ritualistic compositions, unsettling imagery, clandestine knowledge, and limited access offer listeners an experience that is as thrilling as it is collectible. One such label that has developed this kind of intimacy is Attic Shrines. 

One of the more creative & original horror films I’ve seen/ reviewed recently is Transmission, a 2023 film which, a few months ago, received a DVD release on Jinga Films. It’s focused on a lost/ cursed movie & a missing horror director.  The picture is structured/ presented in a rather creative manner- as if someone is channel hopping late one night- blending true crime mockumentary, news reports, several films with the film, parody adverts, etc. I caught up with the film's writer/ director, Michael Hurst, for an email interview

Xiphos are a three-piece project that creates an atmospheric and epic mix of martial industrial and neo-classical music, focusing on the tales and legends of Ancient Greece. Formed in the year 2022, it brings together three key/ important figures from the genre, Miklós Hoffer (HERR/Donderdag), Troy Southgate ( HERR/Seelenlicht), and Simon Shelmerdine (Dark Awake, Schatten Muse). To date, the band have released two albums- 2023's The Rise And Fall of Athens, and this year's The Age Of Alexander. All three of the band members kindly accepted our invitation for an email interview

Formed in 2005, London-based Third Window Films has been one of the key film labels releasing Asian cinema in the West. Their catalogue touches down in a lot of genres, going all the way from moody dramas, bizarre comedies, wacky ‘n’ weird horror films, pumped up cyber punk, Arty Pink films, creative sci-fi,  cool/ sleek action films, and beyond. Adam Torel- the label head honcho/ man-of-many-hats kindly agreed to give M[m] an email interview.

An event completely dedicated to harsh noise wall (HNW), with Uitgeschakeld as the headliner. It’s not that I thought David López Saludes (of Soma, Barrera and Impur fame) was lying to me when he proposed this. As a matter of fact, it sounded awesome – but with HNW being as underground as it gets, being a sub-genre within noise music, I feared this would be too obscure to pull off as a live event.

Raté is a Bordeaux-based project that creates searing, at times subtle, unsettling wall noise. It’s been active since November 2024, releasing around thirty releases to date, so a fairly prolific wall venture. I’ve reviewed a few of Raté’s releases now, finding it (largely) a consistent wall noise project, and a worthy addition to the French wall noise scene, which over the years has birthed some great acts such as Vomir, Chier, and all the projects connected to Julien Skrobek. So, I tracked down the mind behind the ‘walls’, Gabriel Berteaud, for an email interview.