Review of Russian Internet labels

An online label is a web-based analogue of offline music publishing. While initially traditional record labels distribute music content and promote teams and performers in the real world, Internet labels do the same work on the web. Due to the difficult situation of the traditional music industry, when even the titans of the music business have to take a lot of risk when releasing new releases, recently record labels have been trying to work with bands that will most likely work on the invested funds. In cultural terms, this situation is quite deplorable - after all, even not quite underground groups now cannot hope to publish, and only completely successful commercial projects are being rented.



As you know, the reason for this is the Internet - and it also offers new ways to spread music. Already from the beginning of the 2000s, new schemes appear in America and Europe - when releases are not released on CDs, but are published only virtually, and groups and performers spin up over the Internet. Having copied the approach of traditional record-labels and transferring it to the network, the so-called net-labels or, in Russian, Internet labels, or network labels, or mp3 labels appeared.



What is a record label? First, it is an organization that does not distribute any music, but of a certain format or even a narrow specific direction. There is a producer, or several, who are engaged in the selection of music, and a good label necessarily has its own face and sound. Some releases listen only because they were released by 4AD label, for example. Secondly, the label deals with copyright protection. In the case of Internet labels, copyright protection is limited only to publishing content under a free license, but the selection of music can be quite serious. A label is beneficial for people to listen to his music, he is engaged in promotion - he can arrange concerts, spreads information about releases on the net, and so on and so forth.

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However, Internet labels differ from traditional ones more - as a rule, these are non-commercial labels, as a rule, releases are distributed on free licenses and mainly on Creative Commons. Internet labels are rarely engaged in the promotion of the group and the organization of concerts, mostly their business - just the distribution of music on the network. Since it is easier to manage the affairs of an Internet label, often they are engaged in several people or even one.



The difference between the Internet label and such music distribution sites as soundkey.ru or kroogi.ru is more obvious. These portals simply offer anyone to place their music and receive rewards for it. Neither the selection nor the protection of rights, nor promotion they are not engaged. Simply put, a label is a publishing house, and soundkey.ru and kroogi.ru are shops.



Historically, the first Internet labels were engaged in publishing electronic music (since the number of self-made electronic music is extremely large), and even now the vast majority of Internet labels release electronic music. Over time, labels appeared indie, an alternative - that is, basically such music, which is based on the principle of Do It Yourself (in fact, Internet labels themselves follow this principle). Abroad, the number of Internet labels has long been innumerable, and we have enough of them. Usually, the technical component of an unassuming network label is also unpretentious - often it is a standalone wordpress blog, or simply a blogpot account. But in this article I would like to tell you about several domestic Internet labels that are interesting in music, have their own face, stand out but in the general background and set trends.



Otium / Sonux







The oldest working Russian Internet label, more precisely, now two - Otium releases ambient, idm, downtempo, Sonux - techno. There are no previews, but there are rss and separate pages by authors. Content is distributed under a Creative Commons license.



Mimonot Records







The largest Russian online label that produces live music. Preferred styles are indie, post rock, indietronica. There are pre-listening to music, rss, content is distributed under a Creative Commons license.



Free as a bird







Releases music styles indie, rock, ethno. A young and small Internet label, however, is favorably distinguished by informative reviews of each release, detailed pages about authors with photos and videos. The site has rss and there is a pseudo-Internet radio - flash player that randomly plays tracks from releases. The most important difference of this label is that, along with free downloads, it allows you to pay for releases - this money is sent to the authors. The license is not specified, but it is written that "all releases are free for downloading, listening and further distribution if you are not going to earn money from them."



Pulsations For You







Preferred styles are IDM, ambient, minimal, easy jazz. A detailed review is attached to each release. On the site there is a section "video ripple", where it is supposed to release a music video, but now there is only one video release. Content is distributed under a Creative Commons license.



Fragilité







A unique musical direction - the label publishes academic music, works under the auspices of the Moscow Conservatory, and publishes the music of composers of this conservatory. Directions - modern classics, academic electronics and avant-garde. All releases are peer-reviewed, there may be a concert video in the additional materials for them, and even notes and source materials. There are pre-listening, all content is licensed under Creative Commons, unless otherwise specified separately.



RAP-A-NET and A-HU-LI rec.







The labels are part of the creative association UnderGroundWiggaz and are engaged in hip-hop, RAP-A-NET - the true Russian-language rap, A-HU-LI rec. - instrumental hip-hop. The license is not specified, there is also no preview, but the collection is very rich.



Clinical archives







Music styles - alternative, post-punk, avant-garde, psychedelic, free jazz. The famous label is organized on the platform of Blogspot. The music is distributed under the Creative Commons license, there is no preview, there is rss, the music can be downloaded either by the album or by the album, there is access to additional materials.