Redacted, moderator please remove

[Peterson]

Redacted, moderator please remove

[bitewerksMTB]

I had wondered where you had dropped off to.

Have you contacted the label to withdraw the releases or to change the artwork to something by you?

[Andrew McIntosh]

I was enraged to find that he had attributed his own, half-assed artwork to the tapes rather than using the ones I had made and instructed him specifically to use.

A friend and I have a collaborative release on that label, and I was also unimpressed by the packaging, but I was told that, apparently, that's the label's deal - he provides the kind of graphics he wants. This was made clear to me via my friend who was doing the contact with this Skene, so I just gritted my teeth and let it be. I think Skene wants some kind of uniform look with his label, all his releases have similar style artwork from himself. Since it was made clear to my friend I find it puzzling it wasn't made clear to Peterson in his case, at the time they were still in contact and negotiations.

In my case, I quite like the idea of a label coming up with graphics for my own work, but that's out of mutual respect, which in this case is clearly not there. This Skene seems to have no regard for whoever he releases material from.

[absoluten calfeutrail]

My own experience with Mazurka Editions has been nothing but positive. I've received a generous number of artist copies of all material released on the label. I'm sorry to hear of your negative experience - here's hoping it can be resolved satisfactorily.

[whiteheatnoise]

I also have to say that all of the experiences I've had with Jarrod and Mazurka have been nothing but positive. I bought Mazurka titles for my now-closed distro (including the aforementioned tape Forward tape which is great, btw), worked out trades and also released a Being tape on the label and Jarrod was a pleasure to work with in every instance. It's unfortunate that you didn't have the same experience. I personally enjoy the Mazurka artwork and aesthetic myself and feel that and he is indeed striving for a specific artistic vision with the label. Hopefully everything gets squared away for you.

[whiteheatnoise]

I understand all of the points you make. Perhaps you should self-release all of your work in the future? That seems like truly the only way to get what you want in regards to the ultimate presentation/statement of a release. There are too many variables still out of the artists' control despite the specificity of expectations provided to the label (recording quality, artwork print quality, distribution/promotion etc.).

[Potier]

I think it is a very common occurrence that a label will attempt to keep their artwork consistent in order to reflect the aesthetic the imprint is going for. Leaving the decision on artwork & layout up to the submitting artist is not always possible and sometimes the creator of the sounds does not even want to or cannot be involved in the creation of the artwork - even though a lot of consideration should go into leaving enough space for the artist to exert control over how they and their work are represented. I guess it always should be a process of negotiation between label and artist. As previously mentioned in this thread: the only way to circumvent such issues is to release things all by oneself.

It's an interesting topic/issue in itself, though...

In which cases does a label go to far with changing things up on a release? How much are labels tooting their own horn when releasing other people's material? Are artists simply happy with having their sound material released on a label - so that they do not have to put in too much work themselves - or simply to feed their own ego? How well are noise-releases thought out in general? How much do we really care about/understand the concepts that the work is based on?

I hope that a satisfying solution for both parties can be found in your particular case. I have never had contact with Mazurka Editions but all the releases that I own from said imprint have been solid all around...