Welt Discos: Stephen Howe
The headline of this post is:
Stephen Howe’s magical Mimesis EP is out now on Welt Discos. Get your copy here.
Welt Discos' latest delivery is the debut solo record from DJ/producer/radio host Stephen Howe. The Mimesis EP gives us a convincing introduction to his highly musical sound: spontaneous yet tightly arranged, referential yet idiosyncratic, and not afraid to take the odd left turn. From 80s electro dynamism to loopy techno deepness to broken introspection, this is a diverse and surprising set of dancefloor grooves brought together by Stephen's knack for harmony, counterpoint and tone.
Stephen Howe first emerged via his festival-ready SH refixes of Ojerime and Oklou, the latter of which got played on Radio 1's Essential Mix. He has also appeared on Rhythm Section's SHOUTS 2022 compilation with the track 'Flow State' and on Peach Discs' Peach Pals Vol. 3 with 'Body Heat'. He hosts a bi-monthly radio show on Refuge Worldwide named after his beloved SH-101.
I’ll write more about the background to this EP another time.
But this sunny morning in Lisbon I’ve got Friday On My Mind… Bandcamp Friday to be specific:
The fatigue is real, huh? And I’m sure this is light drizzle compared to the deluge many people’s inboxes will be receiving today.
What to do?
Speaking as a music lover/fan/digger/buyer/consumer, I used to take Bandcamp Friday as an opportunity to give directly to the musicians and labels I really like. I’d make a point of wishlisting stuff in the weeks running up to the day, noticing where I could buy someone’s whole catalogue and taking great pleasure in doing so on that particular day. It felt wholesome. But as my digital buying habits expanded, the sheer volume of music being pushed on these days started to get overwhelming.
At one time I tried to finesse this situation by writing a newsletter about my favourite things to buy on Bandcamp Friday — it gave me focus and felt like I was doing something beyond mere consumption. But I’m sad to say even that motivation has long gone, replaced by a generalised anxiety provoked by the email alerts, the endless Instagram stories, and the guilty feeling that now my decision to actively not buy stuff on Bandcamp Friday is somehow me being uncharitable, Scrooge-like. I guess it is. But I just can’t deal with it.
Yet of course here I am writing this newsletter on Bandcamp Friday. Why?
It’s not rocket science. Speaking as a label owner, it feels silly not to engage with this opportunity, which is perhaps the only opportunity any label or musician has to sell music directly to a big group of people who want it, without losing out to middlemen along the way. Who wouldn’t want to encourage fans to act on this particular day? But then you’re contributing to the overall faff and fatigue.
I want Stephen’s record to reach people because I really believe in it, but I don’t want my attempts to share it to get drowned in the Bandcamp Friday waters. It’s a bind that I don’t have a solution for, except, I suppose, using channels like this one. It feels more personal and it gives me the chance to add nuance to my sales pitch, to communicate my ambivalence about the system while still taking part in it.
Listen to Stephen’s record! Buy it if you like it!
Thanks.
It’s also worth noting that today’s Bandcamp Friday takes place at a time when Bandcamp has been sold by Epic Games to Songtradr, as noted by the Bandcamp United union:
Since the deal was announced, as part of the transition process, most Bandcamp workers have had critical systems access revoked by Epic Management and have been unable to do their jobs. With the upcoming Bandcamp Friday — a time of increased business for the site where 100% of profits go directly to artists — the workers are seeking clear and direct communication with Songtradr management and a continuation of the bargaining process to get the clarity they need to do the work that artists rely on.
Songtradr has said they want to keep the service as it is, but there will be layoffs. You can support Bandcamp United by signing this petition.