SIMBA in association with SOM presents INDIE LABEL OF THE MONTH:

THE SUBLUNAR SOCIETY

Marie Lundvall and Peder Bjoerk

The Sublunar Society is a relatively new company. But via for example around forty colorful releases och the contribution to SOMs playlists on Spotify, they have already made their markon the Swedish indie market.

The story about The Sublunar Society began when the founders, Marie Lundvall and Peder Bjoerk, were looking for musicians and composers for their exhibitions in 2011.

– We wanted to release our art with music, which lead to the emergence of the label. Thecompany was founded as late as 2013..., but we have been working at an increasing rate ofspeed since then.

The head office is situated at Sveavägen in Stockholm.– We are working from home or have moved into the office – whichever you prefer. To move

from bed to computer doesn't imply any costs. All you need, after all, is a computer and apercolator.

Allan Gutheim

Peder and Marie are doing basically all work together at the company by the DIY principle.– In a small company like ours the job assignments vary a lot and one constantly learns new

tasks, Marie states.– I do the talking... Marie does the rough job! says Peder.– Well..., says Marie. It's an advantage that both of us can design record covers, market, write

etc.

What about the company's revenue, approximately?

– Too low, states Marie. When the money is gone one needs to trust the good will.– Money is not my cup of tea, says Peder and rounds off the economical discussion.

Marie and Peder also work with book publishing, but they can't see any connection between themusic and the book activities in the company.

– No, there's actually no connection, states Peder. The less lucrative book editions pays for theeven less lucrative music in a way that neither we nor our accountant understand. Both of ushave (as previously literature students) a literary interest and we love literary classics. Thereason why we sell literature along with the music is just pragmatic.

– Yes, a company for it all implies less paperwork and we have never liked papers, addsMarie.

Hitherto, The Sublunar Society stands behind around forty releases.– Regarding the outcome, it depends on your aims, says Marie. Our releases are in most cases

experimental and economically speaking we are satisfied as long as we don't go bankrupt –there haven't been any indications of this... so far!

– Right now we are working with, for example Shape Shifting Aliens, a new Swedish project,partly consisting of a Leathernun with a guest musician from the American cult band TheResidents. Vi continue with the Sublunar family and shortly Dr. Shinto's Dr. Shinto forProfessionals will be released. In the starting blocks you also find an album with sound froma sleep research project, as well as a release with a self composing computer programme.Very experimental.

– We are also working with two compilation albums, Ex Archivo, with musicians from a dozencountries. Several of our digital releases will now also be released as CD, among themArmand Gutheim's The Human Footprint, an Anthology with Allan Gutheim, Manifestnominated Jeff Stonehouse and Samsaeri – a Swedish-Maltesian project. We also have a fewsecrets up our sleeve.On the question whether any of the investments has been a setback Peder answers no.

– We always expect break-even. If we had large production and marketing costs, the situationhad been different. Our catalogue has attracted quite a lot of attention, especially abroad,where the vast majority of our audience can be found.

Jeff Stonehouse

What distribution channels do you use?

– Digitally, Phonofile plays a pivotal role, says Peder. However, our most important service isBandcamp, where we have found an audience. Bandcamp generates more money to thecompany per month than all the other digital services (Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes etc.)entail every year. Perhaps surprising, but Bandcamp is really indie orientated in contrast tothe larger services. One gets surprised concerning the attention the large services attract ochhow few Swedish indie labels that have realized the potential of Bandcamp.

– We also post all our releases on Soundcloud for free listening, which leads to solddownloads. A service that has been criticised for not paying their users generates – at length– more money than those that pay according to ”contract”. Currently, we have over 3,000followers on Soundcloud. Around 5 % of these buy downloads from us... How manylisteners on Spotify buy a download?

– We sell physical releases via Amazon and our own home page, proceeds Marie. This yearwe begin co-operating with CDOD. This implies that our full length albums will beavailable physically, on demand. Our audience also likes to shop directly from our homepage or the artist. The customer is not the average music consumer.

How do you allocate the resources digitally, on vinyl and CD?

– Everything is released digitally, you know, which is our focus. We have skipped vinyl andthe releases on CD have hitherto been quite few. Our full length albums will successively bereleased on CD.

Barry Prophet

What other external partners do you have?

– None, more or less – we do everything ourselves. For the marketing we use social medias alot; we also use press releases and newsletters. Regarding social medias we would like tomention LinkedIn. Social medias have to a large degree become synonymous with Facebookand Twitter, but today we have around 30,000 contacts each on LinkedIn and reach outmuch better that way. In emergency situations we get help from one of our allies, DanielWatson.

How does the work releasing the more experimental part of your catalogue pursue?

– The experimental part actually goes better than the less experimental one. We work withartists from the US, England, Canada and Australia, where CDs still sell and where thedownload market is larger.

What about your own background in the music business?

– I composed when I was younger. I worked abroad with record releases for a while, but mostof it is shrouded in secrecy. The details of this are not suitable for press, according to Peder.

– I was in a band during the 80s and have composed on synth / piano, says Marie.

What do you listen to privately?

– Everything, says Marie.– Scott Walker (Tilt, Drift, Bish Bosh) and David Sylvian (Blemish and after). Kraftwerk –

Allan Gutheim

who are my household gods – as well as old tapes with Eldorado, Eldorado Max andEldorado Lyx... Without Kraftwerk and Kjell Alinge I wouldn't be doing what I do today,Peder emphasizes.

What difficulties stand out for you as a indie label?

– Most Swedish indie labels seem to have difficulties in making ends meet. With a cataloguelike ours it gets even harder... but... We are not in it for the money... Sometimes it feels likeDon Quijote's fight against the windmills, but at the same time it suits us fine to beunderdogs. You just take a beer and move on.

Advantages as an indie?

– That we work according to the DIY principle. Challenging and instructive. We can also –without responsibility – decide what we release, when and how. Then we decide ourworking hours, somewhere between 09.00 a.m. and 04.00 a.m. In short: freedom!

What plans do you have for the near future and what do you look forward to the most during 2016?

– To surprise both ourselves and the audience. We also have a collection of label dreams – butyet we keep them for ourselves.

A selection from the catalogue:

Allan Gutheim – EvolutionArmand Gutheim – The Human Footprint

Samsaeri – La Conspiration NoireJeff Stonehouse – On Returning

Dr. Shinto – Dr. Shinto for BeginnersLuxul – Foundation

Morgenstjærne – MorgenstjærneBarry Prophet – Sound As Instrument & Art – Volume 1

Home page: www.sublunarsociety.com

Contact: info@sublunarsociety.com

Links to music:https://open.spotify.com/user/thesublunarsociety/playlist/7AztPB3r1TK2X4dc6EpNA9

https://soundcloud.com/sublunarsociety

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesubsociety/