We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jonathan Stout a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jonathan, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
The annual Lo Fi City compilation has been a really fun and rewarding ongoing project. Before we released many other albums by artists, it was the compilations that we originally became known for. They started out really humbly, with roughly 10 songs created by many of the same musicians, simply trading instruments. Through the years the lineup of the compilations has grown to not only include artists from all over the midwest but also from different countries! It’s inspiring to meet new creative people who believe in what you do and want to be a part of it. It also helps to diversify the track listings and make the content more varied and interesting.
Jonathan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m the founder and owner of the Cincinnati based DIY recording label, Lo Fi City.
The label began with my capstone project for the E-media course of study at UC. The project, titled “Lo Fi For an Unwilling City” would become the first in our compilation series. At the time, my musical collaborators and I felt frustrated. We were having difficulty booking shows at solid venues that welcomed creative, original music and we were struggling to find willing ears for our sounds.
The first annual compilation, released in 2013, featured a humble 10 tracks. The label has grown immensely since then to showcase artists from all over the world. The ninth compilation, slated for release in November of 2022, and will consist of everything from indie rock, alternative, hip hop, folk, experimental electronic and more.
We have also become known for our limited edition, hand crafted cassette releases from artists such as Sleepy Drums, Mythical Motors, Patchwork, Grave Clothes and more.
It’s all been a learning experience for sure. We learned to reach and befriend more fellow musicians in the local area. Since then, we’ve tried to help foster a scene of creativity and inclusiveness, and attempt to bring attention to artists who fly well below the radar who deserve more attention.
Overall, what I think we’ve become known for, is our reliable consistency and devotion to craft. I’m very proud of how prolifically our artists create and how much inspiration we maintain.
: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Overall, community has always been important to me. Creating a safe and welcoming place for under-exposed artists to share their art with other like minded individuals.
The music industry can be vicious and cut-throat. It often takes artists a very long time to get any kind of success, and then once they’ve attained it, they’re unwilling to help other artists who are still struggling. The success can feel very fragile- they don’t want to do anything to ruin what they worked for.
However, I find the “every man for himself” approach gross and unappealing. I think it’s a lot more interesting to learn about an entire city with a great music scene then read about one successful band. I want everyone to benefit from and share success.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
I think what’s obvious from the work of our artists is that we love what we do. There’s a freewheeling urgency to the Mutt Fuzz recordings. An unbridled sense of creativity on the Sleepy Drums releases. It’s most rewarding when an artist doesn’t have boundaries and feels free to create as they wish.
Generally speaking, I want anyone who puts music out on our label to feel that I trust their creative judgement, and I don’t wish to hinder their muse.
Once an artist starts to create work self-consciously, trying to please or gain acceptance from a specific audience, the art falters and loses purity.
If I reach out to you about being on one of our compilations or about putting out an album, it means that I appreciate the art that you make. I want to help promote it, but I’m not trying to control it. As long as what what you’re creating doesn’t promote bigotry or hate, then I trust your judgement.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://loficity.bandcamp.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loficitycincy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loficitycincy
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-stout-bb909492/
- Twitter: @JonathanStout19
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgZQ9QYH3X3E-Q1ukewPCpA/videos?app=desktop&view=57
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4E7aXO3ejLozWKbqAOmGst?si=Wq6lmNJmRQKbSWJiX4s2TQ https://open.spotify.com/artist/2LHv3Kyc66YuKGQWMHO2Ru?si=ygH-cEkpTxiftFuyj9H4Qg
Image Credits
Angela Stout Chris Potoka Lori Ann Vail J. Stout Robert Santel