We were lucky to catch up with Derrick Stembridge recently and have shared our conversation below.

Derrick, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

How did I learn to do what I do? I founded Labile Records back in 2003 with the main aim of promoting my works with Drifting In Silence. Over the years, the label grew as we added new artists, either those we discovered ourselves or those who reached out to us. I secured distribution deals early on, such as with IODA, which became part of Sony Music’s The Orchard.

Knowing what I know now, what could I have done to speed up my learning process?
In hindsight, the landscape for online distribution has evolved significantly since I started. If the advanced technology options available today had been around back then, the label’s growth could have been accelerated.

What skills do I think were most essential?
PR, marketing, and advertising are the most crucial skills in this journey. These allowed us to create a good platform for artists, giving them the needed voice. I also valued the ability to identify and sign artists across various genres, which added richness to our label’s portfolio.

What obstacles stood in my way of learning more?
Early on, the primary challenges were the limited options for online distribution. This was a bottleneck in our growth and adaptability in the digital era. But as the tech landscape improved, so did our ability to distribute music, although the increased availability of these technologies to artists has also made the label landscape more competitive.

Moving forward, my primary motivation is the limitless potential I see in today’s music scene. I’m particularly excited about breaking new ground through collaborations, new promotional methods, and the cross-pollination of music across various platforms.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Derrick Stembridge, the founder of Labile Records, an eclectic electronic and experimental music platform I launched in 2003. Initially, the label was designed to promote my work with “Drifting In Silence,” but I started adding new artists to our roster as the years passed. My entry into this industry was driven by a vision to create a label that would be a meeting point for diverse sonic landscapes, including IDM, ambient, industrial music, and more.

I offer through Labile Records more than just a traditional record label service. We provide a complete ecosystem that handles physical and digital distribution and marketing, PR, advertising, and promotion. This allows artists to concentrate on their creative process while we get their work in front of audiences. We also have a history of forging partnerships with industry players like IODA and later Sony Music’s The Orchard, which adds another layer of robustness to our distribution and reach.

What sets us apart is our commitment to innovation. In an era where technology has democratized music distribution, making it easier for artists to go solo, record labels must offer something unique. At Labile Records, we focus on helping artists build their voices and giving them a platform to explore and innovate. We’ve seen how collaborations between our artists can create new listening experiences, breaking down genre barriers and reaching new audiences. Our future is focused on enabling even more of such cross-pollination.

I am particularly proud of the diversity and depth of the projects I’ve been involved in. Beyond running Labile Records, my artistic journey includes works like “Drifting In Silence” and “Long The Night,” which have not only been part of the label but have also enriched my artistic repertoire. These projects have even taken me to places like VH1 and documentary scoring, something I find incredibly rewarding.

The essence of my work, as an individual artist and through Labile Records, is to offer a form of ’emotional literacy.’ I aim for my music and the music we promote to serve as tools for introspection, allowing listeners to explore their emotional worlds more deeply. I’m also looking forward to upcoming releases that will showcase the evolution of my creative endeavors, offering both a retrospective and a glance at what the future holds.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Drawing from my journey in founding Labile Records, I see the immense value in building platforms that serve as navigational beacons in the expansive landscape of electronic and experimental music. Labile Records was established in 2003, focusing on genres like IDM, ambient, and industrial. Record labels like ours can provide emerging artists with the essential PR, marketing, and distribution support that can be challenging to manage independently. Society must actively foster and support these platforms, whether they are record labels, indie music blogs, or online music forums.

Collaboration is also essential in today’s music ecosystem. Platforms encouraging collaborations allow musical styles, genres, and fanbases to interact and evolve. This can be highly beneficial in a world oversaturated with music of all kinds.

Financial stability continues to be a critical issue. In the early days of Labile Records, one significant challenge was the need for options for online distribution. While technology has evolved to offer more avenues, the problem persists that many artists need to be compensated fairly for their work. The public and private sectors should work toward more equitable revenue distribution models, particularly in streaming services and digital downloads.

Lastly, technology has democratized music production significantly, making it more crucial than ever for artists to stand out. My experience underscores the importance of innovation and adaptation, as the tools available for artists to get their work out there are abundant, but so is the competition. Therefore, society must continue to invest in the platforms and systems that allow creative voices to be heard and flourish.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist and helming Labile Records has to be the profound journey from the abstract to the concrete and finally into the souls of the listeners. My longstanding ambient project, Drifting In Silence, epitomizes this process. The name describes the feeling I aim to evoke—a movement sensation through light and shadow regions. Each release, like the recent album “Away,” is a testament to the purity of tone and the bold minimalism that has come to define my sound.

The new album showcases a shroud of mystery; its sonic terrain constantly shifts, revealing what has been hiding in plain sight all along. This experience, combined with meticulous attention to sound design, exemplifies the mature, reflective quality that I strive to bring into my work.

This adventure goes beyond the reach of my studio or the label. It extends to the lives touched, stories influenced, and the ambient tapestries that find their home in diverse settings. Whether contributing to media projects or enriching someone’s sonic landscape, the ultimate reward lies in these connections.

It has been an incredible journey through Labile Records, from the first project, “Drifting In Silence,” to the later, more complex sonic terrains explored in other projects. The label serves as more than just a platform; it is an ecosystem for avant-garde artistry, a home for emotional literacy, and a journey into the crevices of unspoken feelings. The reward is not just in creation but in the impact, resonance, and connections made along the way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.labilerecords.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/derrickstembridge/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derrickstembridge
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrickstembridge/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/drstembridge
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@labile_records/
• Other: https://labilerecords.bandcamp.com/artists