Label Spotlight: Carpe Sonum (Vol. 1)

We are delighted to bring you the next in our monthly Label Spotlight series, this time focusing on Carpe Sonum, a stateside imprint, which grew out of EAR/Rational Music distribution (more on their history just below). Without them we likely may have had much less access to the world that once was Peter Kuhlmann’s (aka Pete Namlook) distinctive FAX +49-69/450464 imprint for which these delicate ears are eternally grateful.

Though Carpe Sonum (and the sub-label Carpe Novum) have attained their own individual identity, and forwarded Namlook’s vision, they managed to retain some of the original artists (Mick Chillage, Thomas P. Heckmann, etc.), by creating a hybrid of then and now. They sort of land in between chill beats and contemporary ambient and flood any environment with sounds that stimulate the mood, and the senses. Though they are still only seven years young here’s hoping I have done justice to their already fine and prolific catalogue with this first of two hour-long volumes (watch for Volume 2 on Friday).



EAR/Rational Music was the official North American distributor for Pete Namlook’s FAX +49-69/450464 label and one of the many things that ended with Pete was the PS sublabel, which released incredible music from artists around the world. Carpe Sonum materialized in the wake of Namlook’s untimely passing, in an attempt to offer a home to “orphaned” FAX artists and discover like-minded new artists. Carpe Sonum is about the artists and you, the fans. As fans of CDs and the ambient genre ourselves, we strive to demonstrate our appreciation for talented artists by giving you a quality product that you will be proud to hold in your hands and display on your shelf. Carpe Sonum’s goal is to make the CD a cherished and valuable commodity for you in this digital age We hope that the way we handle music will be thought of as “the Carpe Sonum treatment.” In everything we do, in every detail, we think about Pete and hope he would be proud of what we’re doing.



TRACKLIST (VOL. 1)

Thomas P. HeckmannSteps
Ghosts (2015)

Indiana DronesPart 2
Indiana Drones (2013)

Krystian ShekIntroducing the Ney, Pt. 2
Al-Qāhirah (2018)

2xirtamRadiocarbon Dating
Quantum Worlds (2019)

Architects Of ExistenceArchitects Of Existence Part 3
Architects Of Existence (2017)

Ear/Rational – Carpe Sonum PSA

Lee Anthony Norris (w/Porya Hatami) – Druid Liquid
The Longing Daylight (2014)

Massimo VivonaPhase 3
Breathe (2018)

Off LandPulsar
Relics (2017)

Si MatthewsWorld 5
Tales Of Ten Worlds (2015)

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