LOLA Issue Five

Project Mooncircle
Label of Love
LABEL OF LOVE
PROJECT
MOONCIRCLE
A few notable exceptions aside, record companies
often run on the time and energy of tireless people.
Even for big industry players, it’s a tough business.
However, in Berlin there’s a fantastic example of an
independent label that is withstanding the test of the
times. Project Mooncircle is celebrating its 15th year in
2017, so we meet with its founder Gordon Gieseking to
hear what it takes to succeed in a challenging industry.
words by
Andrea Servert
photos by
Soheil Moradianboroujeni
“
We wanted to create a view from the moon
to the Earth. We wanted to give the listener
some kind of soundtrack to reflect
on what happens here, and in my opinion, it can be
dark sometimes. How we treat the planet, how we
treat each other…” Gordon starts delving into the
project he started building a decade and a half ago
as we enter his Marzahn emporium. What began
as an extension of Miami label Beta Bodega has
become a well-established imprint that constantly
pushes the boundaries of electronic music. For the
uninitiated listener: it’s fruitless to apply a single
word or genre to Project Mooncircle, and Gordon
isn’t interested in that kind of classification. “Some
people think we have a sound, but I don’t think it’s
true,” he says. “We release so many different kinds
of music, from folk to techno, or beat-oriented stuff.
If anything, I think we are melancholic. Most of the
time it’s music for your home or going for a walk.”
There are some things that help us understand
the DNA of the label. First, Gordon’s love of ‘90s UK
hip hop. That sound, where instrumentals play a
huge role, guided Project Mooncircle’s early years.
Mr Cooper and MF Doom are two notable names, but
later artists would drive the label to new territories.
Then Robot Koch came on board in 2010, bringing
new dubstep sounds and beats that felt more
experimental. With the new decade came names
like Long Arm, Flako, and more recently, Submerse,
with a dreamy, modern take on downtempo. It feels
like every artist on the roster is acknowledged as a
pioneer in their own right, and that proves Project
Mooncircle has a knack for scouting real talent.
“We’ve had luck,” Gordon continues. “We chose the
right people when they were creating something new
and we went in the right direction.” He lets artists
lead the way when it comes to the sound. “Maybe in
the beginning the label was closer to my personality,
but not so much anymore,” he says. “I wouldn’t call
myself a tastemaker. I’ve learned to be open-minded
and trust the artists, because most of the time they
are right. The influence, the face, and the creative
input is the artist; I am in the background taking care
of the structure.” He has a lot of confidence in the
artists; he will let them do the work and release the
music as it is – as long as the outcome is good.
Project Mooncircle signs artists for four or five
years, then it’s time to re-evaluate the situation. This
is how they ensure the label and the artists evolve, and
it’s also the reason Gordon ascribes to Project Mooncircle’s
longevity. But if there’s something that has always
made this label distinctive, it’s the artwork. The
visual element is as important as the music, and this
is where Gordon’s pride in his work shines through.
“Almost every layout is mine,” he tells us. “When I
decide that we are going to release something, I stop
listening. I wait until the mastering is done, and then I
listen to the final product. It’s amazing to enjoy it like
a listener. That’s when I work on the layout or do my
own illustrations.” His style is instantly recognisable,
with intricate illustrations of abstract scenarios that
are full of detail. His artwork also connects with the
very origins of the project, when he met the founder
of experimental label Beta Bodega, La Mano Fría.
He became Gordon’s mentor: “He taught me loads
of stuff, not only illustrations and graphics, but also
how to run a label. He taught me how to handle
human relationships, and this is the main thing in
label work. You have to be on point!”
Project Mooncircle turns 15 this year. It feels like
an achievement, but it is now that Gordon faces the
biggest challenge. The dawn of the digital age and
the ever-shortening attention span of the listener
demands a greater effort from labels. “Nowadays it’s
just fast-food listening. As a label, we try to change
this in some way; we have to bring the music back
to the listeners. It’s still important to have a label as
a platform that selects music for people, especially
in such an overloaded market,” Gordon insists. But
the challenge for Project Mooncircle is not limited to
the state of the music industry, it is also about how
its founder and CEO feels about himself. “I’m 35 and
I just got married,” he says. “I’m thinking about my
age and my future, and I’m doing a lot besides music.
I need to consider whether this is enough to exist
for the next 20 years. I’ve been doing this since I was
16, and of course I’m still a listener, but the business
side has changed a lot.” Although one can never feel
reassured about the future, Project Mooncircle’s
philosophy is to take things one step at a time. “I really
don’t know what’s right or wrong,” Gordon says,
wrapping up our conversation. “We just continue
to release music, and if people think we get stuck
someday – maybe 200 people won’t agree, and will
still enjoy it.” Here’s to those 200.
Autumn/Winter 2017
35