Around 2019 in 12 Weeks: Label Mix by Strategic Tape Reserve

The Strategic Tape Reserve, headquartered in Cologne, West Germany, is a fully independent (non-aligned, secular) organization dedicated to the dissemination and responsible management of ferric cassette material and content.

Life isn’t always easy for indie/tape labels out there, as indicated by dissolution/shutdown of the likes of Romeda and Arachnidiscs. Amidst all the grim news, however, there are rays of hope and one such case is Cologne, Germany based Strategic Tape Reserve.

We last checked in with STR back in 2017 and we’re happy to report that as of 2020 theis still going strong (STR’s Twitter feed indicates that they gained stand-up skills somewhere along the way too). This here mix features 15 utterly awesome tracks from various compilations and releases STR put out last year – think Whettman Chelmets, Elizabeth Joan Kelly and more. Dive in!

 

Tracklist

qualchan. – s/o to my slimes. [from the end of all seasons.]

HAWN – Closed and Shuttered [from For A Ride]

MonoLogue – Prayin’ in Lalibela (long edit) [from ShopLand World]

Nicholas Langley – KEIO RHYTHM [from Plays The Vitamin B12]

VLK – Dizzy [from split]

Robert Macbeth – Study into the Effects of Background Music on In-store Shopping Behaviour (See R. E. Milliman, 1982) [from ShopLand World]

The Tuesday Night Machines – Wander the Sea [from Roof Tent Rhythms]

Gwasg Gelert – Rhagarweiniad [from Y Côd Da Vinci]

Whettman Chelmets – What a Failure of a Year [from Doesn’t Remember…]

Elizabeth Joan Kelly – What Penumbras [from ShopLand World]

Severino Pfifferling – Maximale Reinigungsleistung [from Musik für Spülmaschine und Synthesizer]

Nicholas Langley – FORMATION 1 [from Plays The Vitamin B12]

HAWN – Strange Vision [from For A Ride]

moduS ponY – Black Lasagna [from split]

Gwasg Gelert – Thema Sophie [from Y Côd Da Vinci]

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Further Reading

Review – ShopLand World: Music for a Discovery Park of Miniature Supermarkets (via Sam Wade)

A Look at the STR (via Tabs Out)

STR – 27th May 2019 (via New New World Radio)

What is a STR? (via YIKIS)

The Ten Greatest Tweets Of Strategic Tape Reserve (via Counterzine)

STR on We Need No Swords

Cracking Into STR (via Infinite Headphones)

Review – HAWN – For a Ride (via Lost in a Sea of Sound)