Cosmin TRG has started his own label, Fizic.
The Romanian producer, real name Cosmin Nicolae, has named the label after a track he released in 2011. (It appeared on his album, Simulat, and a preceding single).
Nicolae has been a stylistic shape-shifter these past few years, evolving from a dubstep-influenced sound towards a textured, swinging brand of techno. Until now he had contented himself with label-hopping, appearing on 50 Weapons, Rush Hour, Running Back and more. He's also helped launch a few notable labels, providing the first releases on Hessle Audio and [Naked Lunch].
Fizic sees him striking out on his own. As Nicolae puts it, "I finally resolved to channel all my efforts into something I could call my own." He says the decision to start Fizic comes from "a slightly egocentric tendency, with the sole purpose of creating unique, high quality audio-visual products." The record sleeves will feature photos taken by Nicolae. Mexico-based Romanian designer Mircea Turcan will also help oversee the label's visual direction, and each release will be accompanied by a video.
Fizic01 comprises two Cosmin TRG tracks: "Repetitiv" and "Vernacular." It'll be released on vinyl and digital formats in June, with Fizic02 pencilled in for release later in the year. We spoke with Nicolae recently about the timing of his new label, and what we can expect from it in the future:You've been label-hopping for seven years now. Why did you decide that now is the time to start your own imprint?
Releasing on my own imprint is a rite of passage that I've always procrastinated, and so I finally resolved to channel all my efforts into something I could call my own. It gives me a chance to be very direct and personal. I also wanted to expose myself a little more, push my boundaries a bit.
In your career to date you've helped inaugurate a few big labels. How did you approach the sound, look and feel of your first release on Fizic?
For Fizic, I wanted everything I'm about to come full circle. I made tracks that reflect my state of mind and my approach to music these days, so in a sense they are closer to what I currently play out in my sets, and to the music that I like to hear, which is more stripped down, reduced,and sonically rich in texture. I set out to create an environment, a state if you will, where the imagery ties things up to create a solid physical product, just as the music has the potential to create physical impact on the right system. The cover photo is just like that, physical intervention in natural space, suspended in time.
I finally found the right project to work on with one of my favourite designers and cultural researchers, Mircea Turcan of Restate Media from Monterrey, Mexico. He's been an inspiration for the last decade or so, and I was happy he took on this project, to give things the right edge. I'm not a photographer, I don't even take that many pictures, but I feel a strong connection to the subjects and thought it was right for them to speak through the medium of a record cover.
What can we expect from the label down the line, sonically and visually? What's behind the decision to have a video for each release?
I can't dissociate music from film so I decided to make things even harder for myself. I'm not a big fan of narratives, more of fragments and elements that trigger and provoke, that ultimately stimulate on several levels. The music and imagery on the label will hopefully convey my perspective on things, how I look and listen to what's around me, but there is no heavy message attached—the sounds and visuals will do their respective thing, no nonsense.
Tracklist
01. Repetitiv
02. Vernacular
Fizic will release Fizic01 on June 2nd, 2014.