On this installment of the show, we’ll be diving into the multi-label output of the Los Angeles-based, Black Editions Group. Black Editions was started in 2015 with the sole purpose of reissuing definitive vinyl and digital editions from the back catalog of P.S.F. Records, the legendary Japanese imprint that documented a wide array of Japanese underground music throughout both sides of the 90’s and early 2000’s. Founder Peter Kolovos had also been running Thin Wrist Recordings for over a decade prior to this and had been working in close collaboration on numerous releases with VDSQ, a label operated by Steve Lowenthal that is focused on 21st century guitar-based music. Together, the two have maintained their respective labels but have streamlined all of their shared activities under the banner of the Black Editions Group. 

I recently had a chance to speak with Steve, who handles the sales, promotion, and general operations aspects of the Black Editions Group. We discussed the history of how he and Peter came to work together and some of the different considerations that go into running each of the labels within the Group. You will hear that interview throughout the show, and you’ll also hear blocks of music from all three of the labels, too. I hope you enjoy this episode. Feel free to get in touch if you have any comments or questions. As always, thanks for looking and listening.

• ~Introductory Music: Toho Sara “Eastern Most 6 “ S/T LP (Black Editions)
• Keiji Haino “Though I Want To Laugh” Watashi Dake? LP (Black Editions)
• High Rise “Cotton Top” High Rise II LP (Black Editions)
• ~Interview segment with Steve Lowenthal~
• Kristin Thora Haraldsdottir “Current” VDSQ Solo Acoustic Vol. 14 LP (VDSQ)
• Alan Licht “Raw Deal” Currents LP (VDSQ)
• Wendy Eisenberg “Eridanos” Its Shape Is Your Touch LP (VDSQ)
• Toshi Dorji “Unmasking” VDSQ Solo Acoustic Vol. 13 LP (VDSQ)
• Chris Brokaw “Bragging Rights” End of the Night LP (VDSQ)
• ~Interview segment with Steve Lowenthal~
• Patrick Shiroishi “Grandchildren of the Camps” Descension LP (Thin Wrist Recordings)
• 75 Dollar Bill “There’s No Such Thing As A King Bee” I Was Real 2LP (Thin Wrist Recordings)
• A Handful of Dust “Dialogues with the Dead 2” Dragging Her Wings Of Rusty Knives 2LP (Thin Wrist Recordings)
• Michael Morley “The Endless Case for Gravity“ (excerpt) Heavens Idleness Awaits 2LP (Thin Wrist Recordings)
• ~Interview segment with Steve Lowenthal~
• Musica Transonic “Αλκιμιψα Υπτιγητ” S/T 2LP (Black Editions)
• Kazuo Imai “5” Far and Wee LP (Black Editions)
• Go Hirano “Gogonohikari” Corridor of Daylights LP (Black Editions)
• Ché-SHIZU “Juso Station” A Journey LP (Black Editions)
• White Heaven “My Cold Dimension” Out LP (Black Editions)
• ~Interview segment with Steve Lowenthal~
• Donald Miller “untitled” Transgression (*forthcoming on VDSQ)
• Sir Richard Bishop “Hypostasis Part II” VDSQ Solo Acoustic Vol. 8 LP (VDSQ)
• ~Outro Music: Toho Sara “Eastern Most 6 “ S/T LP (Black Editions)

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

If you appreciate what we are doing here on Free Form Freakout, please consider making a small donation via Ko-fi. All donations received go towards paying our guest contributors and covering our website hosting fees.