Open to every kind of music, averse to hype, Gomma is the postmodern music imprint and graphics collective who move away from movements and avoid trends.
Occasionally a group of challenging, like-minded individuals come along with a passion that outweighs a need to generate profit. The brainwave of DJ’s Jonas Imbery (aka Telonius) and Mathias Modica (aka Munk) Gomma Records are very aware of what is culturally important within specific underground circles. Never releasing anything that feels like a repeat of a tune or an artist who has come before, originality is the imprint’s forte. Totally original and uncontrived, the Gomma roster is a melting pot of eclectic, non-genre specific, international musical tastes. Punk funk, disco edits, folktronica, chill wave, tropical house and new rave, the Gomma gang get down to anything with a decent beat. If you want to stay tuned in to what’s going down, on tomorrow’s dance-floors, access this imprint.
When did you first begin the label? The first release was in 2000, though until 2005 it was all very improvised out of our bedrooms.
How do you discover the majority of the new music you sign? Friends, friends of friends, people we meet on tour.
How do you define what you consider to be good music?
1) If you can listen to a tune more then 15 times and not get bored, it’s good.
2) If you can listen to a tune in 2, 5, 10, 20 years and it still sounds exciting, it’s good.
3) If a tune is not clearly categorical, it is original.
4) Quality control. Melodies have to be clever or special, harmonical structures should be interesting, the sound of the song needs to be organic or interesting.
5) Avoid the clichés! (or use them in a clever way)
Who are your strongest musical influences and references? All the people who have changed the music world and those who were always innovative: Miles Davis, Frank Zappa, Moroder, Strawinsky, Boulez, John Zorn. The late 70′s New York new wave scene; the early 80’s Munich Disco Scene; the 20′s Parisian Composer and Art Scene; The Situationist movement; The Viennese actionists of the 70′s and their musical output; the great Italian composers from the 60′s (movies and songs; Battisti, Morricone etc); the German contemporary movement from the 50′s (Rihm, Henze, Schnittke, Stockhausen etc); the German electronic pioneers of course (Can, Kraftwerk, Moroder); German electronic artists from the 90′s; Jonny Pacheco and the big early New York salsa Movment; Malcolm McLaren!
What have you got coming up for the label in 2012? The KDMS debut album, Mercury, Munk & Mouillinex albums. Lots of singles by new artists like Esperanza, Daniel Avery, Deadstock 33s, Valentino and the Gomma 2012 dance compilation .
Text: Milly McMahon
