Speedy Wunderground

Speedy Wunderground is Dan Carey, Alexis Smith and Pierre Hall. Between the three of them, they run one of the most unique record labels in the UK, working with Black Midi, Squid, Lazarus Kane and many more of Britain’s most exciting acts. With their singular, independent approach to recording and releasing - Speedy Wunderground are gifting their artists the opportunity to work in a liberating and wholly natural way. We sat down for dinner in Streatham, across the road from their fabled one-room studio, to discuss the label’s approach, it’s fast-rising growth and how Squid have inspired them to evolve from their 7”-only release format.

Speedy Wunderground sets out to capture an artist in the midst of a fluid and naturally creative streak. With the actual approach itself being quite time-restricted, it’s interesting that such pressure can deliver obviously great results...

Dan Carey: The thing is, the reason for starting it was that I began to think that the thing that can destroy the creative flow is over-working and over-thinking. Usually once you’ve decided to make a record with someone, the initial bit is very free flowing and creative, the thing that can spoil it is the back and forth. So, the theory behind it is to try and create a space where we can do something that wasn’t susceptible to any of those problems. The idea of the rules, it’s not meant to be restrictive, it’s meant to be liberating you from the things you would get tangled up in before.

Spontaneity is a really important factor for you when making these records, how do you like to approach maintaining that sense of impulsiveness?

Dan: By making slightly small changes to the arrangement or to the order in which it’s going to go. But also by tending to make quite a lot of sounds in the room that have derived from what they are playing but in a slightly unpredictable way. Partly it’s because to me it sounds interesting, but it’s also to slightly put everyone on edge.

Alexis: The thing as well in this set-up process, Dan may go around and add another bass amp or the guitar, and then one of them will say that it’s amazing and it’s just how they imagined it, it’s added a whole new level to it.

Pierre Hall: It must be quite weird when you write a song, and you’re playing it all the time, to not know how it can sound. It’s a producer’s job to help artists hear their music materialise in a different way.

This year you’ve really been on the money when it comes to working with exciting new artists, black midi, Treeboy & Arc, Lazarus Kane. How do you know when an act is right for you?

Dan: Normally it’s very apparent even after listening to half of the song. We get sent so much stuff it’s ridiculous, and I’ll always listen to a couple of songs. Like Lazarus Kane, I was on the phone to Pierre as soon as I was half way through it, the songs were good.

Pierre: It’s quite random as well, there’s certainly an element of trust involved. I’m very much trying to seek out the new coolest things, while Dan is meeting this person randomly through this person, like Sinead O Brien. I didn’t know who she was and Dan liked it, and now it’s my second favourite that we’ve done.

Alexis: The thing I find quite interesting as well is, I guess because you are a producer, straight away you’ll go, “this needs to happen in the chorus”, straight away you’ve got a vision for it which wouldn’t necessarily be true if it was sent to any other label with an A&R.

You are now venturing into your first non-single release with Squid’s debut EP, what was it about them and their music that made you want to break from the commandments you set for the label?

Pierre: Part of it for me is knowing that, from working with all these labels that I work with, I love them don’t get me wrong, but if you’d told me five years ago I’d be working with Bella union, DFA, if you thought these organisations are massive and overarching, that’s not the way it is, they are just music fans, like I am, like Dan is, like Alexis is. From my point of view, we can do it as well as any anyone else.

Dan: Also, with Squid, it’s clear they’ve got a lot more to give than what can be contained into singles format. I think something like ‘Savage’, you couldn’t put that out as a single, but it has to be put out, ‘cause it’s amazing.

Words by Ross Jones