IMPALA: Five to One

The independent music companies association (IMPALA) has launched a new monthly feature celebrating the work of five European independent labels that are 15 years old or younger. The first of the imaginatively titled ‘Five Under Fifteen’ are I Love You Records (Latvia), S1 Warsaw (Poland), Despotz Records (Sweden), Soliti (Finland), and the wonderfully named Porridge Bullet (Estonia).

Executive Chair of IMPALA Helen Smith said: “We want to shine a light on the deeper and wider story of the independent sector. It’s great to start with the panel in Tallinn Music Week with five young labels all telling their own stories. And this is what real music fans are interested in. They want the whole picture. Where their music comes from, what it stands for, whether it’s fair, what a label’s work tells them. All artists are born equal and these labels underline the importance of making sure that means something”.

The Gen has conducted extensive analysis of the current pop charts and can only conclude that in fact, not all artists are born equal- whilst some are born in the gutter, most of them seemingly emerge from the home counties.

The ‘Five Under Fifteen’ campaign will continue to work with European festivals over the coming months including Westway LAB Festival (Portugal), Primavera Pro (Spain), and Midem (France).