Introducing Enderby's Room

I found some notes recently from when I was first setting up the label 6 or so years ago, listing some of the bands I'd love to release once I'd worked out what the hell starting a record label actually entailed. Tucked up near the top of that list was Enderby's Room.

So, I'm really quite chuffed to say that today we're releasing the debut single from Enderby's Room. It'll be followed up with a couple more digital singles and a proper 7" in February, and a full album is on it's way to manufacture now - expect that to be out in April.

Enderby’s Room is fiddle player Dan Mayfield, once from rural Lincolnshire, but he has now found home living in London. His folk tinged songs reflect on his traditional folk upbringing, which included playing fiddle for Morris dancing sides around the country. Mayfield has played fiddle for many artists including Daniel Johnston, Darren Hayman, The Wave Pictures and Allo Darlin.

Over the past ten years he has gently built up a collection of his own songs, which he performs with his band Enderby’s Room. The name comes from an Anthony Burgess character called Mr Enderby who composed his prose inside the toilet. The band’s make up has been constantly evolving; around 30 different individuals have been a part of Enderby’s Room over the last decade, before settling on the current 5 piece lineup.

Enderby’s Room’s sound features a Victorian pedal harmonium, together with French horn, double bass, ukulele, guitar and percussion.

Lakeside, the first single from their forthcoming debut album, is one of the first songs that Mayfield composed, taken from the perspective of someone longing to be with someone they can’t be with. There are themes of nature and listening which also feature throughout the rest of music on the forthcoming album. Mayfield is joined by Emma Winston (Deerful, Owl & Mouse) on vocals in this lamenting duet.

As well as Enderby’s Room, Mayfield set up School of Noise which encourages young people to be creative with sound, using unusual noise making and sound sculpting machines. This project has seen him take workshops to the Green Man and End of the Road festivals as well as the Southbank Centre, Museum of London, Great Ormond Street Hospital and primary schools around the country.

Spotify | iTunes | Bandcamp

Here's Enderby's Room playing Lakeside live at Union Chapel for Daylight Music:

Nuns Run The Apothecary video from Darren Hayman

We sent Darren Hayman back to Florence in September to record a couple of videos for this forthcoming album Florence. Nuns Run The Apothecary is the opening track on the album, and here's Darren's video.

Florence is available to pre-order from Fika Recordings here shop.fikarecordings.com/album/florence

The Smittens "Love Record Breaker"

It's finally out! Love Record Breaker is the new 10" record from The Smittens. We've gone all out hand screenprinting six different cover designs, each numbered and limited to just 50.

“The vocal arrangements sound great, the reverb 1950s guitar sound wonderful. There will be no dancing at the indie disco to this and its all the better for it… Arguably their most important album to date.” Neon Filler [8.5/10]

“there is nothing really to compare the Smittens with which is good in itself, so you just have to let you hair down a bit if you have some and listen to the simple sounds, chuckle at the naughty lyrics, pour yourself a dry martini and morph into a whore. Marvellous!” Penny Black Music

Order Love Record Breaker here.

Cosines - Oscillations

Following their two 7" singles on Fika Recordings (this year's Commuter Love, last year's Hey Sailor Boy!), Cosines finally release their debut album Oscillations at the end of July. Be quick if you want a copy - neither track feature on the album so this is your only chance!

Out Of The Fire is a sneak peak - think repetitive synth riffs, pulsating rhythm and crunchy guitars, which reveal a song which perfectly encapsulates the band and sets the tone for the rest of the album. We'll be revealing more from the album over the next couple of weeks... In the meantime, you can pre-order a copy here, on 12" black vinyl, handmade CDR or as a download.