With the exciting prospect of a season in Ibiza now under 150 days away, there's been brilliant news coming again and again out of the house and techno scene - news that will surely have all those planning to venture to the sunny island this summer incredibly excited. One such example of this news will be the revelation that German producer and DJ Robert Dietz, a well known and highly respected face on the island, is launching a record label called Truth Be Told - surely bringing more of the sound that has made Dietz such a regular on the world DJ/Producer scene. Set to be based in Berlin, a city with a high pedigree of record labels such as Innervisions, this will be exciting news for Robert Dietz fans, as this will undoubtedly allow him more creative control as well as a chance of bringing us music in a similar vein to his already popular and highly regarded underground sound.
No stranger to Ibiza last season, Dietz showcased his talents at some of the islands most popular and familiar venues, including Sankeys alongside Steve Lawler and Space with Loco Dice as well as playing at multiple different countries in multiple different prestigious venues. His production too was active during 2014 with the release of his Sweatshop EP on Desolat, a perfect example of an excellent production style that is anything but generic.
Ultimately though, starting a record label is a bold venture that takes a creative step beyond the releasing of new productions and playing established venues - we caught up with the man himself to find out what's coming up…
Many DJ/producers at a certain point in their career now choose to open their own label. Has it just become easier to do, or simply more popular - and why do you think that is?
"I think it's just a normal process. DJs like to curate music for the club nights as much as they would like to curate music for their own platform and present it in a way they feel. For me it was something I wanted to do since some years ago, but never really felt it was time for it, until I moved to Berlin and met an old friend of mine with whom I decided it to do it together. Of course people keep saying that too many labels are around but I think as long as you deliver quality, the wheat separates from the chaff."
Opening one's own company is always a risk, are you at all daunted by the business side of things?
"It was a big investment to start the label, and it will be with each release to follow. We wanted to release on vinyl of course and invested quite a lot of money in a proper mix down in a professional recording studio and the mastering of course. The whole procedure of releasing vinyl is a big risk nowadays. Regarding the business side of things, I'm not daunted at all, we just started the label and are still small with only a handful of release scheduled a year. Altogether it's your own project, you work for yourself, and so it is exciting to make all the decisions and plans."
Is TBT001 indicative of the kind of musical direction you'll be showcasing on Truth Be Told - or are you going to have a more diverse spectrum?
"I would like to keep it very open. It's like my own productions, they always sound different and have different influences, which reflects my DJ sets as well. In general I don't like to define things too much upfront. It will be music we feel and think is worth sharing. Let's see where the journey leads us. But for sure I don't want to follow any trends."
Is there a particular type of artist you will be looking to work with and feature in future Truth Be Told projects, have you got your eye on anyone in particular?
"I'm in touch with a couple of producers I've followed for years, and young and up and coming ones. But for now we would like to keep it quiet till we make it happen…"
What sort of labels out there right now do you think are doing a great job, and why do you feel that is?
"Sushitech or Running Back are doing a great job since years for example and I'm personally very happy to see Mosaic back on track. Giegling didn't become Resident Advisor's favorite label last year for no reason. But there are plenty of small and fresh labels around too, which make a lot of impression on me, like Hard Work Soft Drink or Karlovak and Cuttin Headz. I like labels with personality and when you can keep each release apart from the other and you never know what to expect."
Media is changing all the time, with vinyl, for example, enjoying resurgence in popularity. Where and in what format will Truth Be Told make its presence known?
"As I mentioned before already we will be releasing on vinyl with a 1 month exclusivity and then hit the usual online stores. I think both formats are still very important. I personally still buy a lot of vinyl, even though I don't play them in a club anymore but I collect and it is a great source for music too."
"A lot of labels at the moment decide to release vinyl only again which I respect but I don't see myself adapt that to my own label and make a kind of exclusive club out of it. Our music is expanding globally and there are so many people out there in the world that are not able to buy records anymore or even have a record player, why exclude them?"
View this feature in the Ibiza Spotlight Magazine, Issue 006.
WORDS | Jacob Fritz
