Label Spotlight: Clue Records
With the announcement of their upcoming merge with Hatch Records, and with a new release from Van Houten out today, we thought what better time to have a chat with Leeds-based label Clue Records. Created in 2012 by Scott lewis and Ste Langton, Clue has released music from artists including of YOWL, Crushed Beaks, Team Picture, and many more, and have gone on to draw attention from NME, DIY, The Independent, Q Magazine,BBC Radio 1, and BBC 6Music. We had a chat with head honcho Scott lewis about how Clue Records about their recent releases, their plans for their merge with hatch, and how clue has grown to be the thriving musical hub that it is now.
Ste & Scott
For people who haven’t heard of you, how would you describe the label?
I’d describe the label as a four-headed lover of good music, GSOH, fan of sun sets (& sun rises), enjoyer of tequila based cocktails & very keen on long walks by the sea side. But I know that doesn’t make sense so I suppose the best way to describe it is an independent label, releasing ace music by artists across the UK purely because they love the music being made. We try to support artists to grow & have a long, sustainable career. As well as releasing music we also present a monthly show on Amazing Radio. Even that’s just a bunch of words though so I’d say just check out the music we’ve put out, if you like it then come find out more here.
How did Clue Records first come to be?
In 2012, me & my best mate Ste sat in a pub & said “Let’s start a record label”. I’d been in bands, had just finished a summer volunteering for Oxjam Music Festival & wanted to support some of the artists I’d found through that. Had very little idea about what running a label actually entailed but what better way to find out than fling yourself in?!?
Tony Eriera (Hatch) and Scott Lewis (Clue)
Tell us about some of the artists that have released on Clue Records.
I’ll pick 3 of our most recent releasers, starting with Van Houten as their most recent thing is being released right about now. They’re a lovely, swirly, swoony, sad but happy indie gem of a band. Their new single What I Need & their self-titled debut album should be taught in schools across the country. Team Picture are the finest amalgamation of indie, dream-pop, ethereal beauty and charm I’ve ever encountered. They released The Menace Of Mechanical Music recently & it’s a record that should be taught in yoga sessions across the country. And YOWL are a wordy, brilliant, artistic, intelligent, gentle-yet-feral thing who astound me on a regular basis. Their Atrophy EP is magnificent and should be taught in dancehalls across the country. More succinctly, here’s a blast of some of the others;
HAMER = HARD Gawjuss = Gorgeous Fehlt = Mystical Crushed Beaks = Peak PLAZA = Mathematics LOCALS = European
OUT TODAY: 'What I Need'- Van Houten
How has lockdown affected operation at Clue Records?
It’s just made me feel lonely & like my only friends have turned into tiny screen robots. It’s obviously been pretty awful for everyone globally so I’m just trying to continue striving to push the label on & support our artists through it all, not put pressure on them, just see where they are & what we can support them with. Running a record label is just a ton of emails & spreadsheets anyway, I just can’t go out to a gig for any release now which is proper sad.
You have recently announced that you will be merging with Hatch Records- could you tell us about that decision, and how it came about?
Me & Tony from Hatch work together on Come Play With Me. I’d had a job offer from elsewhere & had a lot to think about. Anyway, Tony had a brainwave about us combining Hatch & Clue so we did it & that was it. It’s just really natural. Me & Tony have ended up working together on about 47 different jobs & things so I think in the end it’s inevitable that our lives will blur into one completely, swallowing the others existence whole.
