Respected independent Dutch label Clone Records has announced that it is closing its imprint devoted to new music.

Started in the early '90s as an outlet for techno and acid tracks, the label was a rarity in the music world: One that seemed interested in only pleasing itself and nothing else. It took the imprint nearly 15 years to reach its 50th release, marking it as one that attempted to preach the gospel of quality over quantity. In recent years, however, the pace had quickened for Clone and, as the press release announcing their closure tells it, they noticed that they were finally going to repeat themselves. In their own words:

At this moment we don't understand the popularity of many artists and releases....or... actually we do! We do, to a certain level, because we've tried many things when we just started our journey into music when we were teenagers and when we started the label +/- 15 years ago! By now we do understand the tricks and formulas of dance music and the different users. However using these tricks and formulas just to ensure maximum effect would be betrayal to our own musical ethics because our goal with Clone records is to entertain ourself with the music we release (and to be clear... with the music...and not the side effects).

Two remaining releases are planned for the label, (I-f ft Fred Ventura/ Ajello – "I Cut my Heart Out" (Craig Richards edit)/ "I'm Ready" and Marco Bernardi's Mystery of Nazerus) and the label has announced that it will continue along with the Clone Classic Cuts imprint. But even so, we can't help but think that this is the end of an era of some sort. 34 Comments