PC Music

PC Music is a record label and art collective based in London and run by producer A. G. Cook.[1] It was founded and made its first song available on SoundCloud in 2013.[2] The label is known for its surreal or exaggerated take on pop music, often featuring pitch-shifted, feminine vocals and bright, synthetic textures.[3] Artists on its roster include Hannah Diamond, Life Sim, and Danny L Harle.

PC Music
FoundedJune 2013
FounderA. G. Cook
Genre
Country of originUnited Kingdom
LocationLondon
Official websitepcmusic.info

PC Music has been characterized as embracing the aesthetics of advertising, consumerism, and corporate branding.[3] Its artists often present devised personas inspired by cyberculture.[4] The label has inspired both praise and criticism from journalists, and has been called "polarizing".[5]

Background

The label functions as a collective in which acts frequently collaborate with each other.[1] Many of the acts are aliases, obscuring the identities and number of artists on the label.[6] Early on, the label kept tight control over its branding and limited its interaction with journalists,[7] and as its profile grew, Cook declined to engage with press, described as a sort of Berry Gordy figure within the group.[8] Vice magazine said that PC Music's acts are best understood not as living people but as "meticulously planned and considered long-running art pieces…living installations who put out music."[9] Cook mentioned preference for "recording people who don't normally make music and treating them as if they're a major label artist."[10] Rather than engaging in extended promotional campaigns, the label continually announces new acts.[1] Each develops a persona that is conveyed through Internet slang and cartoon imagery.[4]

History

Cook had previously worked on Gamsonite, a "pseudo-label" and blog collecting his early collaborations, among other projects while studying music at Goldsmiths, University of London.[11] He founded PC Music in August 2013, as a way of embracing an A&R role.[10] Within a year the label had published 40 songs on SoundCloud where, as of September 2014, some of its songs had accumulated over 100,000 listens.[2][4] It had not released a physical single,[2] and its first paid download did not come until the November 2014 release of Hannah Diamond's "Every Night".[12] QT's "Hey QT" single was also released in 2014, on XL Recordings, with production from Cook and PC Music-affiliate Sophie.[13]

In March 2014, the label made their live debut in the United States when Cook, Sophie and QT performed at Hype Machine's Hype Hotel during South by Southwest.[14] The following year, in March 2015, several members of the collective appeared at a label showcase at South by Southwest.[15] Cook described it as a "rebirth moment" for the group, moving toward functioning as a real record label.[16] Shortly after, they released their first official compilation album, titled PC Music Volume 1.[17] On 8 May 2015, PC Music artists performed at BRIC House in Brooklyn, New York as part of the Red Bull Music Academy Festival, to premiere Pop Cube, "a multimedia reality network".[18]

Promotional artwork for Kane West's Western Beats EP. The use of Comic Sans alludes to the typography of early web sites.[19]

On 21 October 2015, the label announced on Facebook a partnership with major record label Columbia Records. The first release through this partnership was an EP from Danny L Harle.[20] In December 2015 PC Music released the single "Only You", a collaboration between A. G. Cook and the Chinese pop star Chris Lee, with a music video directed by Kinga Burza.[21]

On 18 November 2016, PC Music released Volume 2, a compilation featuring most of the label's roster. A review in The Guardian praised it for being "more beautiful and progressive than ever before" and proof that "Cook and his gang are the cleverest, most thoughtful people in British pop".[22]

On 16 February 2018, PC Music released a limited dual-vinyl compilation of both PC Music Volume 1 and PC Music Volume 2[23] and in December 2018, PC Music announced new vinyl and CD reissues of PC Music Volume 1 and PC Music Volume 2, as well as the first physical release of the label's Month of Mayhem compilation.[24] GFOTY also announced her departure from the label at this time.[25] She has since signed with a new label, Pretty Wavvy.[26]

A promotional website for Sup by Lil Data, which incorporates influences of net art.

Sound and influences

The label has released music with a consistent sound that Clive Martin, writing for Vice, described as "A playful composite of disregarded sounds and genres".[1] Lanre Bakare, writing for The Guardian, identified the music's elements as "the huge synth blasts favoured by Eurodance chart-botherers such as Cascada, grime's sub-bass, and happy hardcore's high-pitched vocal range".[7] The styles and influences of music incorporated include bubblegum dance, Balearic trance, wonky and electro house. Cook cites Korean & Japanese pop music and gyaru culture, as well as the production work of Max Martin and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.[10] His production involves layering discordant sounds on top of each other to produce chaotic mixes,[10] similar to the techniques used in black MIDI music.[6] Abrupt shifts in timbre and rhythm are used to create multiple perspectives of a personality.[27] Cook also indirectly cites American musician Conlon Nancarrow as a source of inspiration in the PC Music Pop Cube Trailer 1[28]

PC Music's songwriting often deals with consumerism as a theme. In their take on haul videos,[29] Lipgloss Twins include references to fashion and makeup brands.[30] Vocals on the label's mix for DIS Magazine reflect various forms of marketing: producer ID tags, film trailers, and product placement for a sponsor.[6][30] The label brings in inexperienced singers to record its songs.[11] It thoroughly processes the vocals, shifting the pitch upward or chopping it to use as a rhythmic element.[10][6] These distortions create a post-ironic representation of consumerism, money, and sex.[31]

PC Music's aesthetic combines elements of cuteness, camp, and kawaii,[1][7][30] though often, as music critic Maurice Marion points out for Rare Candy, with a sinister, Lynchian undertone achieved by dissonant inversions and caustic harmonization.[32] Critics likened the label to Ryan Trecartin in its irregular pacing, "feminine appropriation", and valley girl slang.[33] The use of pitch shifting, image manipulation, and costumes may also serve as a form of drag.[19] This blurs the distinctions between binary genders and allows male artists to mask their identities.[33][34] In a piece for Vice, Ryan Bassil suggested that PC Music's style allows for a more candid expression of emotions.[4]

The label has been embraced as a more feminine response to dance music subculture.[1][7] The availability of music software has allowed for the spread of high-production dance music by independent musicians, particularly on SoundCloud. PC Music often exaggerates the homogenized, high-fidelity aesthetics of these songs.[33] Vogue deputy editor Alex Frank commented that the overt manipulation of cultural references showcased a cynical sense of humour, creating an insular approach to making dance music during a period of house revival.[34]

Artists

Artists with at least one solo release on the label

Artists with only collaborations on the label

Artists with only remixes on the label
  • Clark
  • et aliae
  • Faber Kastell

Artists with at least one remixed release on the label

Other artists on the label

Catalogue
Release Release type Artist Title Release history
pc-s1 Single GFOTY Bobby
pc-r1 EP easyFun easyFun EP
pc-s2 Single Princess Bambi Less Love More Sex
pc-s3 Single Dux Content Like You
pc-s4 Single Danny L Harle Broken Flowers
pc-r2 EP A. G. Cook Nu Jack Swung
pc-s5 Single Hannah Diamond Pink and Blue
pc-r3 LP Dux Content Lifestyle
pc-s6 Single A. G. Cook Keri Baby

(feat. Hannah Diamond)
pc-s7 Single Maxo Snow Other
pc-s8 Single Hannah Diamond Attachment
pc-s9 Single Lipgloss Twins Wannabe
pc-s10 Single A. G. Cook Beautiful
pc-s11 Single Tielsie Palette
pc-s12 Single GFOTY Don't Wanna / Let's Do It
pc-r4 EP Kane West Western Beats
pc-s13 Single Thy Slaughter Bronze
pc-s14 Single Danny L Harle In My Dreams
pc-r5 EP Lil Data Sup
PC001 Single Hannah Diamond Every Night
pc-s15 Single Spinee Pretty Green
pc-s16 Single A. G. Cook Drop FM

(feat. Hannah Diamond)
pc-r6 EP easyFun Deep Trouble
- Compilation - PC Music Volume 1
Region Date Format Ref.
Various 2 May 2015
[49]
17 February 2018 Double LP (first edition) [50]
14 December 2018
  • CD
  • double LP (second edition)
 [51][52]
pc-s17 Single Dux Content Snow Globe
PC002 Single Life Sim IDL
PC003 Single Hannah Diamond Hi
PC004 EP Danny L Harle Broken Flowers
PC005 Single Chris Lee (Li Yuchun) Real Love / Only You
PC006 EP GFOTY VIPOTY
pc-s18 Single Lipgloss Twins Doodle
PC007 Single Danny L Harle Ashes of Love

(feat. Caroline Polachek)
PC008 Single A. G. Cook Superstar
PC009 Single Danny L Harle Super Natural

(feat. Carly Rae Jepsen)
PC010 Single Hannah Diamond Fade Away
PC011 EP felicita a new family
pc-r7 EP GFOTY Call Him A Doctor
PC012 Single EASYFUN Monopoly

(feat. Noonie Bao)
- Compilation - PC Music Volume 2
Region Date Format Ref.
Various 18 November 2016
[53]
17 February 2018 Double LP (first edition) [50]
14 December 2018
  • CD
  • double LP (second edition)
 [51][52]
PC013 Single Hannah Diamond Make Believe
pc-r8 EP felicita ecce homo
PC014 Single Danny L Harle Me4U

(feat. Morrie)
PC015 Single Danny L Harle 1UL
PC016 EP Danny L Harle 1UL EP
PC017 Compilation - Month of Mayhem
Region Date Format Ref.
Various 28 July 2017
[53]
14 December 2018 Picture disc double LP [54]
PC018 Single GFOTY Tongue
PC019 Compilation GFOTY GFOTYBUCKS
Region Date Format Ref.
Various 18 November 2017
[55][56]
pc-r9 Mix Hannah Diamond Soon I won't see you at all
PC020 Single Tommy Cash Pussy Money Weed
PC021 Single Danny L Harle Blue Angel

(feat. Clairo)
PC022 Single EASYFUN Be Your USA
PC023 Single Tommy Cash Little Molly
PC024 Single felicita marzipan

(feat. Caroline Polachek)
PC025 Single felicita coughing up amber/shook
PC026 LP felicita hej!
PC027 Single Hannah Diamond True
PC028 EP umru search result
PC029 Single Lil Data Burnnn
PC030 Compilation Lil Data Folder Dot Zip
Region Date Format Ref.
Various 16 February 2019
[57]
PC031 Single A. G. Cook Lifeline
PC032 Single Hannah Diamond &

Danny L Harle

 Part Of Me
PC033 Single Planet 1999 Spell
PC034 Single Hannah Diamond Invisible
PC035 Single Hannah Diamond Love Goes On
PC036 LP Hannah Diamond Reflections
Region Date Format Ref.
Various 22 November 2019
[58]
19 December 2019 LP [59]
PC037 Single Namasenda 24/7
PC038 Single Planet 1999 Party
PC039 Single Planet 1999 Replay
PC040 EP Planet 1999 Devotion
PC036R Remix EP Hannah Diamond Reflections Remixes
PC041AM Single Namasenda Dare AM
PC041PM Single Namasenda Dare PM
PC042 LP A. G. Cook 7G

Reception

As PC Music became more prominent in 2014, the reaction to it was often described as "divisive".[7][9] Joe Moynihan, writing in Fact, remarked that "PC Music have, in just over a year, released some of the most compelling pop music in recent memory." The label's feminine aesthetic has been criticized as disingenuous or appropriative.[6][60] The distortions in its music can fall into the uncanny valley and have an alienating effect on listeners.[38] Some critics have found its high-tempo trance sound artless or aggravating.[6]

PC Music received accolades in several 2014 year-end summaries. Dazed included A. G. Cook at number 12 in their "Dazed 100";[61] Fact named PC Music the best label of 2014;[62] The Huffington Post included PC Music at number 3 in their "Underrated Albums - 2014";[63] Resident Advisor included PC Music at number 4 in their "Top Labels of The Year" in 2014;[64] and Tiny Mix Tapes included it in their "Favorite 15 Labels of 2014".[65] Spin magazine named PC Music its "Trend of the Year" for 2014.[66]

Live shows

PC Music have produced a number of label focused showcases since their inception. After a brief showcase at SXSW in 2015, on 8 May 2015, PC Music launched a "multimedia reality network" called 'Pop Cube'. An event in conjunction with the network was created and became part of the Red Bull Music Academy Festival in New York, which quickly sold out.[67] In May 2016, PC Music presented 'Pop Cosmos' at the Scala in London, featuring Danny L Harle, Hannah Diamond, GFOTY, A. G. Cook, Felicita, Easyfun and Spinee.[68] In July 2016 PC Music held a new one-off event called 'Pop City' at Create in Los Angeles. As well as scheduled performances from PC Music performers, the show featured guests, including Carly Rae Jepsen, Charli XCX, and QT.[69] On the 405 webzine, PC Music’s live shows have been described as being surrounded by a care-less authentic aura and have been recognised for their "forward-thinking fearlessness to push pop music into new and daring areas".[70]

References
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  2. Jones, Charlie Robin (11 September 2014). "PC Music's digital dreams". Dazed. 4: 178–183.
  3. Geffen, Sasha. "PC Music's Inverted Consumerism". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  4. Bassil, Ryan (23 May 2014). "Trying to Make Sense of Hannah Diamond and Post-Ringtone Music". Vice. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  5. Zoladz, Lindsay. "The Enigmatic PC Music Is Ready for Real Life". Vulture. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  6. Sherburne, Philip (17 September 2014). "PC Music's Twisted Electronic Pop: A User's Manual". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  7. Bakare, Lanre (12 September 2014). "PC Music: clubland's cute new direction". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
  8. Norris, John (March 2015). "SXSW 2015: The 8 Most Standout Performances". MTV Iggy. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
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  10. Golsorkhi-Ainslie, Sohrab (25 August 2013). "Radio Tank Mix: A. G. Cook". Tank. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
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  14. name="joyce-spin">{{cite web|url = https://www.spin.com/2014/08/qt-hey-sophie-pc-music-stream-primer-label/ | date = 26 August 2014 | accessdate = 13 September 2014 | last = Joyce | first = Colin | website = Spin
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  26. "artists". www.prettywavvy.com. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
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  52. "PC Music on Instagram: "PC Music Vol 1 & 2 Second Edition Vinyl 🕯 New white & silver sleeve with intense blue & red wax 🕯Design by @tmthy.luke 🕯 Vol 1 & 2 artwork…"". Instagram. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
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  55. "https://www.instagram.com/p/BbmC90xAAXG/". Instagram. Retrieved 10 August 2020. External link in |title= (help)
  56. "@gfoty on Instagram: "TOO MANY BLOFFEES! Help me get through the final batches of GFOTYBUCKS drinks! buy the Zine and CD now!…"". Instagram. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  57. "Lil Data on Instagram: "Folder Dot Zip is unarchiving tomorrow 💥 zip.pcmusic.info My heart 💓 this Valentine's belongs to everyone who pre-ordered the USB Album,…"". Instagram. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
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  66. Weiss, Dan (17 December 2014). "Trend of the Year: How PC Music Chewed Up Pop Conventions". Spin. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
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