Today in cassette labels you gotta check out~ Emerging out of the bubbling indie music scene in China is Beijing’s Nugget Records!
Started by Dave Carey and Jen Rao, everything about this label screams gotta have and catchy. From the beautiful artwork to the expertly curated music, these artist-centric limited edition releases deserve a place in your growing collection.
One of my favorites from the label is something from last March—tapes for charity, currently out of print and sold only within their country (but UC got copies anyway *wink wonk*). It was a benefit compilation aiming to help pets abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was sold as a double cassette album. The first tape features indie pop music, while the second features electronic jams.
Upon posting in the United Cassettes webstore, my regular customer from Japan immediately bought it. Thus, it was sold out within an hour. Even after that, several messages kept coming in, with people asking if it was still available. Sadly, I acquired only one double cassette pair for selling; the other went straight to my collection!
Aside from this, other releases under Nugget Records are totes worth checking out, too. Carey’s own band, Lost Memory Machine, is part of the label’s roster—if you’re into dream pop and sky forests, you’ll surely vibe this.
On the label you’ll also find something from the eclectic MFmachine, with a cassette called after school special. It’s an expansive release boasting various influences, from jazz to math rock!
There’s also a special release from China-based electronic musician thruoutin. It features found sounds and environmental pieces for an exciting trip filled with adventure, dance, and curiosity.
Some of these are currently being sold in the UC webstore, so don’t miss! ph.unitedcassettes.com
Check out Nugget Records here: nuggetrecordsbeijing.bandcamp.com
Written by Kurvine Anna Chua