Oh how time flies when you’re releasing, what we consider to be, forward-thinking and creative electronic music! Just one year ago we pushed the big green button marked “GO” and launched Astor Bell for public consumption. In the past 12 months we’ve released 12 titles, all very near and dear to our hearts.

As our first anniversary started to near we began kicking around ideas to mark our progress. We could’ve released a sampler, another label mix, or maybe even some unreleased tracks: All valid ways to help us turn the page into the next 12 months. But the winning idea surfaced quite clearly. That being to loosen our grip and open the gates into the Astor Bell brain.

The sum of our contributing artist’s work is greater than the label name we put on it. And it is surely greater than two 30-somethings sitting behind computers making the files available to you. The broken beats, the down-sampled waves, the backwards bass and the organic subway samples accumulate like a snowball rolling down a ski slope into complete pieces of audio that dig themselves into the deeper parts of our being.

Our artists have backtracked into their harddrives and extracted these singular moments, scattered them over the floor and are hoping you can assist in pasting them back together into something wonderful.

We would like to invite you to participate in Astor Bell’s 1st Anniversary Remixes.

The deadline for entries is May 1st, 2010.

The remixes that we enjoy the most will be released as a compilation in June 2010.

Thanks for listening and happy remixing!

For further details on the remix project, click here.

Well hello there. We hope all is well dear readers. Just wanted to point out a bit of news about one of our AB acts. 1st Dude, who in my opinion released one of the most original and interesting EPs of the year, has just dropped a massive 24-track full length on the newly-formed Reesonable imprint entitled Freaky Invisible Magic Hook. Follow that link to stream every song in its entirety. Purchase for a minimal fee.

If you were a fan of 1st Dude’s Bassid EP then you’ll surely dig this as well. The info I have is sketchy, as is most information surrounding Sandy Shirely, but from what I gather this is a collection of songs he’s been working on over the years. It’s just a beat up, weird and genius as the Bassid EP. So go there now!

We’re always glad to see our artists continue to put out music. Even if the release isn’t affiliated with AB we’ll do our best to keep you updated right here.

Happy listening!