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Sam Rosenthal interview @ The Big Takeover

Projekt’s Sam Rosenthal was interviewed for the online edition of The Big Takeover, a New York City-based print magazine. Sam discusses Projekt’s 40th Anniversary and his musical projects. Read the full interview by Marcel Feldmar here.

Excerpt:

MF: So what does interest you?

SR: I hear a good electronic/ambient demo every week. I gotta restrain myself from releasing them all. An amazing thing about 2023 vs 1997 is Projekt can release a new album every week, when it’s digital-only. We don’t have the financial and storage restraints of physical product like in the 90s. Back then, there were years where Projekt only had 2 new releases. But back then, a release could be promoted for 6 – 12 – 18 months. Those Lycia, and Black Tape and Love Spirals Downwards releases had long legs (as they say). Now, the stream wants to be replenished continuously.

MF: But you managed to get some fantastic and important bands on the label, and not all of them hitting that darkwave/deathrock vibe, either.

SR: Fortunately, yes. I have some of the most important classic American Ambient/electronic releases on Projekt. Steve Roach’s Structures from Silence, Quiet Music, Dreamtime Return and Michael Stearns’ Planetary Unfolding. They weren’t originally on Projekt, I licensed them from the artists over the years. Steve and I have been working together since the early 90s. We have a long collaboration, and he has 100 (more?) releases on Projekt! And Projekt is releasing the 40th anniversary remastered edition of Structures in February 2024. Many people think about the 90s heyday of Projekt’s darkwave releases, but when the clock struck 2000 Projekt only had around 100 releases, and now Projekt’s is releasing its 417th release. And there are 300 more on the Archive digital-only label. The ongoing focus has become artists in the space music ambient genres: Steve, Erik Wøllo, Forrest Fang, Stearns, and many others.