Unheard Records started out as a small artist initiative in LA around 2015, focusing on genre-fluid, experimental music and arts; especially those coming from femme, poc and non-binary people. Starting in California by hosting small gallery shows, screening and release events , Unheard’s practice became more international over the years, focusing on curating compilations, digital releases and a podcast series called Ghost Frequency. Now, Unheard are a network of around 30 international artists from Asia, North America, and Europe. Through online radio, live shows, and record releases we provide unique works a place to be heard. This is an incubator of “shit you haven’t put out because no one asked because it’s weird”.
Unheard Records explore the subject of “귀신 소리” – “Gwishin-Sori”. The direct translation is “ghost sound”. The term is taken from a story from 1860, about the first gramophone that arrived in Korea and how it was called a “ghost sound machine”. Unheard look to tap into people’s desire to “know the unknowable” and hear its interpretations.
In the continuous search of the new norm(al), we tap into areas of boundless imagination, experimentation, and people’s inclination to link the unknowable, unthinkable and hence, invite the spirits of the unheard. Unheard Records has just released (November 2021) a new album Compilation004: 귀신소리 “Ghost Sound”, with 33 tracks, each one by a different great artist from North America, Asia, Europe and Africa.
They also put out a publication that goes with the album. With the publication, Unheard shares the philosophical exploration that happened in parallel with the album. For instance you can read It seems that the ghost is very much about the dismantling of identity; the ghost escapes identification by refusing to what current conditons call ‘reality’.
Listen to the album here and check out the publication here.