Why not 333? A Manifesto
333: what?
A draft manifesto on the possible advantages of yet another quasi-exclusively online music label. 333 is a music label specialising in random audio cut, paste and chop. We appropriate unnamed sources and superimpose three of them at a time, without prior listening. We then proceed to chop them off at 3 minutes and 33 seconds, and round it all up nicely in the shape of a good old-fashioned single, a-side and b-side included.
Basically: why 333?
Because there’s too much of everything lying around, and not enough time in the day. A 3-in-1 listening experience allows you to take in more at any given moment.
Aesthetically: why 333?
Despite huge mash-up acrobatics in the last few decades, the potential for aesthetic innovation emerging from random collage still applies in 2012. Moreso, we dare say, we declare the absolute need to short-circuit ongoing trends and the allure of kawai!
Historically: why 333?
Musicians who have never met thus collaborate, often without their own knowledge. If we begin by appropriating (are we pirates?), soon enough we hope to welcome voluntary submissions for the big random triangular mash-up. Also, the shape of a single is a totally obvious nod to nostalgia and pastiche, an approach we believe contrasts quite nicely with the noisy shit going on content-wise.
Ideologically: why 333?
Because it addresses issues of appropriation, digital over-abundance, access wars, piracy, theft, authorship, power, abuse, arrogance, cultural fatigue, cynicism, hyper-conformism, and the vertigo of laptop culture. It tries to provide these with context, structure, form, and predictability within randomness. There are things to be said about all these things, and we want to say them primarily by making.
333: how much?
All free for online taking, baby. With one honourable exception, which is the yearly vinyl 7” edition condensing all releases. More on this in due time.
Timewise: why 333?
Because 4:33 would most likely get us into legal trouble, and we hope this won’t.
333: Who?
We shall remain unnamed. Needless to say, there are 3 of us behind the curtain.
333: How?
Mr. 3 awaits your praise and submissions at:
3@3-33.meYou may instead prefer to contact Mr. 33:
33@3-33.meOr alternatively, you may contact Mr. 333:
333@3-33.me
