Epitapes

About

Epitapes flickered into existence in Sunderland's industrial shadows, a cassette-driven reverie oscillating between the palpable and the ephemeral. From 1987 to 1990, this label sculpted dark soundscapes with a lo-fi aesthetic, each release a tactile artifact of auditory exploration. In a span of merely three years, it birthed a catalog of 32 releases, predominantly tapes, that became the vessels for its experimental ethos. The label's sonic realm is a kaleidoscope — with fractals of sound spiraling out through projects like Big City Orchestra's two offerings, "A Good Time to Start Something New" and their eponymous follow-up. Meanwhile, "Death, Like An Untimely Frost, Puts All In Silence" in 1989 whispers narratives of silence and mortality, a thematic anchor in Epitapes’ collection. "In That Awful Morning, Rise" (1990) stands as a testament to the label's commitment to unique sound design, weaving disparate elements into a cohesive auditory experience. Epitapes' choice of format was deliberate. The cassette, that humble magnetic medium, became a canvas for experimentation — its hiss and warmth, integral to the label's identity. Releases like "Rituals Of Sleep" and Cephalic Index's "Bruise Medicine" push the boundaries of sound, each tape a singular exploration into the liminal spaces of music. Though the imprint's life was brief, its impact resonates still, a node in the intricate web of experimental music. Epitapes, a beacon for the curious, remains a point of intrigue, its tapes whispering tales of Sunderland's sonic underground.