Label
HR Cassettes
HR Cassettes is an experimental music label from the late 20th century, known for its unique cassette releases by Philip Johnson and Flower Perverts.
About
HR Cassettes operated in the liminal space of the late 20th century, a label where the cassette was both medium and message. Between 1979 and 1991, every release was a conversation between the magnetic tape and the experimental mind of Philip Johnson. His work — under his own name and as Flower Perverts — formed the entirety of the label’s catalog. Each tape was a sculptural piece, the lo-fi hiss an integral part of Johnson’s avant-garde soundscapes. "My Favourite Actress" (1991) stands as the label's valedictory statement, a fractal of minimalist arrangements and textural layering. Earlier works like "Special Kind of Feeling" (1985) and "Winterwaiter" (1984) reveal the exploratory process that defined HR Cassettes. These releases were not just musical artifacts but interdisciplinary experiments, where sound was a process-driven art form. The aesthetic was raw, direct, and inherently tied to the cassette format — a deliberate choice, rejecting polish for a more tactile, intimate experience. HR Cassettes didn't just release music; it captured the evolving whispers of an artist in dialogue with his medium.