2021 Retrospective

Dec 23, 2021

What a ride it has been in 2021. Does anyone else feel like the highs are getting higher, but the lows are also getting lower?

We had a productive year jam packed with music here at Tambourhinoceros, releasing three EPs, three albums, and announcing another album that's coming out in 2022. That's the high of the high—releasing tons of music that we love. (Check them out down below)

For the second year in a row, though, we weren't able to celebrate with you in person. What began as an idea to throw an extravagant 10 year anniversary party in 2020 was postponed until 2021, and was sadly postponed again. That's the low of the low—not being able to celebrate with you in person.

But low lows make the highs feel even higher. Tambourhinoceros Presents, our overdue 10 year annivesary label night is rescheduled for May 18, 2022, and the two year wait is only adding to our anticipation.

In the meantime, besides bringing you music we've also been quietly working on some initiatives behind the scenes.

Keychange

In 2021, we signed the Keychange Pledge Agreement, an international gender equality campaign for the European music industry. Our pledges are:

• Work towards that women or gender minority artists constitute 50% or more of our active roster by 2025

• Work towards that women or gender minority employees constitute 50% or more of staff by 2028

• Consider the balance of contractors we work with

• Provide feedback on all demos from women or gender minority artists

Save P6

In 2021, Danish radio station P6 Beat, the biggest public radio supporter of independent music in Denmark, was facing closure due to lack of funding. We tried to pull our weight by going on national news and writing an open letter in support of P6 Beat, on behalf of 170 Danish independent record labels, via the Danish Independent Record Labels Organsation (DUP). And it worked! P6 Beat is here to stay, at least through 2024.

Carbon Calculator

Through IMPALA, the EU's Independent Music Companies Association, we joined Beggars Group, City Slang, Domino, Epitaph, Ninja Tune, Partisan, [PIAS], Playground Music, Secretly Group, Warp and many more in volunteering to support the first carbon calculator for the independent music sector. This is part of IMPALA's goal to achieve carbon neutrality in the independent sector by 2026.

Giveaways

What else happened in 2021? We gave away 11 free vinyls to our dear newsletter subscribers—one for every month... and yes, there is still one more left before 2021 draws to a close.

Playlists

We also revamped our playlists so we can keep sharing our love for music in between releases:

• World Peace: where we amplify into the world the music that brings us peace

• Mint: a selection of our newly release music

• Cherry Picks: the sweetest fruits from a year of musical foraging

• Expansion: where our artists, friends, collaborators and more share music

• Totality: a deep dive into our full catalog

• Solitude: reflective songs from our catalog

Inventory

Nikolaj Zeuthen from Skammens vogn, Martin Rehof from Communions, Lo Ersare from Lucky Lo, and Jonas Bjerre from Mew let us into their creative processes through our Inventory series.

Releases

Last but not least, here's a trip back through the last year of music we released. Enjoy, hope your holidays are filled with love, and see you in 2022 <3

Molina - Cold (Feb. 26)