Every time label co-founder Adam Scrimshire’s family packed up the campervan for a trip to Wales, one thing was never left behind: the mixtape that Grandpa Albert had compiled over the previous weeks. He’d asked his grandchildren about their current favourite tracks, bought the records and carefully dubbed them onto tape. The founding myth behind London-based label Albert’s Favourites sounds almost too heart-warming to be true.
And yet, as Scrimshire confirms over Zoom, that’s exactly how it happened – year after year. In fact, the tradition went back even further, to his mother’s youth. The tape was always titled Albert’s Favourites. Because the kids’ favourite songs became Albert’s, too. »He was just a generous soul who loved making people happy,« Scrimshire recalls.
Not that generational reconciliation over musical taste was ever a struggle in their family. »We always had similar leanings: jazz and soul. From the Motown sound of the ’60s to soul-influenced pop of the ’80s.« That same spirit of open-heartedness also defines the label’s output, which Scrimshire founded a decade ago alongside Dave Koor and Jonny Drop. Think laid-back jazz vibes, soul, electronica and broken beats.
Music to unwind to – without being simplistic. Like Scrimshire’s own work under his surname, most recently on Music For Autumn Lovers: head cinema music, lingering like an autumn walk through the woods – with track titles named after trees – gentle but intricate, atmospheric but never dull.
Friends of friends
Their own creative pursuits were a major reason for founding the label. When Scrimshire – now in his mid-40s – began producing music in his twenties, he was still working in marketing, far removed from the music industry. He was mentored by Dom Servini, head of Wah Wah 45s and long-time resident at London’s Jazz Café, who introduced him to the world of label management. The two worked together for over a decade until Scrimshire launched Albert’s Favourites, as a space for sounds that didn’t quite fit Wah Wah 45s.
That doesn’t mean the label has a sharply defined niche. »Truth be told, we’re not very good at giving the label a clear profile.« Most signings, Scrimshire explains, have come about through personal connections. »It always comes down to an emotional, intuitive decision. If it speaks to us, that’s enough.« He doesn’t necessarily see Albert’s Favourites as part of the much-hyped London jazz scene. »Compared to a lot of that scene, our releases are mellower. And electronics play a bigger role.«
»Ultimately, our signings always come down to an emotional, intuitive decision. The important thing is that we like it.«
Adam Scrimshire
You could call Albert’s Favourites a label for friends of friends. Our short Zoom slot doesn’t even allow enough time for Scrimshire to share all the stories of who introduced whom and at which gig he witnessed what kind of jaw-dropping performance. One early example: artist Huw Marc Bennett introduced them to Yusuf Ahmed, who went on to release the psychedelic jazz debut Sound & Reason by his band Qwalia through the label. Bennett’s own output is more laid-back – blending Cool Jazz with folk and dub influences. His most recent album, Days Like Now, dropped in 2023.
From the experimental nu-soul of Andrea Isabelle Phillips aka And Is Phi to the eclecticism of US producer Daedelus, Albert’s Favourites balances chilled-out atmospheres with room for sonic exploration. And their network stretches far beyond the UK – the Ronin Arkestra, for instance, are based in Tokyo.
Infinity Mirrors
Picture This
While I'm Distracted
Music For Autumn Lovers
Decisions about new collaborators are made collectively by Scrimshire, Koor and Drop. For business matters, Scrimshire takes the lead. »You have to make fast calls these days.« The industry is shifting at breakneck speed, with moral questions around every corner – not least when it comes to the dominance of social media. »In the next five years, AI is going to turn everything upside down again.« Here’s to the next ten years – and to a label that manages to stay curious, warm-hearted, and true to its roots.
