Karlrecords is a German record label based in Berlin. The label which specialises in experimental music was founded in 2006 by Thomas Herbst. For a few years Herbst carried the idea around with him to start his own label, however in the end it’s founding was more off the cuff. At the Moers Festival in 2006 he spoke to the composer Bill Laswell in regards to whether he had the desire to release onto vinyl. And Bill Laswell had. “To start your label with your hero is an indescribable feeling. I will never forget how thrilled I was back then.” recalls Thomas Herbst. In 2007 Bill Laswell’s collaboration with Submerged appeared as the first release on Karlrecords which Herbst runs alone. He receives help at the same time from promoter Ed Benndorf and Roland Kueffner, who assists him with the sound engineering and cover design. Because a lack of imagination is not really his thing the cover design is very important to him. “There’s one thing that I never got: Why would anyone want to put a 12inch with black or white centre label on your shelve? I am definitely an album listener and an album should not only be good musically, but it should also have a harmonious cover.” explains the label’s operator. Herbst justifies the predominance of vinyl records on his label with his biography: “As a 1974 vintage I grew up with LPs. When I became aware of Bill Laswell and John Zorn at the end of the nineties, their stuff was almost only available on CD and I thought; I would like that on LP! If no one else will do it, then I shall simply have to do it.” Said and done. In spite of the new releases, it is understandable that there are many reissues in the label’s back catalogue.” I see the total catalogue as a cluster, which as a whole covers not only a wide but also a coherent field of music. ” says Herbst about the mixture, which ranges from new music to industrial up until real gems like Morton Subotnicks’ Silver Apples of the Moon (the first, pure electronic album ever produced by a record label.) The spectacular reissue had a humble background story similar to the self-made Karlrecords. [I had seen on discographies that the LP had not been reprinted since 1967. Given that I wrote to Morton and he was immediately with me on this.” recalls Herbst. The legendary album alongside the first release from Bill Laswell is today still one of the most important releases in the history of Karlrecords. Meanwhile three sub-series have gathered featuring names like Kammerflimmer Kollektief, Zeitkratzer, Aidan Baker and Steve Reich.