An eclectic independent label
After the publication on September 13, 2004 of the record Made in Barna, the debut of La Kinky Beat and 230 other records, the independent label Kasba Music celebrates its 20th anniversary throughout 2024. Created that same year by journalist, producer and musician Joni Sahún and music photographer Amparo Martín, Catalonia’s “most eclectic” record label has launched a project to commemorate its social, cultural and unique work in the music industry, “to give a voice to voiceless artists”.
A unique vinyl collection
On the occasion of the celebration and for eleven months, Kasba Music publishes – once a month – a vinyl that makes up a unique, but above all very special, collection. “At first we thought of doing a big festival” explains Sahún, but the fact of being such an eclectic label that is not characterized by having a homogeneous music scene, the couple from Barcelona launched themselves for a safe and clear bet as are vinyls, a format that “is back to stay, and which at the same time has more play as an artistic object” points out Sahún.
Tribute to musicians who are no longer around
For the purpose of making this project, Martín and Sahún considered what axes the vinyls in the collection should follow around this 20th anniversary. One of these three axes unfolds as a tribute to all those musicians who have been part of Kasba and who are no longer there. For this reason, four vinyls have been produced—one for each musician—in recognition of Jesús Arias, guitarist of the Granada group of the eighties TNT; to Ferran Sahún, bass player of the early nineties Barcelona group Cristian Dios; Jose Capel, singer of Color Humano, and Iñigo Muguruza, singer and guitarist of the band Sagarroi. This project features reissues in vinyl format, compilations by various artists or even unreleased recordings that come to light for the first time after 20 years in the dark, almost forgotten.
Credit to Kasba Music
The second axis aims to value and give a “self-recognition”, as expressed by Sahún, to what Kasba Music is and has been during these last two decades. Following this line, the independent label has published Barcelona Sound, a Catalan mixtape with great hits such as El gat rumbero by La Pegatina or Todo los días sale el sol by Bongo Botrako. On the other hand, Mujeres en la Kasba has also been published, a collection of songs performed by women throughout these 20 years and which Sahún defines as “one of the most eclectic vinyls in the collection where you can find from The Kinky Beat until Ginestà».
The musical past of the founders
Finally, the last axis aims to recognize the importance of music in the life trajectory of Sahún and Martín, the two people who founded, and at the same time have seen Kasba Music grow. To honor and explain the musical past of both owners, one of the vinyls that is part of the collection is Dels Rics i el Pobres de Pixamandúrries, the last record that Sahún recorded as the group’s bassist more than 30 years ago and which had not been published until then. The dark side of Alicante’s Maniàtica is also part of the project, a group that maintained a long friendship with Amparo and Joni. Sahún also highlights the publication of Fermín Mugurunza’s double vinyl, a recording of his live performance in 2004 at Sala Apolo and the vinyl reissue of Made in Barna 20 years later, which will be released on September 13, 2024.
Looking to the future
For this celebration, the record label “couldn’t allow the entire collection to look at the past”, explains Sahún, and didn’t want to leave behind the opportunity to look to the future. On the occasion of this premise, Catalunya explota has been published, a compilation of various current bands that evokes the album published in 1991 by the independent label Tralla Records, Barcelona explota. This album, recorded for the occasion, has allowed Kasba to resume this project with punk and hardcore groups from all over Catalonia such as Batec, Nafra or Les Buch, and which aims to be the first album of a new – and future – col collection
