Label Spotlight: Istoria Recordings’ Founder Talks Past, Preset, And Future Of The Imprint

In a music scene flooded with constant releases, Istoria Recordings breaks through with a clear purpose: bringing storytelling back to the forefront. Founded by industry veteran Nico Efstratiou, Istoria isn’t just another label—it’s a carefully crafted platform where each release is treated like a narrative that resonates. The label’s name, rooted in the Greek word for ‘story,’ perfectly encapsulates its mission to reignite that lost sense of excitement and anticipation in music, something that has faded in today’s streaming-driven world.

Istoria Recordings isn’t just a business; it’s a response to the music industry’s fast-paced churn. Nico, drawing from years of experience, emphasizes the irreplaceable value of an artist’s unique perspective. In an era where AI-driven, cookie-cutter production is becoming the norm, Istoria stands out by championing the raw, organic elements that make music timeless.

In this exclusive interview, we’ll dive deep into Istoria’s journey with Nico Efstratiou. We’ll explore everything from the label’s carefully curated approach to music, its ambitious future plans, and how it aims to build a community that values artistic integrity and long-term impact.

1 – Tell me a bit about the new label and why you decided now was the best time to launch it.

‘Istoria’ means ‘Story’ in Greek. That’s the focal point of the label. Every record is intended to have a narrative that we can express through our support for the release. 

For me, music has lot the special ‘event’ feeling it used to have before streaming. There’s just so much content being pushed out across media that there’s not that special feeling anymore when your favourite artist is releasing. There’s a bit of a mindset of, “I’ve missed the release day but it’s out there so I can listen whenever I’m ready”. I’d love to bring that feeling back where our release feels like a special event. There’s an excitement and appreciation that we hope to bring for each record. 

2 – What experience and lessons have you learned that you hope to bring to this new label? 

The intimacy and delicate side of music is important to us. It’s something we look for in artists that we sign. With AI and all the tools available, there’s a lot of electronic music that sounds formulaic and rigid. The quality that organic instruments and real playing can bring is something we tend to hear and feel through music. This type of writing lasts the test of time when a lot of music gets forgotten about. An artist’s Point of View is vital to bring unique music that lasts. 

3 – With distribution so democratized these days, what will your new label offer artists that they can’t do themselves?

We still want to keep the artist at the centre of our purpose. Although artists can release music themselves, we want to be a partner that can offer knowledge and expertise to bring a new dimension to their releases. We have a real painter – Michael Unga who paints our artwork, and we have a team that has helped us set up the backend from engineers to experienced copyright industry players. 

We also have a South African fashion brand, ‘STASI’ who is helping design merchandise and clothing garments for milestone releases. Our debut “Umthandazo” has 5 limited edition garments available shortly after release. 

4 – Talk a bit more about the label’s artwork? Who is Michael Unga and how were you first introduced to him?

I came across his work at the Rosebank Market in Johannesburg. The organic and abstract nature of his work resonated with the vision we are going for. It is so unique and captivating. He was born in the democratic republic of congo, and in 1994 he was taught how to paint african villages and figures. He actually calls it Ekandji art (shown below), coming from his full surname Ekandji.

5 – How important is album artwork these days? What new level is artistic expression can the visual side of things bring to a release?

The interesting thing is that if you do not have brand equity yet as an artist, meaning that you don’t have a steady fan base, the names and artwork of your work is vital. You may have the best production in the world, but you still need someone to click play for them to listen. 

The holistic nature of a release is often under appreciated, and especially with high volume labels and artists who release often. 

6 – Afro house is such a hot genre at the moment; what qualities will you look for in the music you sign in that genre?

The writing of a song is crucial, whether it be rhythmically or melodically inclined. As I mentioned, a lot of electronic music has become rigid. So music that feels like it’s moving, and growing throughout the song is attractive in the booming afro genre. 

We look for story in records. Whether there’s lyrics or not, what are your sounds and choices trying to convey?

The ironic thing is when the core songwriting is good, the song can be kept quite simple and still resonate with listeners. 

7 – What is so exciting right now to you about the music industry and on the label side of things?

Point of View is going to be an exciting thing moving forward. If we can just ask AI to write a song for you, how can you as an individual write something that can stand out? Your unique thoughts, experiences and perspectives allow you to stand out. The industry should be trying to grow and mould that for each artist – not create generic copies or imprints of the successful ones. 

8 – What type of impression and experience do you want artists you sign to come away with after working with you on a release?

Professionalism, kindness, and care are important attributes. We try being as efficient as we can with the resources we have. Communication is key and our goal is to be transparent with our artists. We also hope our attention to detail encourages the artist to become involved in the release. 

9 – What are the 5-year plans with the label? What is the ten-year plan?

Creating a small community of artists and listeners is crucial. Our focus is quality and not quantity. 

We are focusing on singles for the first phase of the label. We will then expand our artist repertoire and bring in remixers that fit the vision of each respective release. There are also garments and merchandise for significant milestone releases. 

We then hope to experiment with events and enter that space towards the tail end of the release phases. 

10 – Do you have any advice for artists looking to sign music with you?  

Always shoot your shot. The interesting thing is there’s this culture around releases that it’s a hard yes or no and, this is true to an extent. You either sign a record or you don’t. We will communicate our honest opinion and try our best to guide artists. It’s a collaboration process and shouldn’t feel any different. We want what’s best for you across your work and career, and it only makes sense that you as an artist understand that through the lens of our brand and label.  

Thanks! Have a good one.