Independent Italian rock reissue label, based in La Spezia, Liguria, Italy. Founded in 1998, specializing in late-60s and ‘70s rock, prog-rock and blues psychedelia. Some releases (at the very least) are of questionable legitimacy.
GRAPHIC VARIATIONS:
- Early releases were pressed on colored or black vinyl, usually 180 gr. The A-side center label is white with the track listing for both sides, the B-side label has a color illustration without text. The covers are usually released in heavy cardboard. The company address on back cover appears without a website address. CD editions are digipak.
- Soon after, "A division of Comet Records" appears printed below the Akarma logo on the back of the sleeve. The B-side center label layout change: now there is an image of the eye of providence with a meditating man, no text. The A-side remains white with the track listing for both sides but a rim text is added on the left side.
- CD releases contain a barcode and the website address (www.akarmarecords.com) appears on the covers.
- Around 2000, CD releases are released in cardboard sleeves; they are often gatefolds imitating classic LP covers. This design of cover it's called "Karmapack".
- Eventually the release year starts appearing on back cover; this becomes the norm circa 2001/2002.
- Eventually barcodes begin to appear on vinyl releases. The web address remains the same on cover, but one might also find printed on center labels and CDs themselves the address www.cometrecords.com.
- After 2005 the address always appears as www.cometrecords.com. Most of the LPs were then reprinted and CDs were issued in regular jewel cases.
The audio quality of their released version on streaming services of T2's It'll All Work Out in Boomland is so bad it sounds like a poorly sourced cassette dub.
in the early days i remember they had a website (Comet Records) and produced catalogues with artist and release details together with pictures of the owners with some of the artist such as Galaxy and The Damnation....
I have the Twink - Think Pink Italian AK-064 180 gram release. The album art and labeling are all Twink but the music is Patto's debut album, coincidentally also re-released by Akarma (AK-185). The tracks include The Man, Hold Me Back, Red Glow, Government Man, etc. Definitely not Twink...
Average label in my opinion. The source of their release is mostly unknown and it appears they source from digital tapes or evens CDs to do flat transfers to vinyl. The sound quality of their releases leaves MUCH to be desired. Packaging is usually very nice though.
Beerhainz
February 7, 2023