Fax +49-69/450464 was founded in late 1992 by Peter Kuhlmann.
Label Code: LC 6269.
It was distributed via Neuton.
FAX's own releases are distinguished by the catalogue numbers.
Catalog numbers starting with PK (Peter Kuhlmann) feature work by Pete Namlook (= Peter Kuhlmann), either solo or in collaboration with other artists.
Catalog numbers starting with PS (Peter's Sublabel) are for releases by other artists, without Namlook's involvement.
Catalog numbers starting with PW (Peter's Worldlabel) indicate collaborations of a more international character than the above (PK and PS releases are mainly, although not exclusively, German artists). The "World" sublabel should not be confused with the Ambient World sublabel.
The FAX releases are strictly limited, depending on the project. Most released are produced in editions of 500, 1000, 2000 or 3000 copies.
Some specific titles were licensed out to other labels (Music Man Records, R & S Records and Rising High Records to name the most common licensees) for unlimited distribution in FAX's early days. Due to problems with distribution and licensing, the in-house Ambient World sublabel was founded to handle re-releases of out-of-print Fax titles.
Ambient World is a sublabel of FAX, catalog numbers starting with AW. AW only publishes re-releases with unlimited distribution, but with a different cover design (and occasionally different tracks or edits).
There are a few other special catalog numbers: FAX Musical Postcards were issued in very limited quantities as part of the Season's Greetings series and have the SEA catalog numbers. Yesterday And Tomorrow releases are used for an ambient/classical fusion and recieve the YT catalog numbers. The PKPWPS catalog numbers are used for compilations.
Most people are confused by the artist naming. The project names of collaborations are the artist name.
hey - super interested to know more about Fax, any 'best of' lists or primers to get me started? from what I have heard I like Sad World but there is such a volume that it's quite daunting atm. thanks!
with several hundred releases to its name, fax was an incomparable electronic label in its time. branching into many different directions, from trance to drone to ethno-ambient, idm and berlin-school electronica, and with countless namlook improvised solo releases, there was something for everyone, but unlikely everything for someone! still regardless of which side of the label works for you, there are hours and hours of incredible music to discover here.
namlooks tragic death at such an early age put the label to bed, but his legacy continues. the incredible work of namlook and fax inspired many people to continue his fine work: carpe sonum picked up several planned releases that never came out, and continued with the visual style of fax. other labels like ...txt and anodize continued to work with the same expanding group of artists. all worth a listen.
I've always smelled FAX's apparent "Limited edition" on their releases as possibly false. Copies appear for sale much more often than usual then what their print run should reflect for most Fax releases. I actually asked a seller whom I bought a fax CD a few years back if the CDs were truly Limited Edition. The seller, who knew their apples about FAX told me that Pete had a seller's account here (Which I confirmed.) and was selling leftover stock from FAX.
No doubt that most of the FAX CDs are scarce and generally hard to find. Though, I find strange that a Fax CD which apparently only had a print run of 500, has sold 9 copies in the past 3 years and currently, 5 copies are available for sale. (In this case, I'm using Houdini - Houndini as a comparison.) I'm aware that some CDs like Hearts Of Space and the I.F. CDs which apparently have the same print run, sell for considerably more money than Houdini. Then again, those CDs are much more sought than Houdini. Yet, the copy ratio of each CD is vaguely similar when you check how many copies each CD has sold in the last years.
fax was a truly legendary label. some of the best, and i mean BEST ambient and electronic releases of all time exist here. everyone will have their favorites. for me, early atom heart, all of the tetsu inoue albums and many of the pete namlook/move d collabs have special places in my heart, as well as lesser known records like modula green, otras 2, and whatnot. i was saddened to hear of pete namlooks passing, and his presence and what he and his label represented for electronic music will be sorely, sorely missed.
Lautreamont
July 16, 2023