Horse Lords have started a label, called OMA Editions.
Founded by the trio of Andrew Bernstein, Max Eilbacher and Owen Gardner, it follows their relocation from the US to Germany after the COVID-19 pandemic. The label starts with two solo releases: Shadows And Windy Places by Bernstein, and 7 Runs (In Arc Mental Styling) by Eilbacher.
Speaking to The Quietus, Eilbacher said: “After more than 15 years of working together, OMA has become an intuitive and formal adaptation to the current economy and labor of music – especially in more leftfield and abstract sounds. OMA is something that has always existed to some extent. What began with dubbing cassettes, burning CDs and late-night Kinko’s runs – right up to the first turn of the tour van’s key – eventually turned into waking up early after a late show to pick up boxes of our records from a friend’s living room. As the practicality of labels and our work evolves, creating a more tangible thread between all our solo practices and different projects was inevitable.”
Bernstein’s album, a striking self-portrait of the saxophonist, weaves together five years of recordings – from studio sessions to fragments of daily practice – bridging virtuoso precision with freewheeling spontaneity. Eilbacher, meanwhile, constructs an intricate illusion of endless sonic ascent on his record, using algorithmic composition to shape a dynamic, ever-shifting electronic landscape.
“I think the germ of OMA dates back to Horse Lords’ earliest release, Mixtape Vol. 1, and the subsequent mixtapes we self-released between 2012 and 2017,” said Bernstein. “Working together to design, manufacture and release music was satisfying, and while some of that energy remains when you’re working with a label, you’re taken out of the minutiae of presenting the music to a broader audience (for better or worse). The idea to launch a proper label came out of recent discussions on the road with Horse Lords, sharing solo recordings and talking about what to do with them. Releasing them ourselves felt like the most natural way to share them with the world.”
Gardner will design each release’s artwork. Beyond the inaugural LPs, the group plan to release scores and theoretical writings in various formats via OMA Editions. Find the label on Bandcamp here.
Shadows And Windy Places and 7 Runs (In Arc Mental Styling) are out now on OMA Editions.
