About Ghostly International

Original Roster (L-R): Matthew Dear, Tadd Mullinix, Midwest Product, Dykehouse

Ghostly International sprang onto the scene in 1999 amidst the the collapse of the music business. Part art gallery and part musical culture brand, Ghostly mines the international landscape for talent with a look towards the future and without the restriction of established genres or classification.

The label's confidence was emboldened by an initial roster of forward-thinking acts like instrumental hip-hop prodigy Dabrye, electronic beatsmith Matthew Dear, electronic/indie rock pioneers Midwest Product and a musical firebrand Dykehouse, approximating a minimal-yet-rich sonic template that married cold funk to mutant pop music, culminating in a palettable and perplexing array of sonics.

Sam Valenti IV

Launched by a then 19-year old, Sam Valenti IV, the label was inspired by spending his formative years as a DJ and a love of visiting record stores and attending gigs. While in college, the concept of a "complete" music/art brand seemed like a necessity, inspired in no small part by the Art History degree he was working towards. This attention to detail spilled into the label design and all related materials, from LPs to event flyers to clothing.

The belief that electronic music is defined only by the use of new tools for music creation unified these young artists. Under the umbrella of the "non-genrefied" Ghostly label, there was ample room to experiment. Tadd Mullinix's demo tape for Ghostly was a treasure trove of such variety, that it inspired no less than four aliases, over 50% of the initial Ghostly roster.

The label became as known for its visuals as for its music, thanks to a brilliant group of Detroit-area visual artists including Will Calcutt's steely design/photography, Doug Coombe's ecstatic live show photos, and Michael Segal's BoyCatBird Characters (the label's de facto "mascots"). Collaborations with artists such as WK Interact, Mike Cina of YouWorkForThem and Deanne Cheuk helped keep the visual identity fresh.

Trading on its strength as a culture brand with the core values of quality, diversity and design integrity, Ghostly has garnered praise from around the globe, garnering respect of the international media, including Hot Label of the year in Rolling Stone and a coveted spot on the Late John Peel's BBC show.

Ghostly aims continue to promote great artists and bring forward work of individuality, beauty and quality to fans.