Is it a record label or is it an art project?
It is neither, it is both.
Johan Billing, founder
Electric Fantastic Sound was founded by Johan Billing in 2005 with the intention of being just another record label, releasing albums and singles on compact discs like everybody else. The first sign of life was the 6 track compilation “Electric Fantastic Sound No.1 2005” that contained two tracks each from Diskodiktator, Johans primary band, Topgun that was the output of the other member of Diskodiktator, Magnus Johansson, and finally Basswood Dollies that was a new group by John Lindqwister of Cat Rapes Dog fame. The idea was to release a series of compilations and to get fans to subscribe so that they would receive CDs on a regular basis. After failing epically another plan had to be worked out.
Digital music was nothing new in the early 2000’s, and pirated mp3-files of current and old CD albums were flowing freely on the internet. A number of music industrialists were trying hard to find a way to stop the hemorraging whilst others were looking for the next thing. The label Electric Fantastic Sound were one of the first in the world to focus on digital releases – even before it was an actual release form!
EFS teamed up with Swedish start-up Klicktrack.com and started releasing music on their platform in a tempo that left the competition in panic. Some even claimed our releases weren’t “real” because they did not make the detour via CDs before they were digitized and made available online, but an ever-growing number of people got the idea. Electric Fantastic Sound was featured in the American tech magazine “Wired” as well as in the Swedish design magazine “Cap & Design” regarding the shift from physical to digital releases. As the internet became more widespread with the public, along with the increase of broadband connections at home and on smart phones, streaming services appeared and suddenly digital releases were not such a big issue anymore…
While the label started out with just a handful of bands more or less personally connected to Johan, more and more bands found their way to us. Some bands released just one or a handful of singles, others stayed with the label and kept outputting music for several years.
In 2015 when Electric Fantastic Sound turned ten years old a celebratory album was compiled to mark this milestone. Each track on it represents a significant song from each of these years, and it gives a fair estimate of how we would like to be seen and remembered. After 2015 the label slowly came to a more or less full stop, just releasing the occasional single or album by key artists.
In the beginning of 2024, while doing something completely unrelated, Johan re-discovered the folders on his computer marked “EFS” and a journey down memory lane started – a journey that is still ongoing thanks to you reading this very text. Various documents and files were compiled and sorted, and several gigabytes of music were labelled in an organised way, not to mention the tedious work of trying to sort out the hundreds of different cover art files, in almost as many different graphical formats. Some of them are forever lost and are only available as low resolution images, others have been revamped and are now published in glorious high definition.
We hope you enjoy what we have done so far:
July 13, 2005
First release on the label
The inauguration of the new music label, Electric Fantastic Sound, was commemorated with a festive gathering at the company’s headquarters in Malmö, Sweden.
Attendees were presented with autographed copies of the label’s debut CD.
December 1, 2005
First digital release
After careful consideration of the label’s direction, a decision was reached: the future was in online releases, and Electric Fantastic Sound was poised to lead the charge!
The inaugural release marked this new era with a re-release of Diskodiktator‘s debut CD, “We Are…“.
May 26, 2006
Second label sampler
In under a year since its inception, Electric Fantastic Sound had expanded its roster to eight artists and began the tradition of releasing annual compilations featuring current tracks from these bands.
December 8, 2006
First Christmas compilation
In an effort to remain pertinent and discover fresh talent, Johan Billing, the founder of Electric Fantastic Sound, scoured online forums and communities for artists willing to join an international Christmas compilation.
The result sparked a tradition that lived on for years…
March 28, 2007
Android is Godlike
Alexander Hofman, the S.P.O.C.K vocalist better known as “Android”, contributed much-valued guest vocals to a track on a Godlike single that was released in 2007.
This collaboration resulted in a special double feature single, enhancing the original release with Android’s distinctive voice.
June 6, 2008
First cassette release
In 2008, Electric Fantastic Sound took a creative leap by issuing that year’s compilation not only in digital format but also on a vivid orange music cassette, moving beyond the traditional artist samplers that had become commonplace.
2009
International expansion
As Electric Fantastic Sound approaches its fifth anniversary, the label endeavored to expand its international presence by enlisting more artists from beyond Sweden’s borders.
Talent searches were conducted in the United States, Great Britain, Finland, and France, resulting in several artists choosing to release their music under our banner.
November 25, 2010
Batmania?
In late 2010, the Finnish band Flux released a single that garnered attention beyond the usual electronic music circles.
The lead song from this single was selected by the Sound Unlimited show choir in San Diego, California, to serve as the theme for Cat Woman in a Batman-themed musical performance.
October 5, 2011
Atari Cowboy joins the label
Jonas Avertoft, renowned for his work with Swedish electro punk act Cat Rapes Dog, ventured into new musical territories with the release of his solo debut EP “The Fuzz“.
The tracks embodied the ethos of Electric Fantastic Sound, which was to inject fun and revive the intrigue in music. The EP is a testament to Avertoft’s versatility and commitment to creating compelling songs.
March 15, 2012
Libra hosts online release party
By 2012, Magdalena Krantz had been a part of the label for an extended period. However, it was the launch of the EP “No More Pressure” that truly showcased her creative and ingenious prowess, surpassing all expectations.
In an unprecedented move, she aimed to include the entire world in the celebration by hosting a release party at her apartment’s loft in Malmö, Sweden, complemented by a unique webcast featuring live performances of several tracks – a groundbreaking concept at the time.
April 26, 2013
Super digipak CD by Topgun
After a decade and a half of producing music under various aliases, the talented and renowned Magnus Johansson decided to compile his most cherished tracks into an exclusive and comprehensive digipak CD collection.
Fortunately for fans, this anthology was also made available in digital format.
May 31, 2014
First album explained
In a bold move, Diskodiktator unveiled what may be their most candid album to date in 2014, marking the first occasion the band performed entirely in Swedish, their mother tongue.
For reasons unknown, the album was issued in two distinct editions; with the initial one featured band members Johan Billing and Magnus Johansson providing commentary on the tracks and the inspiration behind them.
October 12, 2015
Ten year anniversary
To encapsulate the initial ten years of Electric Fantastic Sound, founder Johan Billing dedicated an entire week to listening to the label’s entire discography.
Following meticulous selection, a single track from each year was chosen, culminating in a compilation that traverses various genres of electronic music, featuring artists from Sweden, Great Britain, Finland, Italy, and Möllevången.
2016 and on…
Continued adventures of the label
As the initial momentum waned, the label gradually delved into further explorations of online music and its broader implications. Releases became sporadic, and it’s improbable that we will witness the flurry of singles, EPs, and albums that marked the early years once more.
Johan Billing
A brief background of the artist:
- Graduated Malmö Musikpedagogiska Institut in 1989
- Founded the label J-Axel Industrial Art & Interiör in 1991
- Performed as Plasteroid with S.P.O.C.K 1994 to 1998
- Founded the band Diskodiktator in 1996
- Cofounded SubSpace Communications in 1996
- Registered the site diskodiktator.com in 1998
- Founded the label Electric Fantastic Sound in 2005
