Stólar Records: Depth in Electronic Music

Over the past few years, Stólar Records has quietly established itself as one of the underground’s most emotionally rich electronic music imprints, known for its deep textures, narrative sensibility, and carefully curated releases. Balancing the founder’s own productions with a growing roster of like-minded artists, the label has carved out a sonic world where dancefloor functionality meets introspection and atmosphere. In this interview, the mind behind Stólar reflects on the defining moments that shaped the label’s identity, its evolving philosophy, and how releases like Ben Kaczor’s Peace In Mind EP continue to push the imprint’s emotional depth forward.

Stólar has now built a distinct identity in the underground. Looking back, what were the key moments that shaped the label’s early direction and sound?

One defining moment was the first EP by Molly, which featured Lawrence, who has long been one of my all time favourite artists. Lawrence, Molly and Soela were already on my list shortly after founding the label. They were artists I genuinely wanted to work with. That release marked an important milestone for me. At the same time, the sound of the EP was as focused and precise as I had always imagined it should be. For me, it became the first record that truly expressed the identity of Stólar.

Another important moment came in the same year with STÓ000, the album Movements in an Empty Department Store. This release showed not only the development of the Stólar sound, but also the potential of the label itself. It was a real labour of love and remains a central reference point for me. I see it as a turning point that will always be part of the label’s story.

Since then, the direction of the sound has been shaped by two things: the artists I invite to release on the label, and the ongoing development of my own sound. My taste inevitably informs my curation, and through that, the releases on Stólar.

Over the past few years, Stólar has balanced your own productions with a growing roster of artists. How would you describe the label’s evolution and philosophy today?

Over the years the sound has become deeper, with stronger dub influences, without turning Stólar into a dub techno or dub focused label. I see Stólar as a home for deep electronic music in a broader sense.

You could describe the sound with words like dreamy, introverted or slightly off centre, and that would not be wrong. But what matters most to me is a certain sensibility in the music. This does not mean the music has to sound soft, melancholic or fragile. It is more about emotional presence and openness.

There is no rigid philosophy behind the label, but there is a clear sensibility guiding it. I only release music I can truly identify with and that carries some form of narrative potential. Ideally, people are drawn in by the artwork and then make a connection when listening to the record. Or they ignore any intended narrative entirely and develop their own relationship to the sound and the visual world. Both feel equally valid to me.

Stólar releases often carry a particular emotional and textural depth. What guides your curation process when deciding which projects fit the label’s artistic world?

My curation is strongly shaped by my own musical background. I originally come from indie pop, singer songwriter traditions, and post rock, and I naturally gravitate towards music that carries emotional tension. I like tracks that do not feel cold or purely functional, where something subtle is happening beneath the surface.

I do enjoy euphoric house music as well, but I do not see it on Stólar. The label reflects my thoughts and the way I perceive things. The artists I invite, whether for remixes or full releases, gradually expand this picture.

Over time, this creates a growing cosmos of emotional and yet danceable music. Music that can be experienced through movement, but also while sitting and listening. Perhaps that, in the end, is the sensibility of the label.

As someone who also releases music on Stólar, how do you balance the roles of artist and label head? Has running the label changed the way you approach your own creative work?

If anything has changed, it happened quietly. I think I approach decisions about my own tracks in a more pragmatic way now. I consider more carefully what works and what might be risky. This was never a conscious strategy. It simply developed over time.

I only partially separate my roles as artist and label head. When I finish new tracks, I now take more time to decide whether they should be released on Stólar or whether they might belong somewhere else. In most cases, I keep the tracks that feel closest to me for the label, with the sense that they contribute most clearly to this shared musical cosmos.

Looking ahead, what do you envision for the future of Stólar, both in terms of sound and the broader community you’re building around the imprint?

I would like people to know that whatever comes out on Stólar will be of high quality. Whether it is a vinyl release or the podcast series in which artists interpret a chair through sound. Time plays an important role here. I want people to feel that their time is valued. Time spent with Stólar should not feel wasted or consumed in passing, but experienced with intention. Even if it is simply an encounter with something beautiful.

I would also like to start hosting small showcases. Creating moments where people meet, talk, listen together, reflect, or simply dance.

Ben Kaczor is returning to Stólar with his new EP Peace In Mind, complete with a Tibi Dabo remix. What drew you to this release, and how do you feel it reflects where the label is headed?

When Ben and I played together at Above Below, I heard a number of new tracks from him. Every single one felt perfect to me and could have been released on Stólar immediately. In the end, we decided to focus on these three.

They are more minimal than some other releases on the label, but that reduction makes them feel vulnerable and sensitive. The EP does not represent a new direction for Stólar as such. Instead, it reflects a sensibility that has been part of the label from the very beginning. Emotional music that works on the dancefloor without losing its depth.

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Keep up with Stolar Records and Philipp Priebe on the links below

https://stolar.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/priebe
https://www.instagram.com/philipppriebe