Now that you know a bit about the vision behind Sector 12/12, I’d like to share some context around that era and the events leading up to its 2014 launch.

On the blog front, we had already released Timeline: A Compilation Of 92-97 Inspired Drum and Bass back in 2012. That project was where I first met Infest, via Eschaton from Omni Music. I’ll talk more about Robbert (Infest) in a future post, but it would be remiss not to mention right away just how influential he has been on both Two Hungry Ghosts and Sector 12/12.

On the music side, Dominic had started producing again after being retired for several years, and we had worked together on some new productions for the Timeline compilation. My listening habits were as broad as ever and I was fortunate enough to be added to a few promo mailouts, which meant a constant stream of new sounds landed in my inbox.

If I had to label my taste, I would say it is “jazz & bleeps” – a phrase I’ve used for over a decade that captures my tastes perfectly.

Around that time, I also met Black Classical through Twitter. He was a highly respected record collector known for his rare vinyl and spiritual jazz mixes, as well as his shows on NTS Radio. While drum and bass wasn’t his primary focus, his knowledge of early UK bleep and Detroit techno was staggering. I learned so much from him, and I’ll always be grateful for the music and wisdom he shared.

As my focus shifted toward running the label and immersing myself in the wider underground scene, the blog went on hiatus for the first time. It felt like the right call at the time and I don’t regret it, though that period was easily my favorite incarnation of the site. I loved posting premieres that spanned jazz, disco, techno, and drum and bass, often one after another. I will also remember Gremlinz reaching out to me after posting Children of the Future Age by the 1970s Norwegian band That’s Why ahead of its resissue back in 2012.

I also have to acknowledge Dominic’s role in my musical education over the last 30+ years. I’ve been privileged to collaborate with him on numerous projects over that time. While many know us for our work as Army of Ghosts, we actually first released music on a well-known European techno label and ran a label together long before the blog ever existed.

(As a quick note, I’ll talk more about the key figures involved in this project in Part 3, which should be out in late November or early December.)

Finally, I need to credit the second Hungry Ghost – who isn’t Dominic, contrary to popular belief. They have been the core inspiration behind both the blog and the label. I wouldn’t release anything without their seal of approval, and frankly, I couldn’t – and wouldn’t – have done any of this without them. They helped shape our entire sound and ethos, and I will always be grateful for the joy and the sense of accomplishment they have brought into my life by doing all this.

We both agree that now is the right time to bring both the blog and label to a definitive close, but not before taking one last moment to celebrate everything we’ve built.

To give you a feel for the sheer variety of music Sector 12/12 released, here are three tracks that sum it up best:

The Sub Ensemble – Beautiful Spring (UK Spiritual Jazz)

Official reissue of an overlooked jazz classic originally released on TrebleO Records back in 2008.

Uplifting jazz combining complex and intricate melodies with outrageous solos and fluid improvisation.

Beautiful Spring is a classic example of spiritual jazz featuring standout performances by Mike Adlington on trumpet and Mike Fletcher on alto sax.

Phuture T – The Drummers Flex AKA Funky Drummer (Atmospheric Drum And Bass)

Phuture-T (45SEVEN) provides a classic drumfunk workout with immaculately crafted drum edits, distorted bass and sinister stabs that result in a fully immersive and malevolent environment.

Black Classical – The Molly Brown Incident (Full Ambient LP)

A science fiction symphony inspired by the Gemini 3 Space Mission and Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.

50 years to the day after the Molly Brown flight took place this is a 2015 soundtrack for the spacecraft’s descent to earth and its splashdown 84 kilometres short of its intended target. The two astronauts became stranded inside the spaceship, floating on the sea, awaiting rescue for thirty minutes.

The title track on the Molly Brown Incident is an hour long opus with unbelievable scope and attention to detail. The climax will either leave you with an overwhelming sense of joy or one of utter despair.

Think of the album as audio fan fiction born as a result of sleepless nights and an over active imagination.