Tapes ’n’ Tapes Neon Blossom Records

Welcome to Tapes ’n’ Tapes, a bimonthly video series that focuses on local cassette labels to help get the feel for why some people have turned to tapes for their musical medium.

Experimental cassette label Neon Blossom Records is the brainchild of Daniel Smith, who is a musician performing as Red Electric Rainbow and also one half of the duo who helped create the four-day, 90-band experimental music festival, Neon Marshmallow Fest. Just as he garnered many big name left-of-field artists for the late-summer festival, Smith has built an impressive, international label roster in Neon Blossom’s yearlong existence: He’s released more than 40 tapes from acts like Noveller, the solo project of one-time Parts And Labor and Cold Cave guitarist Sarah Lipstate, and Japanese noise act C.C.C.C., who is releasing its first cassette in 16 years on Neon Blossom.

The A.V. Club met up with Smith at the Neon Blossom headquarters in his Wicker Park apartment to witness him crack open the label’s first batch of professionally dubbed and packaged cassettes. Smith spoke about Neon Blossom’s short history, the appeal of cassettes, and how far fundraising can go.