Aphakic Records
We see what others can't.
Aphakic is the word for an eye with no lens. People with aphakia can perceive light a normal eye filters out. That's the label, too: where the industry hears an AI demo, we hear a record waiting to be played by real musicians.
This is a record label for producer-led music with real playing on it — live drums are our signature.
Why “Aphakic”
An eye without a lens sees further into the light than most eyes can. That's where the name comes from, and it's the whole idea behind the label. We're not chasing the sound everyone else can already hear. We're listening for the record that's real — played by a person, not generated and passed off as one.
This isn't an indie-label look. It's built to sit next to the major labels' names in the credits, on streaming platforms and in sync pitches. Polished, confident, and about the music.
What we sign
Producer-led electronic, hip-hop and alternative music, with real instruments played by real people. Live drums are the label's signature sound.
Every performer gets full credit, by name, on every release.
Two ways to release with us
Every deal here is a licence, not a signing. You keep your masters and your publishing, for good, always. There's no debt — if you ever walk away, you owe us nothing.
Signed — we fund the record
- We pay for production, mixing and mastering in James's studio, including live session drums.
- We pay for artwork, distribution to every major service, and getting your names and credits registered properly.
- We pay for an accessible release pack: alt text, captions, audio description, and an artist page that works with a screen reader.
- We pitch your record to playlists, the Blind Drummer network, and James's own channels.
- You pay nothing, ever, on a Signed release.
- You keep 70% of net receipts; we keep 30%, for 3 years. Then the licence ends automatically and the rights come straight back to you.
- You can end it early any time by paying back what the release cost us — that number is printed on the agreement, not hidden in a ledger.
- If you'd rather walk away instead, you owe nothing.
Released — you fund the record
- You pay our studio day rate for whatever production work you want.
- We pay for everything else: artwork, distribution, registration, and the accessible release pack.
- You keep 90% of net receipts; we keep 10%, for 2 years. Then the licence ends automatically.
- Same early buy-out, same no-debt promise.
The same on both tiers
- Your masters and your publishing are yours, permanently. We only ever hold a licence for a fixed term.
- Your name, your socials, your live shows and your merchandise are entirely yours — we take no cut.
- No placement of your music goes anywhere without you saying yes.
- No option on your next record. Every release is a decision you make freely, each time.
The one thing we ask
The music on an Aphakic release has to be performed by real people. No vocal or instrumental performance can be machine-generated and passed off as human — that ends the deal.
Assistive technology is always welcome and is never a problem under this rule. Screen readers, accessible instruments and interfaces, adaptive controllers, hearing and sight aids, and production tools used by a person who's playing: all fine. The question is only ever whether a person performed it.
Get in touch
If you make producer-led music with real playing on it, we'd like to hear it.