Episode #58
Fumez: ELR, Nurturing Talent and Why The Next Decade is Louder
Martin catches up with returning guest Fumez, the East London rapper, producer, mixer, songwriter, and founder of East London Recordings. This one is a proper progress report: the labels grown fast, the archives being raided, and the next releases are already lined up. They get into the grind of running an indie label, building physical releases, and turning old recordings into something worth hearing again. In this episode: Fumez breaks down his many roles - rapper, producer, mixer, songwriter, and CEO of East London Recordings - and why he refuses to stay in his lane. He shares: the story behind his 2025 release The Final Chapter , which came out first on CD and vinyl before hitting streaming later. We discuss: the growth of ELR, revived in 2023 with Phase 2 , then expanded through releases like The Final Chapter and South Systemsâ debut EP 4x4 . He explains: how the label moved from grime-first roots into an open-door policy, with talent mattering more than genre. In this episode: Fumez talks about reissuing Evolutionâs back catalogue with bonus tracks, helping shape his grime-influenced material, and acting as a behind-the-scenes mentor. He names: the growing ELR crew, including Lynney Williamson, Rebekah Knight, Terry Allan, Josh Evolution, PJ Vice, Cass Dupree, Anja, Hello London, Charleigh Jayne, and Calmar Fry. We get into: the reality of rejection, why ELR needed an FAQ, and how the label focuses on physical media rather than paying for studio time. He reflects: on The First 10 Years retrospective, pulling from cassettes, mini-discs, and reel-to-reel tapes, and admitting some old material is cringe in the best and worst ways. He reveals: The Last 10 Years is next, pulling together material from 2016 to 2025, including Phase 2 , What Have We Become , and collaborations with Evolution. He previews: Abbey Road E15 , a Beatles-inspired four-track EP built from songs that donât fit his usual story-driven album format. We discuss: the ELR live event at the Fiery Bird in Woking, an open mic-style night with a full stage setup, international guests, and a lot of moving parts. He says: more live shows coming, but not immediately - needs time, money, and less chaos. Timestamps: (0:00) Return of Fumez and what heâs done since last time (1:21) The Final Chapter lands on CD, vinyl, then streaming (1:48) Working behind the scenes with Evolution and the vinyl mix approach (3:35) Reviving ELR and turning it into a real label (4:09) Reissuing back catalogue with bonus tracks to build interest (5:18) Why ELR has grown to nearly 40 artists (7:02) ELRâs no-genre rule and how talent wins out (9:14) Rejection, FAQs, and why ELR is not a studio-time giveaway (10:54) Looking back at The First 10 Years (11:38) Recording on cassettes, mini-discs, and reel tapes (12:07) Analog vs digital and why old gear still wins sometimes (13:26) Reworking Phase 2 after 13 years (14:25) Early albums, demo takes, and unreleased cuts (16:05) Pride, regret, and why quitting music nearly stuck (17:44) What The Last 10 Years will include (19:30) Abbey Road E15 and the Beatles nod (20:37) Terry Allan co-writing and Fumez stepping back a little (21:41) The ELR collaborations that actually stuck (24:42) The Fiery Bird live event in Woking (25:49) Open mic setup, international guests, and standout performers (27:41) Why the next live show needs a delay (29:47) Where to find ELR and Fumez online (31:22) Why âThe Eveningâ was chosen to close the episodeNotable quotes Links FUMEZ: * https://www.instagram.com/fumez_music?stkn=MWY2a3J1emYxaHh5aQ== EAST LONDON RECORDINGS: * https://www.instagram.com/eastlondonrecordings?stkn=MXRyNzVweG92Y3lsMQ== ELR Website: * https://tr.ee/-6EH37p-gg Like, Follow, Share, Subscribe to The Sounds Like Us podcast on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3CPMua3yWb9Dl6hwp2WptN?si=ylunExSvSheb7AvTynM9wg&utm_source=copy-link LINKTREE: https://linktr.ee/Thesoundslikeuspodcast?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=71abb5cb-675b-4a3b-ad3c-3e4de2cceb40 Instagram: @soundslikeuspodcast YouTube: @soundslikeuspod Please like, follow, share and subscribe in all the usual places (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon podcasts, Instagram and YouTube). If you fancy joining me on the podcast, please donât hesitate to get in touch and weâll get you on. The Sounds Like Us podcast merch store is now live. Check out https://soundslikeus.myshopify.com/ with code âFIRSTPLAY1â for 15% off tote bags. More items coming soon! Thanks for listening, and enjoy the show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
