(Anti)Tédio Boys

The role of indie record companies in Portuguese musical cartography. The cases of Coimbra, Porto, Guimarães and Leiria

Abstract

In the next pages, we will analyze relations between practices and musical productions and territories taking as a case study four indie record companies and their impacts on cities in Portugal. Emerged at different times, Lux Records, in Coimbra; Lovers & Lollypops, in Porto; Revolve, in Guimarães; and Omnichord Records, in Leiria, operate with DIY and DIT ethics, integrating individuals into their communities with music. In addition to giving voice to underground movements, they take on the role of transforming the territory as a means of combating precariousness, and lack of structure and investment in cultural activities.                                                      Indie labels are active agents in the revitalization and/or adaptation of spaces for musical production and practice, with a predominant role in the decentralization/evolution of musical scenes in the country, being essential in the creation, production, and dissemination of Portuguese music. We will pay attention to the Portuguese socio-political-cultural panorama when analyzing the context and dynamics of these labels in the creation and production/dissemination of musical and artistic innovations, assuming a key role in the implantation and development of the indie music segment. We will also see how these labels borrow from foreign influences, mixing them with local practices and reconfiguring them as something unique and singular, 'Portuguese', but with eyes for the European market.