Radical Spinsters

SPINSTER describes itself as a ‘radical feminist record label,’ and boasts a roster that’s hard to describe, ranging from finger-picking guitar instrumentals to dreamy freak folk to South Indian-influenced chamber music, with even a little riot grrl thrown in for good measure.

The label was founded by Sally Anne Morgan (musician with the Black Twig Pickers and House and Land, letterpress artist and all-round musical authority) and Emily Hilliard (writer, producer, musician and folklorist) in 2018 as “an alternative to what often felt like a boys’ club,” with a third member, Michelle Dove (writer, teacher and musician), arriving in 2021 to join the team.

When asked about how they choose their artists, SPINSTER told us, “Our main criteria is that we really love all the records we release! As for a specific sound, we all have pretty wide-ranging musical tastes, but are generally interested in music that’s weirder, experimental, or somehow distinctive.”

While aiming for these new sounds, geography is no limit: “Though we are all based in the Southern US and many of our connections are to music scenes in those places, we don’t really have a regional focus to the label.” SPINSTER also point out that while they are “mainly interested in releasing music by women/non-binary artists… that’s not a hard and fast rule.” In choosing to release Trina Basu & Arun Ramaurthy’s Nakshatra, they were led and “compelled by how Trina and Arun’s music encapsulates so much – histories of migration and improvisation and Karnatic, jazz and vernacular influences in a totally unique and mesmerising sound.”

Other notable talents on their books are cosmic country troubadour Lou Turner; Doran, the rural Virginian folk quartet whose self-titled album got four stars in our Jan/Feb 2022 review (#174); and virtuoso guitarist Yasmin Williams – who featured on our TOTW album Eli Winter in October 2022 (#181). Williams’ solo album Urban Driftwood (2021) is a beautifully complex and reflective debut that is a must-listen. 

In and among finding and championing these artists, the women of SPINSTER have a multitude of individual projects that they are working on. The most recent of these is Hilliard’s new book, Making Our Future, released in November 2022. In this work, Hilliard looks at contemporary Appalachia and ‘challenges the common perception of both folklore and Appalachian culture as static, antiquated forms, offering instead the concept of ‘visionary folklore’ as… future-focused, materialist and collaborative.’ 

Informed by Hilliard’s experience and research as West Virginia’s former state folklorist, Making Our Future brings fresh and profound insights to our current understanding of Appalachian culture and music. Keep an eye out for a review of the book in an upcoming edition of Songlines.

The future of SPINSTER is no doubt exciting and large. Currently, they “are working on another themed compilation tape that will likely come out sometime this summer and have an exciting archival release project on deck.” 

For more information visit spinstersounds.com

This article originally appeared in the April 2023 issue of Songlines. Never miss an issue – subscribe today