8ctagon

Founded: April 2003 by B.D. Foxmoor and Sadahzinia in Perama, Greece. 8ctagon was created in late April 2003 ,Actually, it is the independent lowbap label, that is, an independent production company of lowbap music and relative sound and image products focused on the production team and its various activities. 8ctagon is creatively and emotionally supported by names such as Active Member, Sadahzinia, B.D. Foxmoor, La Bruja Muerta, Chnaria, Ramon etc. From the beginning, number 8 was a magic one for low bap. Since 1992, when the low bap movement was born, many ‘8s’ have beautifully haunted it. Number 8 has become a game, a verse in a song, and a song in an album. All these up until 2001, when B.D.Foxmoor ( of Active Member) released in both vinyl and cd the album which went under the title of The Secret Octagon, and thus, a whole philosophy of life, complicated and simple at the same time, was redefined and started to look for ways of creation and dissemination. One way out was for everything around this philosophy of life to become more definite and somehow official. There was plenty of material which could not be included in the plans of the record companies with which 8ctagon’s artists had previously collaborated with. (WEA, V2, EMI) Besides, the artists of 8ctagon did not wish anymore to be part of an irrelevant to them repertoire. (Nonetheless, we must say that the cooperation with all the previous record companies was smooth and with rather understanding from their part.) Therefore, 8ctagon was born by the need of music to reach somehow the people who are interested in the artist and like to follow his evolution. Basically, a home was made which everyone looking for us had to find. There is no point for us knocking on doors. 8ctagon originally had a dynamic presence in most of the big cities in Greece and distribution of its releases in countries like England, Ireland, Switzerland, France and Israel. Our first and last goal is to be aesthetically satisfied by whatever bears the name "8ctagon". The flexible and direct relations with the label's associates and artists are equally important to us. Since then, its releases have a consistence of quality and time as they also include many important collaborations. The album called Sampleterra was the very first to be released by 8ctagon. It was recorded in Perasma Studio in Greece as well as in Twin Peaks Studio in Wales and includes a wide range of collaborations with artists from various countries. Following Sampleterra, the label has managed to release a number of more than 55 records (some of them exclusively in vinyl!). All Active Member albums since 2005 as well as the ones of B.D.Foxmoor, Sadahzinia, La Bruja Muerta, Vavilona, Red Armada, Kamiza, Ramon, Chnaria, Oscura Vista and others, have been released independently by 8ctagon, while important cooperations with artists from Europe and the rest of the world have been made in albums such as Umicah: Red Zone, Wasted in Hiphopoly, No man’s land and others. These albums mainly aim to make a through in countries outside Greece where there are people absolutely related by what is happening within the Low Bap Foundation but they would also like to understand more of what we are saying. Therefore, all artists participating in these albums and in other releases, have become the Low Bap Ambassadors in the Underground hip hop scene of London, Germany, Switzerland and Israel. By the years our need focuses on 8ctagon being our voice. Furthermore, we are particularly proud of our packaging material as we try to use as much of recyclable ones as possible such as cartons and metal boxes. During the last few years but also in those to come, our releases have used various media formats to spread our music. Much emphasis has been placed upon releasing vinyl records (LP, EP, 7΄΄, 10΄΄, picture disks). Moreover, for the first time in Greece, some albums of ours have been released in the form of a download card, a particularly innovate music technology. Finally, we have repeatedly released collector’s editions enriched with objects such as stencils, graffiti spray cans, stickers, T-shirts, instrumental cds etc. In the near future, there are plenty of ideas for new releases. At number 8 of Ksenofontos street in Perama, a small group of people keeps on creating beautiful things because there are many people out there who support it and mainly because –may you allow us- it’s not afraid to imagine all those things which can be done as the result of dignity and endurance tomorrow, in the next two years or in the years to come. We are not able to know for how much longer we can uphold 8ctagon as the economic war is uneven but surely, with this or that way we will mark our presence.