Label of the Month: Non Series

The roots of Spanish label Non Series’ techno were planted towards the northwest of Madrid, where its founder Manuel Anós, who records as Psyk and Maan, found himself partying during the mid-2000s. 

Fast forward some 20 years and his unflinching love of hypnotic, propulsive music stands alone, with the label a byword for quality in contemporary club sounds.  

“I've never really tried to chase trends or build a particular image around the label,” Manuel says on Non Series’ aesthetic. “I've just continued releasing music I believe in, and over the years that consistency has created a community of people who trust what they will find when they see a Non Series release.” 

While Manuel was willing to traverse across Madrid for his illicit party fix, there were also a number of legal spaces and nights that shaped the foundations of his tastes. It was via this rainbow of rave experiences that his musical ambitions lit up.

“We were going to parties at places like Nature, One, Danzoo and Deep,” Manuel says. “The minimal era was hugely influential in Madrid during those years, and that scene and sound really shaped my origins in electronic music.”  

Non Series’ name, shadowy online presence and sparse visuals are perhaps familiar signifiers within dance music’s visual language. But while this is undeniably techno of an underground, uncompromising bent, there’s an emotive undercurrent next to the cut and thrust of the sub-bass and rhythms running through the catalogue. Aiken’s Genetics may start minimal and taut but is devastating when the track is finally let off its leash. Tender is the Night by Luigi Tozzi is a swirling slice of drone logic while Koreak's Scøpe debut release on Non Series, Mire, was unveiled earlier in the year and points to a brutal futuristic techno landscape. Manuel’s decision to launch the label was motivated by a desire to unearth more of the music he loved. Artists including Basic Channel, Robert Hood and Plastikman acted as a springboard to uncover some of his favourite acts. 

“I wanted to create a platform focused on the kind of sound I liked, while also giving a space to artists whose music I found interesting,” he explains. “In the beginning, I actually didn't want to release solo Psyk records on the label. That's one of the reasons why I developed the Maan alias, as a way of keeping the label separate from my own artist project.”

“Over time, the boundaries between the label and my own music became more natural. Non Series has always been a reflection of my taste, and as my music evolved, the label evolved with it. I didn't really have a big plan or a specific idea of where the label should be years later. I just wanted to put out music that I genuinely believed in.” 

Initial Non Series releases came from producers like Raffaele Attanasio and Chevel with the label’s techno infused with dub and the spirit of Detroit. Manuel cites Architectural’s Elastic Layouts from 2016 as an important moment in marking a turning point in direction. Rather than bombast, there’s dense atmosphere, low-end frequencies and an immersive soundscape that subsumes rather than bludgeons. 

“I think every release has shaped the label in some way, and every artist has contributed something to its identity,” Manuel says on Non Series’ development. “I like having artists around the label who I really feel fit with its sound and vision, and who can come back and release regularly.”

“Luigi Tozzi, Vardae, Tauceti, D-Leria and Architectural are some of those who are particularly close who have helped shape its identity the most. But I'm also very proud of the fact that we've been able to give space to artists at different stages of their careers.” 

Manuel’s own music came via a MacBook and a pair of headphones before more paid gigs provided him with the room to stretch out and invest in his creativity. 

“I've always been studying, experimenting and trying different gear and studio setups,” he states. “I think that constant process of experimenting has been very important. I never really had a moment where I suddenly discovered it. It has been a gradual process of trying things, making mistakes, changing equipment, learning more about production and, above all, spending a huge amount of time making music.”

Manuel has recently sold most of his analogue kit, instead relying on his Eurorack to form the bedrock of his club tackle. 

“I buy or change modules every now and then, but there are some that have always stayed in the system and that I find particularly practical,” he states. “Pamela's Workout, Fluctuations Magnétiques DPO, Maths and Zadar are probably some of the modules I use the most.” 

Looking beyond the label and his own artist material, Manuel is also a global DJ and has witnessed myriad changes to how his music is consumed and engaged with. He feels that the scene is currently experiencing a challenging time.

Manuel has watched nightlife habits, including attitudes towards drinking, shift in recent years. While he sees many of those changes as positive, he worries about the mounting financial pressures facing smaller underground clubs and independent events, especially in his native Spain. 

“Some governments aren't helping either, with increasingly restrictive laws, and a lot of venues are closing their doors. In Madrid, this has happened quite a lot. Many of the great parties and clubs where I used to play are no longer running.”

Outside of the club sphere, his optimism is in the smaller festival space. Much like his own Non Series venture, there are deliberate endeavours to champion quality over quantity. 

“Some of them are really focused on great music, sound and atmosphere, and after several years they are still deliberately keeping their capacity relatively small, sometimes selling only 1,500 to 3,000 tickets in order to maintain the same feeling,” he states.

“When it works, I think this is a very healthy way of sharing almost a clubbing experience in a festival format. You can have the same attention to music, sound and atmosphere, but in a different environment.” 

Of course, 15 years of life has not been without its challenges for the label. The prevailing club sounds can ebb and flow and there has been some disconnect with Non Series and where the scene could have been heading. 

“There was a period, roughly between 2018 and 2022, when the scene moved in quite a different direction, both musically and in terms of BPMs,” says Manuel. “But the label continued trusting the sound it was putting out. Even though people's tastes were changing, there was still a huge amount of support for Non Series, and that gave us the confidence to keep going without trying to adapt to every new trend.”

“I think that's actually one of the strengths of the label today. After all these years, people know what Non Series represents. There is a certain trust that comes from a label having a solid background and developing its identity over time, without constantly moving with hype or trends. I think that's something people value.”

Despite Manuel’s concerns, there are still clubs and parties that are keeping the underground burning - Bassiani, Berghain, Open Ground, Tresor and Fold are among those he cites. And while Non Series celebrates its 15th anniversary, there is much more to come including a new D-Leria EP and special compilation. 

“For this one, a lot of the artists involved have never released original music on Non Series before, so the idea was to bring together some new artists with others who have been part of the scene for many years,” he says.

“It's quite an eclectic release, but it has a strong sense of storytelling. In a way, it feels almost like a DJ set where every track leads naturally into the next one, rather than simply being a collection of separate tracks. I'm extremely proud of this compilation and really looking forward to putting it out. I think it's a good representation of where Non Series is right now.”

Explore the Non Series Catalogue on Beatport.