Arden Records has announced a momentous expansion with the launch of a brand new publishing arm. Arden – a name that translates to “Great Forest” – has become one of the only true artist-first lo-fi music labels since launching in 2021 in partnership with Platoon. The label has cultivated an ecosystem dedicated solely to the increasingly-popular lo-fi genre; one that champions the creativity and human touch of artists, producers and songwriters while providing them a one-of-a-kind space to connect, collaborate, and call home.
Founded by Nepalese artist sagun – a pioneering figure of the lo-fi music scene – and veteran music executives Jordan Smith (S+ MGMT) and Andrew Kwan (Romantic Music Group), Arden Records and Arden Publishing boasts a roster comprised of sagun, clay house, DAVI JUNO, French WiFi, Maono, mellodaze, NueBoo, pecna, Sleep Culture, The Tea Shop, Trankilo, URCHN, and wrongnumber.
Lo-fi music has seen a steady rise in popularity in recent years; and with it, producers and songwriters from the genre have become sought-after talents in their own right. The fingerprint of lo-fi artists continues to permeate across the music industry – evidenced by Arden’s own sagun producing and co-writing UMI’s hit 2024 single, “wherever u r” featuring V from BTS – while lo-fi remixes and ambient song versions have breathed new life into existing music in a way that mainstream audiences have increasingly embraced. Through the launch of their publishing division, Arden will lift up their producers and songwriters as artists themselves, and create more opportunities for them as lo-fi music continues to ascend within the larger cultural conversation.
“In our eyes, Arden Records was built on necessity,” says co-founder Jordan Smith. “The way certain labels in the space were treating and “supporting” artists & producers was never cultivating community or a space that made them feel valued. After 3 years of seeing how powerful a unified roster of artists can be, we are only now launching our publishing arm to explore a new creative workflow for our Arden Records’ family. There are so many companies that offer admin deals for royalty collection, so of course that is part of what we are going to do to make sure our roster gets their royalties, but our main goal is far beyond that. We only hope to educate other teams on how powerful alternate versions of songs can be & how talented our producers are & become a go-to for any production needs.”
“Our mission as a label has always been to showcase the diverse and undeniable talents of our artists, elevating them beyond the boundaries of the lo-fi genre,” adds co-founder Andrew Kwan. “In an industry increasingly saturated with AI-generated music – especially within the lo-fi genre – we remain steadfast in championing our artists, ensuring their authentic musicianship receives the recognition it deserves. Now, through the launch of our publishing venture, we are excited to continue this mission from a fresh and dynamic perspective.”
At its core, Arden is inspired by the tranquility and nature-centric ethos of lo-fi music, and the community that defines it. It’s an aura that shimmers across all of their releases, including several roster-wide compilations – from their Earth Day compilation that utilizes sounds from the different biomes that make up our planet, to their 10-track collaboration with London Symphony Orchestra called A Timeless Motif, to their annual National Parks compilations that feature a collection of audio clips recorded during sound monitoring efforts in national parks. For the latter, Arden Records teamed up with the Apple Maps and Apple Music teams to shed light on ten National Parks across the United States through music, experiences, and conversation through their very own guide.
“The main goal for Andrew, Jordan & I while starting this beautiful label, Arden Records, together was to help other artists grow and succeed on the visions that they have,” adds sagun. “I’m excited to have our own publishing side because that will protect our artists’ creative rights and will reduce the complexities of claiming royalties. Having less to worry about as an artist outside of their creative endeavors eventually leads to new opportunities that help them grow.”
Whether it’s through his role as a co-founder of Arden, or as a producer-songwriter himself, sagun brings out the best in the artists around him. Clocking in over 500+ million streams worldwide, racking up several RIAA Gold-Certified records to his name, and gaining recognition from The FADER, Hypebeast, Billboard, Notion, FLOOD Magazine, CLASH Magazine, The Ebro & Travis Mills Shows on Apple Music, sagun has remained a linchpin of the lo-fi music scene over the past decade. First emerging in 2017 with his debut song “I’ll Keep You Safe” featuring the mysterious Shiloh Dynasty, his credits and accolades continue to pile up. From producing and co-writing UMI’s aforementioned single “wherever u r” featuring V from BTS, to releasing his first full-length album u r not alone with Beast Coast legend AKTHESAVIOR in 2024, he’s collaborated with Mick Jenkins, Pink Siifu, Erick The Architect, Pink Sweat$, Kali Claire, SYML, Dounia and many more.
