Defining Independent Project Records is no easy task. Since its formation in 1980 the label has been fiercely autonomous, releasing music they actually like as opposed to the oppressive diktats of commercial considerations. Such an approach has given the label an eclectic roster, and what all the band’s who appear on this compilation share is an arresting quality; whether it’s an elephantine post-punk rumble or an ethereal dream pop shimmer, upon hearing any of these tracks you will be compelled to stop whatever you’re doing and give them your full, undivided attention. Therefore, Independent Project Records is best viewed through the prism of the music it releases and The Well – The Independent Project Records Collection II invites you to drink deep from their waters.

If there is one thing that unites the diverse artists who comprise these 41 tracks then it is sharing the same kind of self-sufficiency that sustains Independent Project Records. The impression gained from these songs is that they were created by a desire and a need to produce music, rather than any nefarious reasons. Often the songs are parred back and stripped bare, devoid of fancy productions and stitched together by an authenticity which renders them kind of unique in the world of music. While listening to these two discs it becomes immediately apparent why each of the 36 artists included became closely entwined with the label; each share a pioneering spirit and that’s the link which connects the bold, post-punk posturing of Afterimage with the hazy, opaque nature of Barry Craig’s ‘I Woke Up Dreaming’. These invisible threads that hold the collection together are vitally important because it’s a genre-hopping affair with no two tracks inhabiting the same sonic space, but it does mean that the Middle Class’ amphetamine-infused ‘Politic (Body And Soul)’ sits next to Scenic’s otherworldly ‘Raintree Road’ quite effortlessly.

The Well works because it is not merely a celebration of the past, but a collection rooted in the present that offers a tantalising portent of things to come. It’s a perfect summation of all three, made even more enticing by the addition of rare and previously unreleased tracks. The Well is overflowing with goodness, too much to explain each track individually but Bpeople’s 1981 offering ‘Persecution, That’s My Song’ is a taster of a promised retrospective, whilst “new” band, driveway ceiling are motoring towards the rising sun and with ‘mr walden’ in their arsenal, the future looks assured. The Well also takes a few unexpected detours, delving deep into the discographies of Camper Van Beethoven and Scenic and unearths some rare gems.

For me, music was always a three-dimensional thing; consuming the artwork with my eyes worked in tandem with the spinning vinyl, and that’s why Independent Project Records are a joy to behold. The heavy card sleeves and distinctive letterpress inks have a lovely tactile feel that is in perfect sync with the music contained within; even the CD issues have a noticeable lack of plastic which gives things a gorgeous, organic aesthetic.

If you are new to Independent Project Records you’ll spend many happy hours mining its depths, and The Well is a great starting point to explore the backstories of the bands further. If you are already acquainted, then The Well is the best two-and-a-half hours you’ll ever spend.

• The Well – The Independent Project Records Collection II is released via Independent Project Records on 23rd January 2026 (available here).

Track List:

CD One: Volume One

1. Afterimage – Afterimage
2. Leslie’s Dream – Leslie Medford
3. Midnight Chapel – Shiva Burlesque
4. Zen And The Art Of Long Distance Driving – Greg Lisher
5. Sleepy Hamlet – The Ophelias
6. Sea And Rain – Springhouse
7. Punishment By Roses – David J
8. Honeycut – Half String
9. Heretofore – Jeffrey Runnings
10. driveway ceiling – mr walden
11. The Valley – Alison Clancy
12. Tundra – Bruce Licher
13. The One That Got Away – Woo
14. Vegetables – Camper Van Beethoven
15. Halloween – Fourwaycross
16. Anti-Pop – Kommunity FK
17. Sacred – Jeffrey Clark
18. It’ll Be My Day – Deception Bay
19. New Colours – Spadra Moods
20. Persecution, That’s My Song – Bpeople
21. Hole In The Wall – Scenic
22. Tunnels – A Produce
23. Dark Spirits – Red Temple Spirits

Disc Two: Volume Two

1. Archetype – Savage Republic
2. I Wake Up Dreaming – Barry Craig
3. No One Looks Like Christopher Walken – David J
4. Mystery – Torn Boys
5. Politic (Body And Soul) – Middle Class
6. Raintree Road – Scenic
7. Here I Am – The Invisible Opera Company Of Tibet
8. Breezy – Snuffy
9. Tiberian Trains – Woo
10. A Wink And A Nod – Edward W. Dahl
11. Spacetime – The Sunflower Conspiracy
12. Aegean – Lanterna
13. Hangliders Torn Wing – Mike White
14. Mingus Mountain – Jazz Bedouins
15. Radiant Transfer To Non-Grey Walls – Neef
16. Film Music #6 – Scenic
17. Jimbe – A Produce
18. Rank – Boxhead Ensemble