SynGate Records Closes After 25 Years

SynGate Records Closes the Gate; A Loss for Independent Electronic Music

There are a lot of great labels out there bringing you music that you hear on Echoes, sounds that are off the mainstream path with music that excites imagination and triggers inner thought.  Among them, Spotted Peccary Music, Thrill Jockey Records, Projekt Records, DiN Music, Synphaera, Heartdance, Cyclical Dreams, Wayfarer and so many more. Now I’ve just received news that one of them is closing shop, SynGate records. The Germany-based label is owned and operated by Kilian Schloemp, a man deeply passionate about electronic music, especially sounds influenced by the so-called “Berlin School.  SynGate artists frequently heard on Echoes in the last few years include Colin Rayment, Syndromeda, Thaneco, Mutagenese, Sonic Research Society and Michael Brückner.  The label is celebrating its 25th Anniversary, but there is no celebration to be had. In his farewell letter, Killian writes: “I have always said all the years, SynGate lives from my passion for electronic music, but the label will only exist as far as I do not have to feed it.”

In other words, the label needed to be self-supporting.  I can empathize with that position as I’ve had to “feed” Echoes a few times out of my own pocket, and that’s just not the way to run a business, whether for profit or non-profit.

Most of those labels I cited are true independents run by passionate people. But in the current climate, where streaming, especially Spotify, have completely destroyed physical sales, it is hard to stay alive. Taylor Swift and Beyonce may be raking in millions – Swift is said to be at about 200 million dollars annually.  Now, I know several musicians from the Echoesphere that have claimed receipts from streaming in the low five digit realms.  At the height of our own streaming income from Spotify, iTunes, etc,  Echoes was receiving all of about $2400 for streaming of our live compilations, which we haven’t produced since 2018. No company is surviving on those numbers. And now, with the Trump Tariffs, how many overseas physical product do you suspect is coming our way or going outbound in the near future, further debilitating both domestic and overseas labels.

SynGate’s demise is a warning for all to support the music they love and the labels, radio shows, writers and magazines that bring it to you.

Here’s Kilian’s heartbreaking letter (slightly corrected).

Dear SynGate artists, friends and fans,

For quite a while I have been thinking about the development of SynGate Records. In 2025 the label celebrates its 25th birthday, usually an occasion to prepare a big party. But on the other hand as well a moment to sum up about the pros and cons for the future prospects. Being honest with myself, the future is weak. I have always said all the years, SynGate lives from my passion for electronic music, but the label will only exist as far as I do not have to feed it. And yes, I am getting closer and closer to exactly this border. Physical sales have declined strongly in the last years and despite a good development of digital sales, online sales demand very complicated accounting with all those different tax regulations from different countries. So far, my tax consultant cared for this but recently he announced to quit his mandate.

This was the trigger for me to pull the ripcord! I will close SynGate Record this year

Kilian Schloemp

SynGate Bandcamp as well as SynGates Webshop will be closed during the next months, possibly step by step to still enable sales of the current releases and offering the stock.
Only a few releases that have already been in the pipeline will still be released, but no new albums anymore.

Distrokid will withdraw all affected albums from all streaming platforms, if you want to continue there, you need to care for yourself.

Once those marketplaces are closed, I will keep working on orders for quite some time, so if you are in need of any albums, I may produce them still even after the label is closed.

I am sorry to possibly disappoint you with my decision. As there is no successor for me, I have no other choice.

SynGate Records will stop its activity at a moment, where its reputation is on a very strong state, so it will be kept in good memory as a label, that has influenced the niche of good electronic music in the spirit of Berlin School for the first quarter of the century in the new millennium. All SynGate artists may claim for themselves having been a part of this influence in the first 25 years of the new Millennium!

I hope, you understand my decision.

Thank you very much for all those wonderful albums, you have contributed to let SynGate grow to on of the most important labels for electronic music in the spirit of Berlin School.

I appreciate all your efforts to compose this great music and support your label.

I was looking for a successor in the past, but there is no one. I recommend to you, to launch an artist account on Bandcamp (if not already existent) and accentuate your past as a SynGate artist which will give you an additional reputation.

If you consider looking for another label you could check this link and possibly find a matching marketing platform.

Labels und Shops
empulsiv.de

Wishing all the best to you and yes, as for myself I will keep existing contacts and will visit musical events, so I hope to meet you whenever this is possible.

Thank you to all artists and supporters who made SynGate being a major label in a niche of great electronic music. This has shaped my life and will always stay a part of me.

Warm regards, Kilian

SynGate Records
Kilian Schloemp
CabGuy Music Production