The Genesis of the Selected Works Series

Phat Phil Cooper
5 days ago
4 min read

Part One — Origins

The Selected Works series on NuNorthern Soul began unintentionally.

The original intention was to release a curated compilation of Japanese music on the label. The project was curated by Dea Barandana, an Indonesian musician, producer and DJ, and conceived as a broad survey rather than an artist-focused release.

Dea and Phat Phil recording their Worldwide Radio show from Bali.

Progress quickly stalled at the rights-clearance stage. Attempts to contact multiple Japanese rights holders proved largely unsuccessful, making the licensing of a multi-artist compilation increasingly impractical.

One exception emerged.

Ryo Kawasaki responded — and crucially, retained control of his own rights. This allowed NuNorthern Soul to deal directly with the artist, license material cleanly, and proceed without intermediaries. As a result, the original compilation idea was quietly abandoned and replaced with a more focused proposal:a one-off Selected Works release, drawing from key Ryo Kawasaki albums within a defined date range.

At this stage, there was no intention to create an ongoing series. The release was a practical solution to a stalled project rather than a strategic initiative.

Working directly with Kawasaki also made it possible to conduct in-depth interviews, which became central to how the release was framed. These conversations informed the sleeve notes and allowed the music to be contextualised through the artist’s own reflections, rather than a retrospective imposed externally.

The success of the first release led to a second Ryo Kawasaki Selected Works. These two releases were spread across roughly a two-year period and were treated as an experiment rather than a blueprint.

Ryo Kawasaki – Selected Works 1979 to 1983👉 https://ryokawasaki.bandcamp.com/album/selected-works-1979-to-1983

Ryo Kawasaki – Selected Works Part 2 (1976 to 1980)👉 https://ryokawasaki.bandcamp.com/album/selected-works-part-2-1976-to-1980

Only later did their wider significance become clear.

From One-Off to Format

Following the completion of the two Ryo Kawasaki releases, attention shifted organically toward other archival material.

During this period, Phil Cooper became increasingly absorbed in the work of Joan Bibiloni — a Balearic artist whose music had long held personal significance, and whose contribution to island culture had often been under-represented beyond specialist circles.

Two factors were immediately significant:

Bibiloni was still alive
He was based on a Balearic island, with a catalogue that could be discussed, contextualised and licensed directly

Cooper tracked Bibiloni down and presented the Ryo Kawasaki Selected Works releases as a reference point — not as a template, but as evidence of intent and approach. With Bibiloni’s agreement, it became clear that what had begun as a practical solution could function as a repeatable but selective format.

At this point, Selected Works was recognised as a potential series — not something to be rushed or expanded indiscriminately, but a vehicle to be used only when circumstances aligned.

Bibiloni’s long career and openness to dialogue made the project viable. A licensing fee and advance were agreed, alongside a shared understanding that NuNorthern Soul could introduce his work to a wider, international audience without reframing or diluting its original context.

Joan Bibiloni – Selected Works 1982 to 1989👉 https://joanbibiloni.bandcamp.com/album/selected-works-1982-to-1989

The approach was later extended to Jasper van’t Hof, reinforcing that Selected Works was not about geography or genre, but about direct access, trust and relevance.

Jasper van’t Hof’s Pili Pili – Selected Works 1984 to 2002👉 https://mynunorthernsoul.bandcamp.com/album/selected-works-1984-to-2002

Part Two — Documentation, Writing & Visual Identity

As the format took shape, three elements became central to every Selected Works release:direct artist involvement, authoritative contextual writing, and a distinct handcrafted visual identity.

Sleeve Notes & Interviews

Direct communication with the artists allowed NuNorthern Soul to move beyond standard compilation notes and into long-form documentation.

Interviews were conducted to establish historical context, capture first-hand reflections, and allow artists to frame their own work in their own words. These conversations formed the backbone of the sleeve notes, which were treated as an essential component of each release rather than supplementary material.

The written contributions were handled by trusted writers with deep subject knowledge:

Marc Rowlands authored the sleeve notes for both Ryo Kawasaki – Selected Works releases, as well as Joan Bibiloni – Selected Works, anchoring each project historically while preserving the artists’ own voices.
Matt Anniss wrote the sleeve notes for Jasper van’t Hof – Selected Works, bringing long-established cultural context and perspective to the release.

In each case, the sleeve notes were conceived as permanent documentation, adding long-term value and preserving context that might otherwise have been lost.

Hand-Cut Stencil Artwork — Chris Maude

A defining visual element of the Selected Works series is the hand-cut stencil artwork created by Manchester-based artist Chris Maude.

Maude’s approach — physical, layered and deliberately tactile — introduced a visual language that aligned naturally with the ethos of Selected Works. Working with hand-cut stencils, restrained palettes and textured finishes, his artwork avoids digital polish in favour of process, material presence and imperfection.

Rather than attempting to illustrate the music directly, the artwork sits alongside it, extending the narrative and signalling releases shaped by care, access and collaboration.

Maude’s process and thinking are explored in depth in a dedicated NuNorthern Soul blog post, written in the context of Jasper van’t Hof’s Pili Pili – Selected Works:

Craft, Colour and Connection — Chris Maude’s Artwork for Jasper van’t Hof’s Pili Pili Retrospective👉 https://www.nunorthernsoul.co.uk/post/craft-colour-and-connection-chris-maude-s-artwork-for-jasper-van-t-hof-s-pili-pili-retrospective

“The artwork was never meant to feel polished or perfect. It was about uing what was to hand — cutting, layering, experimenting — and letting the process show. That felt right for the music.”— Chris Maude

Closing

Selected Works exists as a quiet, flexible framework within NuNorthern Soul.

It is not a retrospective programme or catalogue exercise. Each release is considered individually, guided by access, trust and relevance. The series moves slowly by design, appearing only when the conditions feel right.

In that sense, Selected Works documents not just music, but the relationships and circumstances that make its careful re-presentation possible.