Historically, the new label Antarctica is a daughter of Evil Penguin Classic, which emerged in 2007 and now boasts artists like Pieter Wispelwey, Dietrich Henschel and Hervé Niquet. We, however, prefer to conceive of Antarctica as the biotope and the playground of the Penguin, not as its offspring.
In fact, “playground” conjures up too much confinement and restraint: no place on earth has more boundless spaces, or wider horizons than cool Antarctica, which is exactly why we have chosen said name for the new-born.
More concretely, Antarctica is a landing place for rare line-ups (such as the four violoncellos of the Tansman Quartett, the new label’s first-born), but also a breeding ground for unusual one-offs and experiments (such as baroque ensemble Red Herring’s exploration of baroque gestures in French music). Since Antarctica prefers projects to persons, it will be a safe haven for daredevils, a home to repertoire oozing from the corners and creases of music history.
If your taste in music verges towards the unusual, the eccentric or the wild, please come inside, and explore the vast spaces of Antarctica.