After 25 years, Dublab is still the champion of independent online radio — here’s whyOn a quiet street in University Park, Los Angeles, sits an unassuming distribution station, once owned by the city’s Department of Water and Power and constructed in 1925. Surrounded by American Craftsman houses and California bungalows, there’s no indication this building is home to Dublab, the Emmy-winning non-profit online radio station, which has itself been home to independent artists including Flying Lotus, Julia Holter, and Cut Chemist for 25 years.
It’s not loud inside the station; a wooden-panelled, multi-room studio within the centre of a singular, spacious room is where DJs and artists host shows and spin tunes. It’s equipped with Pioneer DJ’s high-end gear — CDJ3000s, a V-10 mixer — Technics turntables, Barefoot speaker monitors and Shure SM7Bs, among other broadcasting kit. Bespoke soundproofing ensures the banging beats are subdued while Dublab’s team work at the desks around the concrete-floored room.
Dublab studio. Image: Press
“There’s like a five- or six-second echo here. It’s a boomy place,” says Alejandro Cohen, Dublab’s executive director, who at 10 a.m. on a Tuesday is sipping coffee with us in the building’s lounge area — directly next to the studio. “When we moved here two and a half years ago, DJs would play on a table in the open. It was great but hard to have any meetings,” he chuckles. “It was very deliberate to create a place that felt welcoming — a public space.”
While we talk, a group of DJs record a show, and some of the Dublab team tap away at computers, plotting the celebrations for the radio station’s 25th birthday. The party, which took place at tastemaking LA. venue Zebulon, Los Angeles, saw over 30 Dublab artists and residents perform, including Cohen, Teebs, Avery Tucker and DJ Lady C. The party was hosted the day before Cohen announced his departure from Dublab — a “deeply emotional” farewell to a quarter century at the station.
“I’ve been involved with Dublab from 1999,” Cohen tells us of the year that producer and DJ Mark “Frosty“ McNeil and businessman Jonathan Buck founded the platform. “Dublab was a pioneer in defining online radio — at the time, we had to explain to most people what online radio was. In 2007, we felt we had enough going that we could set up a nonprofit structure, which is what we felt best reflected our mission. That means you are a public organization; you find public support through listeners, foundations, grants, and government agencies, but you’re not owned by anyone.” Dublab officially earned its nonprofit status in January 2008.
A DJ spinning on the decks in the Dublab studio. Image: Press
The freedom inherent in this designation allows Dublab to operate on instinct and taste, rather than having to appeal to the masses in pursuit of remuneration for shareholders or investors. This structure is echoed not just in Dublab’s eclectic programming, but also in its support for grassroots projects and events. Earlier this year, for example, the station collaborated with Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to host a music and arts installation in the Tom Bradley International terminal for the next three to five years. Other projects include a free ‘LA Atmos’ sample pack made for Spitfire Audio’s LABS platform and a collaboration with the Beirut Synthesizer Center. One initiative, a soundbank of 280 eight-second loops made with Creative Commons, provided the main sample for Yung Lean’s breakout track, Ginseng Strip 2002.
“When you become a non-profit, you have to take that status very seriously; meaning that you have to be aware that ultimately, you’re serving the public,” Cohen says. “But these [projects] are very rewarding. And it’s wonderful to get behind artists we believe in.”
Cohen reels off a list of more underground heroes that got early support from Dublab — Animal Collective, Ras G, Thundercat, Knxwledge, The Postal Service, Shlohmo. The latter was interning at Dublab, painting the studio walls when he connected with a member of the Friends Of Friends label, who later signed his 2011 debut album, Bad Vibes. The Dublab archives date all the way back to 1999, so one can trawl through and hear the earliest shows of these revered artists and sounds. “You can go real deep — just be careful,” warns Cohen, jokingly. “You can really lose yourself.”
Dublab merchandise. Image: Press
But how does an artist or DJ get a spot on Dublab’s program?
“It’s a very organic process,” says Cohen. “We don’t have a proper audition or application process — we get almost daily requests for shows on Dublab. Many times, it’s just a matter of people reaching out and getting involved…We want to make sure that people who come here give back to the community. It’s not just about what we can do, but also what they can do for our community.”
Dublab’s immediate community is based in Los Angeles, where they showcase local talent and emerging subcultures. Meanwhile, sister stations in Japan, Spain, Germany, and Brazil give the platform a global outlook. Cohen reminds us, however, that Los Angeles is “one of those cities,” like London, New York and Berlin, which many music fans tend to have a keen eye on. The Dublab audience thus reaches listeners far beyond California. Being an online station helps, too, obviously.
Dublab studio. Image: Press
“Radio is a very resilient medium,” Cohen continues. “It’s been around for over 100 years — there’s nothing new about it — yet people still think of radio very romantically. There’s a magic of radio; we’re social animals and, because of that, there will always be a space for radio because, ultimately, it’s another tool to foster community.”
New technology adjacent to radio is, naturally, on Dublab’s radar. The station has produced 13 podcast shows, but Cohen caveats that there’s still a big difference between the two mediums. “If radio is you going to have dinner at a restaurant, podcast is like takeout. That’s not to put down podcasts; it’s just different experiences and ways we connect with content.”
Dublab studio. Image: Press
Following Cohen’s departure, the role of Dublab’s next executive director is now open for applicants. The platform is certain that the next quarter of a century will continue to prove that it’s the “heart of a vibrant, creative community.”
Dublab’s success clearly stems from not chasing what’s cool; knowing its audience and trusting its tastes.. In 25 years, it’s become an institution of the LA music scene. For the next 25 years, Dublab will continue to foster upcoming, undiscovered artists
“A radio station is way more than what it does when you press play on the website and tune in,” says Cohen. “While the entire world is looking at AI and algorithms and data, we are the opposite. We are as human as it comes.”
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