In some ways, the easiest, best and maybe only way to get to grips with a record label is via a compilation album. Like a state of the nation speech about what they’re up to. in the flurry of releases it's sometimes hard to see the wood for the trees - And Now Our Lives Are Complete is a chance to see how they do things at OGenesis towers.


Three years ago Tim Burgess decided he wanted to release records by other people - after more than 20 years as lead singer of The Charlatans, and 5 years after turning his hand to production for the likes of Hatcham Social and Electricity In Our Homes, he wanted to see the process through from finding bands to dropping the records in at shops. Together with Nik Void from Factory Floor, producer Jim Spencer and their friend Nick Fraser, Burgess worked on creating a label that best served the artists they were hoping to work with. And OGenesis was born - And Now Our Lives Are Complete acts as a kind of photo album of those first three years.


Some labels take things easy and work at a glacial kind of pace. This is definitely not the case with OGenesis - seventeen different artists over nineteen tracks. From poetry to lo fi to pop to punk - from ex Factory Records Dutch imports Minny Pops, to Nik Void's first solo outing - the 7" version of which came with a playable moulded cover that battled with any stylus that dared play it.

Lambchop singer Kurt Wagner is re-cast as a poet. Italian horror movie director Asia Argento accompanies Burgess on a dreamy orchestral take on a song with string arrangements by head High Llama Sean O Hagan. Charlie Boyer makes an appearance pre-Voyeurs with his former incarnation, Electricity In Our Homes and The Membranes are included, around since 1977 - their split single on OGenesis with Throwing Up bookended over 35 years of punk releases.

Bit of banging Electro? Check (Pavlov's Children), Pixies style anthem? Check (Slowgun). The godfather of lo fi? Check (R. Stevie Moore)


Samplers and compilations from labels like Factory, Beggars Banquet and Sub Pop held their own against regular albums and OGenesis have thrown their bobble hat into the ring. if you're a fan of lo fi, hi fi, poetry, punk, post punk, shoegaze or power pop amongst other styles then And Now Our Lives Are Complete is definitely for you