Philosophy
TERP Records is the Amsterdam-based independent label associated with guitarist Terrie Hessels — a founding member of The Ex, the Dutch collective that has remained defiantly active and artistically vital for over four decades. TERP reflects Hessels’s position at the crossroads of post-punk, free jazz, and avant-garde improvisation: a label born from a music scene that never recognized genre boundaries as meaningful constraints.
The Ex’s entire existence has been an exercise in DIY self-determination — from their origins in the Dutch squat scene of the late 1970s to their current status as one of the most respected experimental music collectives in the world. TERP extends that logic into the domain of record releasing: the label operates as an act of sustained creative independence, with the music’s integrity as the only criterion that matters. As a member of the Catalytic Sound cooperative, TERP connects the Amsterdam scene to a transatlantic network of artist-run labels committed to the same principles.
Aesthetic
TERP releases carry the characteristic directness of the Amsterdam experimental scene: no-nonsense packaging, music-first presentation, and a graphic sensibility rooted in punk’s rejection of corporate aesthetics. Covers tend toward bold illustration, photomontage, and typographic experimentation — design that communicates urgency and commitment rather than elegance or prestige.
The visual identity is inseparable from the political identity: TERP releases look like they were made by people who care about what the music says, not how it sells. This is entirely consistent with four decades of The Ex — a band that has always treated the cover as part of the statement.
Emblematic Catalog
TERP serves as the archival and distribution home for a significant portion of The Ex’s extensive catalog — a body of work that moves without apology from raw political punk to free improvisation, Ethiopian music, and avant-garde composition. Key releases include collaborations with Ab Baars, Ken Vandermark, and other figures from both the Dutch and international experimental scenes.
Beyond The Ex, the label documents Hessels’s solo projects and collaborations, including work with Paal Nilssen-Love and Andy Moor that sits fully within the free jazz and experimental improvisation tradition. Recent additions include Let’s Go with Han Bennink and Brodie West, and If Your Mirror Breaks — the latest Ex release, described as a ten-part collection of surrealist daydreams and calls to action.
