The Portland-based imprint is honoring the artists and ambient music vision that have shaped its legacy since 1986; curated Discovery Packs are now available.
PORTLAND, OR, UNITED STATES, February 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — For four decades, Spotted Peccary Music has stood as one of the most quietly influential independent labels in the music industry, focusing on ambient, electronic, acoustic, and instrumental music. In celebration of its 40th anniversary, the Portland-based imprint has unveiled a year-long 40th Retrospective, honoring the artists, recordings, and aesthetic vision that have shaped its singular legacy since the mid-1980s. Already underway are various projects appearing across social media, YouTube, the label’s podcast, and specially-priced Discovery Packs available at Bandcamp, curated with four CDs in each, available while supplies last. Additional activities for the 40th Retrospective will be revealed throughout the year. Visit https://linktr.ee/spottedpeccary
By the time ambient and electronic music established a niche in American music culture, the seeds of one of its most influential labels were already germinating in the deserts of the Southwest. The story of Spotted Peccary Music—now synonymous with immersive sound design, audiophile production, and a forward-thinking roster—begins with a curious, exploratory collective called Brain Laughter. A January 2026 cover story by Cyclical Magazine shared the label’s early history as Brain Laughter, which was a collective of friends that included Howard Givens, an engineer, synthesist, and producer whose ear for spacious sound design would eventually define Spotted Peccary’s aesthetic. Working with a rotating circle of collaborators that included early contributors like Teeto Cheema, Alon Feder, Debra Musgrave and Nancy Thorington (Givens), they carved out a unique sonic identity grounded in an almost tactile sense of place.
Describing those formative sessions, Givens has said that the collective “was less a band than a laboratory,” a sentiment that perfectly captures their ethos. “Some friends of mine and I were experimenting with recording music that would capture the essence of the energy of the desert and mountains surrounding the Tucson, Arizona area,” he told Ambient Visions in 2021. “Eventually, this project developed into a complete, finished album, which ultimately became In the Land of Power. This was our first full-length release under our collective name Brain Laughter which we released as a CD, a significant achievement in the 1980s. We chose the made-up name of Spotted Peccary – our own mythical version of the Javelina – as our label name under which we self-released our music.”
The label formally became Spotted Peccary in 1986, expressing a commitment to artistic integrity and immersive listening experiences, long before “ambient” became a streaming-era category. The label built its reputation by championing music that exists outside of trends — works rooted in atmosphere, emotional depth, and a sense of place. Over the years, its catalog has become a touchstone for listeners seeking music that supports reflection, creativity, space and cinematic scope.
“Spotted Peccary has always been a community,” said Deborah Martin, an artist, co-owner and early member of the collective. “This retrospective is both a reflection on where we’ve been and a reaffirmation of why this music continues to matter.”
Throughout its history, the label has remained fiercely independent, artist-centric, and format-agnostic, adapting to industry shifts without sacrificing its core values. From early physical releases to digital platforms and sync licensing, Spotted Peccary has consistently positioned its music as timeless rather than time-bound—a quality that has helped its catalog endure across generations of listeners. In 2023, they were named Best Independent Record Label by the HIMAwards.
The anniversary arrives at a moment when ambient and instrumental music are experiencing renewed cultural relevance, finding audiences across wellness, film, television, gaming, and mindful listening spaces. The 40th Retrospective underscores Spotted Peccary’s foundational role in shaping that landscape. For the first time, the 40th Retrospective unveils a journey through the label’s expansive history, highlighting pivotal releases, defining artists, and evolving a sonic signature that has made Spotted Peccary a trusted name.
Bill Fox, host of Thought Radio™ at WMUH-FM and of Galactic Travels™ at WDIY-FM, said “I am thankful that Spotted Peccary Music supports me with promo CDs of the highest quality of music in the Electronic Music genre. Not only are these CDs recorded well, well produced, and excellently mastered, but the actual music itself is of the highest quality that I receive for airplay on my two programs. I don’t even have to preview a CD on the Spotted Peccary Music label, although I do for the pure enjoyment of listening. I can schedule a Spotted Peccary Music CD for a radio show knowing that I will be happy with the results.”
In January 2026, the label released a new Chris Russell album, Lumen, and a video. There are new projects in the works from Craig Padilla and Marvin Allen, Chronotope Project, Hollan Holmes, Deborah Martin, Massergy, Rudy Adrian, David Helpling, Dean DeBenedictis, Johann Agebörn and many more renowned ambient artists. Explore the entire artist roster here: https://spottedpeccary.com/our-artists/
The Spotted Peccary 40th Retrospective specially-priced Discovery Packs available at Bandcamp, curated with four CDs in each, available while supplies last at https://ambientelectronic.bandcamp.com/merch
More information on Spotted Peccary Music and its 40th Retrospective here: https://spottedpeccary.com/spm40
Media and partnership requests may be sent to Beth (at) SpottedPeccary (dot) com
Subscribe to the podcast at https://spottedpeccary.com/podcast
Subscribe to the video channel: https://cutt.ly/1MQRwzL
Watch the SPMLive 24/7 Livestream anytime: https://linktr.ee/ambientelectronic.tv
Follow the label on social media:
YouTube: https:/youtube.com/spottedpeccary
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/spottedpeccary
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/spottedpeccary.bsky.social
Instagram: https:/instagram.com/spottedpeccary
Facebook: https:/facebook.com/spottedpeccary
Discover the label’s full range of ambient, electronic and acoustic music:
Apple Music: https://apple.co/3e7Bfx9
Bandcamp: https://bit.ly/2JQo0TD
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2x6AC6v
YouTube: https://bit.ly/3cawnWp
Visit Spotted Peccary’s official website for all things music, playlists, videos and more: https://spottedpeccary.com/
About: Portland, OR-based Spotted Peccary Music is North America’s finest independent record label with a focus on deep, vast and introspective soundscapes. For over four decades, the artists of Spotted Peccary have been on a mission to develop, produce, publish and release ultra-high-quality, deep-listening experiences that engage and inspire the listener. Every release is carefully prepared in a variety of high-quality formats from MP3 to high-res studio masters. In 2023, they were named Best Independent Record Label by the HIMAwards. Explore more than 200 titles and 50 artists released over 39 years of excellence at www.SpottedPeccary.com and www.AmbientElectronic.com
Beth Hilton
Spotted Peccary Music
+1 310-560-8390
beth@spottedpeccary.com
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Chris Russell – Autumn Skyline – Official Video
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