Happy New Year ! And 2025 Retrospective
Here we are at the very beginning of 2026. It feels like the right moment for Mare Nostrum to look back on 2025 and share what lies ahead.
Before anything else, I would like to join Gaëtan, the newest addition to the label (we will come back to this a bit later), in wishing you a wonderful new year. A year filled with inspiring music, meaningful ambient releases, but also with time for yourself. Take a step back, rest, spend time with your loved ones, or simply reconnect with yourself. This is the mindset with which Mare Nostrum wants to approach 2026.
A challenging year, filled with doubts and fatigue
I won’t lie: 2025 was a demanding year for me when it comes to the label. I wanted to do things properly, maybe too much so. I tried to keep the curatorial activity going in order to maintain at least one strong playlist, while also releasing a high number of records. Looking back, this was a mistake. I chose quantity over quality.
Some releases did not receive the exposure I had hoped for, while others simply did not belong on Mare Nostrum. Running a label, even an independent one, involves a lot of work: communicating with artists, creating visuals, handling mastering, distribution, promotion and communication. Taken individually, none of these tasks are overwhelming. Combined, they became too much for one person.
In the fall of 2025, I seriously considered stopping the label altogether. Not because of a lack of love for music, but to regain some peace of mind and put an end to the constant stress that came with it.
The artists close to me, whom I spoke to about this, showed an incredible level of kindness and understanding. Their support reassured me of one essential thing: health always comes first.
2026: Mare Nostrum is not over, quite the opposite
During this period of doubt, I spent a lot of time talking with my friend Gaëtan, with whom I share the duo Belle Brume. He had the desire to fully reconnect with music and to develop projects rooted in ambient sound. He offered to join me again in the management of the label. He had briefly been part of Mare Nostrum back in 2021, and the idea of building a Mare Nostrum 2.0 together quickly made sense.
Some decisions had to be made. Some of them were difficult, but they were necessary to make the label stronger and more coherent.
Starting in 2026, Mare Nostrum will no longer release standalone singles or full-length albums. We have chosen to focus exclusively on EPs of 4 to 6 tracks, a format that feels more relevant to us today, both artistically and in terms of promotion.
The artwork is evolving as well. The white border is gone. We are returning to stronger marine inspirations, with more detailed and immersive visuals that better reflect the identity of the label.
We will continue to explore the playlist route by pushing Ambient Nap and Melodic Ambient. They remain one way to help artists gain visibility, even if we have to be realistic: achieving the same level of playlist performance as a few years ago has become increasingly difficult.
Finally, the label remains open to new music. We are still accepting demos, and you can submit your EPs via our dedicated form.
Thank you to everyone who supports Mare Nostrum, whether closely or from afar.
Wishing you all a beautiful year, and see you soon for what comes next.