Founded sometime recently by producer & artist Danny Monk - without much ceremony and with a healthy skepticism toward how these things are usually done - Nickel Records is a small, independent label built around a simple idea: that in a world where authenticity is paramount, the process of making music is intrinsically linked to people’s perception of it.Operating somewhere in the margins - geographically, aesthetically, and perhaps philosophically - Nickel Records exists as both a home and a framework for artists working in atmospheric, textural, and emotionally driven spaces. We are less concerned with defining a “sound” than we are with recognising a shared intent. If there is a unifying thread, it’s an emphasis on care, patience, and a willingness to let the work speak before anything else.Nickel functions as a collective as much as a label. We aim to handle the practical realities surrounding releases so that artists can remain focused on the act of creation itself. This includes everything from production and presentation to exploring opportunities beyond traditional release cycles - such as placing music in film, television, and other visual mediums where context and narrative can deepen the listening experience, rather than reduce it to background noise.All artists associated with Nickel maintain a creative relationship with our studio, where much of the work is shaped and refined. This ongoing, long-term collaboration is less about uniformity and more about continuity - a shared language developed over time.At Nickel Records, we intend to support and release music we believe in, present it with honesty, and create an environment where the process is protected, not rushed. If that resonates with anyone beyond ourselves, then we should have a coffee and pontificate accordingly.

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Danny Monk is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and mix engineer, born and raised in London with a prolific musical background serving established indie rock talent (Father John Misty, Flyte, The Kooks). “The Cure for Sadness” is the first record under his own name and as an artist.Danny is steeped in 70s west coast sonic traditions and blends this with a contemporary indie lo/hifi edge. The bulk of the album was tracked at 123 Studios, in Peckham, London, before returning to The Village in West Hollywood to finish the record. Universal existential questions lie at the album’s lyrical heart, shaped by sharply observed stories drawn from his past, often drawing solace from the small things in life.Listen here.

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"Making 'We Start With Silence' has been a joy. I thought I had left Mike Marlin behind, but in 2024 I crept back into the basement studio. Before we knew it, Danny and I had rough recordings of ten songs from my back catalogue. We played the demos to Danton, and he made clear that this album had to be made. We finished the record in two whirlwind weeks at RAK studios, adding an unexpected live performance of Travel the World. The album was complete. Danton was right.I owe everything to the musicians, engineers and producers who have helped, taught, cajoled and supported me on my musical journey. James Durrant who helped me find myself in music and brought Nearly Man to life. Catherine Marks and Jarrod Pizzata who conjured up Grand Reveal. John Noyce who unlocked The Secret of My Success. Paul Silver and Kim Murray who rode the roller- coaster of Dust across America. And Danny Monk who has been my partner in music since the Secret of My Success, both in the studio and on the road."- Mike MarlinListen here.

Anna Nokomis wrote her debut album "In Waves" in collaboration with producers and songwriters Mike Marlin and Danny Monk. Anna is both defiant and vulnerable as she sings heartbreaking and beautiful songs on life, love and loss.Listen here.