About Us

Post Emo Records was conceived by Allen Odell and Benjamin Daniel in 2020, when both singer-songwriters realized they were writing the songs they wished others were writing. Having been deeply influenced by musicians whose music fell under the broad (and often ill-defined) label of "emo," they found solace in these artists because they weren't afraid to express relatable sorrow and brokenness honestly and beautifully through their music. These artists all varied in sound from indie rock, to folk, to electronica, to post-hardcore, to pop-punk, to spoken word. But they each carried the same level of inspiration for both aspiring songwriters.

And yet, inspiring as these artists were, there was often a component missing that Allen and Ben found even more relatable: Joy. Not the kind of joy that forgets the storm, but the kind of joy that is hard fought as it faces the storm head on, in hope. This was a kind of joy that many artists who shared their Christian faith sang about, but aside from a precious few, these songs often felt removed from their deepest hurts, just as their favorite songwriters' tales of woe felt removed from their deepest joys. Neither side entirely neglected sorrow or joy, but the level to which both were expressed in tandem felt removed from what they knew: Great sorrow informed by an even greater Redeemer.

Their joy in a common faith through common trials bound them together more tightly as brothers than their mutual love of music or their mutual sorrows. And this bond compelled them to gather other like-minded friends cut from the same cultural and spiritual cloth who desired to tell these kinds of stories.

This is how Post Emo Records was born.

Post Emo Records exists to foster deep connection with musicians who are compelled by the Spirit to use both their talents and their heartaches to share the story of redemption. The name doesn't mean "post-emotion" or "post-sadness," as if its artists have graduated from the pain. To the contrary, the pain expressed is often deep and raw. It also doesn't mean it's seeking to move beyond the influence of artists who came before. To the contrary, everything you hear pays tribute to countless artists from Thrice, to Copeland, to Yellowcard, to Emery, to Julien Baker. But still, the songs here strive to take that heartache and weave it into a tapestry of Gospel-fueled hope.

In short, Post Emo Records exists to tell you that it's all real. The sorrow, yes, but also a God Who can save even to the uttermost.

And if even the uttermost isn't too far, that might make it worth singing about.