Small crowds and a seeming lack of understanding have not dashed the hopes of the people behind Iowa’s newest electronic music label.

Dick and Jane Records is the brainchild of a small contingent of music enthusiasts based out of Iowa City. The label is home to three Iowa artists — Electric Blanket, Mike Jedlicka and Niko.

According to Dick and Jane founder Electric Blanket, otherwise known as Geoff Richards, the label was conceived long ago, but became a reality in October of 2002.

Richards says the label’s name is “nostalgic of a whole era,” but doesn’t have any real meaning behind it.

After enlisting the help of his friend, Mike Jedlicka, and a promising new artist named Niko, Richards began working on the label’s first release, titled “Selective: Retrospective Part 1,” which is being sold on the group’s Web site, www.dickandjanerecords.com.

The release, along with the label, falls under an umbrella category known as intelligent dance music, or IDM, which Jedlicka describes as a more relaxing and listenable style of electronic music.

Richards says some of the releases they are working on are more danceable, but warns “it’s not ‘Rave-O-Matic 12,000.’ “

“I played at [Boheme Bistro], and people were asking for techno or trance,” Jedlicka says.

“They just want to hear something that’s loud.”

Richards says much of the emphasis in IDM is placed on making the music sound good, not just danceable.

“We’re trying to get more than just the club crowd — a lot of our music is a lot headier,” Richards says.

Jedlicka says being in a small community of electronic music enthusiasts in Iowa may make their jobs harder.

“I don’t know what Iowa can really do,” Jedlicka says. “There’s a small proportion of the population that understands the music,” Richards adds.

From the film-styled sound of Electric Blanket to the downtempo ambiance of Jedlicka, the label covers much ground, Richards says.

An even greater contrast is Niko, who, in addition to his usual electronic free-jazz music, is an active participant in a local improvisational orchestra.

“We’re all coming from three different places,” Jedlicka says.

Jedlicka says he is planning to start working with smaller musicians and gradually increase the label’s docket in both size and scope.

“If you’re cool and it sounds great, then we’ll put it out,” he says.

As for acts joining the label in the near future, Richards says he plans to release music from Minneapolis artist Fuckstorm, who’s known for making music on nothing but two Nintendo Game Boys during his live performances.

“I think he ties into the whole ‘reminiscent of childhood’ theme,” he says.

Although the label is in its infancy, Richards says he is already planning goals for its future.

“I would like to take it to a bigger market,” he says.

“The main goal for the label is for it to be self sustaining.”