It was founded in 2003 by the sound artists Lasse-Marc Riek and Roland Etzin in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

The releases are mainly published on CD and Vinyl, but they are also distributed on Tape as well as in digital formats (USB-Card USB flash drives, WAV/MP3/FLAC).

Although the focus lies on field recordings and soundscapes, the spectrum of the label also includes compilations and crossover projects up to the genre of New Music.

The label is also involved in other projects and cooperations and hosts various events and mediation formats including concerts, workshops and lectures.

Gruenrekorder publishes a free bi-lingual online magazine called "Field notes", which contains essays, interviews and other texts which deal with the phenomenon of sound from scientific, philosophical and ecological perspectives.