With women making waves in various fields and receiving the recognition they deserve in the electronic music industry, there are stories out there that should serve as an inspiration for other women that they can do anything, and do it successfully too. One of them is the story of record label Dirtybird.
With so much music being released these days, separating the decent from the absolutely terrible has become harder and harder for music fans. The Internet has opened the floodgates in that respect, but that hasnât stopped a host of crafty and determined music lovers from opening up their own labels.
One such man to do so is Maltese producer, Dean Demanuele. Having repped the likes of Einmusika, Bedrock and Snatch!, Deanâs music has landed on some massively respected labels, but itâs his own endeavors at his own label, Dazed & Confused that have really pricked our ears of late. Malta native Dean Demanuele has always made tech-house with a swagger, but even his own lofty standards, his latest release is a joy to behold. Full of tension from the get-go, the Grey Game EP – released on Deanâs always excellent Dazed and Confused label – confirms his reputation as his countryâs leading exporter of all things dance floor driven.
With this in mind, we decided to catch up with Dean, as he gave us a quick rundown on the label and offered us his five tips for running a label in 2017. Regardless of whether youâre a newcomer at label management or an experienced dab hand, Dean offers up a wealth of pertinent information here:
Simon Shaw, founder of Sense Traxx
Sense Traxx  is a record label and event brand that really starting to make a name for itself in the underground circuit of its home city of London.
Simon Shaw, the brain behind Sense Traxx, started the project as an annual party at his house, eventually having to move it to a legit venue in Southend once more than 150 people started turning up. “Sense” quickly became one of the most talked-about underground nights in the area, with guests such as Josh Butler, Doorly, Jonas Rathsman, GW Harrison, Riva Starr, Emanuel Satie and more all appearing behind the decks. Since, the Sense party brand has hosted parties in Ibiza, London, Luxemburg, Switzerland and more.
The brand launched its label, Sense Traxx, in March 2016 hitting Traxsource #1 with their Julyan Dubson “Make A Thing” release, and hosting other standout releases such as Kalyde “Tied,” James Curd’s “Balloon Talk,” Tobias” “Fya Bun” and South Royston’s “Work It Out.” Simon used to work A&R at Defected and has since moved on to run Kerri Chandlerâs Madhouse and MadTech, bringing his experience and expertise to Sense Traxx.
We asked Simon to dive into his experience working with large labels and launching his own, and to dissect the differences and similarities between the two:
Chicago-based Jeff Derringer delighted techno fans with amazing news today: the launch of his own record label called Oktave Records.
The techno producer, DJ and event curator is a Smartbar Chicago resident and has enjoyed a prolific release career with output on labels the likes of Soma, Electric Deluxe, Perc Trax, Reclaim Your City and Lanthan.audio just to name a few.
He has been presiding over his event series Oktave for just short of 8 years now, with top-tier techno showcases in New York City, Chicago and Detroit over the course of the brand’s existence. The name “Oktave” has become synonymous with techno in Chicago, oftentimes the only event series consistently representing the genre in a city that often, and somewhat understandably, favors house music.
Ukrainian DJ and Producer Spartaque, real name Vitalii Babii, has become a name known for raw quality on the international techno landscape. Heâs been at it for many years, but got his first break in 2007 DJing at Ukraineâs Global Gathering festival, and has continued with this festival every year since. Since, he has added other vital performances to his resume by performing at Love Parade, Kazantip, Mayday, and others.
Spartaque supplements these performances and maintains the momentum by way of his award-winning Supreme podcast, in addition to numerous guest mixes on other podcasts and radio shows. As an artist he has been composing and producing dance music since his teens, finally being able to translate his passion and hard work into a career as a young adult. His first release came in 2005 with a contribution to a Virus Music album in 2005. More than a decade later, he now boasts over 300 released tracks on a large number of labels. His arsenal includes both original works and remixes for some of the top artists around the world.
Maintaining balance between industry and artisanship, Spartaque has played a key role in the creation and development of two key techno record labels, IAMT and Codex. With a touring schedule that is as busy as ever, we caught the opportunity to dig deeper about these label projects with Vitalii, getting into the nitty and gritty details of what it really means to be a label owner and manager of your own imprint(s), releasing on vinyl, throwing label parties, doing A&R and much more.
What is the role of record labels really and how do they operate in today’s industry? Over the last couple of decades, and especially so with the arrival and boom of the internet, the duties and functions of record labels have changed a lot.
Towards the end of last month, Suara’s big cat Coyu took to his Facebook page to lament on the current state of record labels, in particular diving into how label releases from smaller less-known artists seldom get the recognition and sales they deserve, despite often being higher quality productions than those of established producers that sell far better. In essence, Coyu stated, nowadays who makes the music matters more than the music itself. He also went on to explain how the catch-22 begins with local DJs and promoters who themselves veer towards purchasing tracks from names they know and trust rather than digging deeper into label catalogues to support music releases from other smaller producers like them.
With the ever-changing role of record labels in mind, we sat down with Nick Garcia, the label manager of Sharam’s Yoshitoshi Recordings to discuss the subject in detail.
Before the turn of the century, when an artist recorded a song, you had to buy the music before you got to listen to it at will. The more record sales, the more successful the artist and the music was. People loved buying records; there was the vinyl LP, the cassette tape, the compact-disc and then the evolution of mp3s. While before you have to have a special player to hear the record you bought, today things are very different. Now you can just log on to social media or streaming sites and listen to the newest tunes.
But is there a connection between social media popularity and a track or albumâs final sales? Check out the following graphs from hypebot.com to see the correlation between the two works:
UK’s Alan Fitzpatrick, known for his hugely successful techno releases on imprints such as Drumcode, Hotflush and Cocoon, has just announced the launch of his brand new record label “We Are The Brave.”
The project will be more than just an outlet for new releases, with projects for an entire event brand, art exhibitions and clothing range. In essence, “We Are The Brave” will act as Fitzpatrick’s creative outlet on many fronts. The label will feature a broad range of electronic music sounds through various formats, highlighting the work of both Fitzpatrick and his peers.
Photo courtesy of Zoukout Festival
It’s hard to believe that Visionquest is in the midst of celebrating five strong years in operation as a record label.
In 2011, what was originally a collective of like-minded and individually talented musicians, Visionquest decided to transform their personal accomplishments and prowess as a studio ensemble into an imprint that has since gone on to represent releases by new and now well known talents such as Benoit and Sergio, Tale of Us, Chaim, Laura Jones, and remixes from techno and house stalwarts like Ricardo Villalobos, Carl Craig, and Pepe Bradock.
This coming Saturday, the trio composed of Ryan Crosson, Shaun Reeves and Lee Curtiss is set to touch down in Los Angeles for a specially curated 5 Year Anniversary Party that features all three on decks alongside guests Daniel Bell and John Tejada. The event, organized by local promoters Underrated Presents and taking place at the Downtown Globe Theatre, is set to highlight the type of atmosphere and music that has made Visionquest’s label one of the most respected in the electronic music industry: “slow-burning, shape-shifting, expansive techno and house marked by compositional elegance and unabashed pop hooks.”
Tickets are available on Resident Advisor and full info on the event can be found on Facebook.
We had the chance to chat with Ryan ahead of this special night, to talk a little about the past, present and future of Visionquest.
As music develops and evolves, certain sounds can come to define a country. Many variables are responsible for sculpting a recognizable sound, with record labels being one of the primary influences in a countryâs musical landscape. In 6AMâs new feature series, we dive in and take a look at some of the record labels making waves in a countryâs scene. Our first stopâŠItalia.
When discussing record labels in Italy, itâs impossible to bypass Bosconi Records. Based in the beautiful hills of Fiesole, just north east of Florence, Bosconi is responsible for delivering house, disco, and techno with the upmost craftsmanship. With founders Fabio della Torre and Ennio Colaci at the helm, Bosconi revived the Italian house scene with releases from Italian artists such as: Mass Prod, Minimono, The Clover, and Alex Picone while also bringing in foreign guests such as A Guy Called Gerald and Paul Johnson. The music of Bosconi Records is as beautiful as the city they reside in, and itâs easy to see where they draw their influences. Bosconi Records is and will always be at the forefront of electronic music in Italy. With consistent new releases and a back-catalog to keep you more than engaged, there’s much to look forward to from the hills of Fiesole.
Bosconi Records: Official Site | Soundcloud | Juno | Beatport
Venture to the north of Italy about 40 miles north of Venice and youâll find yourself at the headquarters of Kina Music, one of the countryâs burgeoning minimal labels. Kina Music sticks to what they know bestâŠdeep low slung minimal best suited for powerful club systems. Run by the Venetian duo, Re-Up, Kina Music has a distinct ear for dance floor music and pays close attention to the subtle textures that make minimal an excellent genre. When analyzing their success, look no further than Marco Carolaâs infamous Music On events in which he employs Re-Up to open the party with proper minimal grooves. With support from the Italian tech house don, itâs safe to say that minimal, and Kina Music, will have a place in the club world.
Kina Music: Official Site | Soundcloud | Beatport
As the record label associated with the iconic Florentine club, Tenax, Tenax Recordings continues the legacy with quality house and techno. Located in the heart of Florence, Tenax Recordings fosters a predominant roster of Italian artists, and elevates house and techno to a level that defines what a proper club night can, and should be. Over the years they have released EPâs from Alex Neri, Ilario Alicante, Philipp, Valentino Kanzyani, and Federico Grazzini, with each release taking the listener on a unique sonic journey. Listening to the music of Tenax Recordings takes you right into the center of the dance floor at the famed Italian nightclub, with each record being a piece to the gigantic musical puzzle.
Tenax Recordings: Soundcloud | Beatport
With their 2006 inception in Ferrara, Italy, Hell Ya Recordings has covered a wide range of the musical spectrum.  Youâre just as likely to hear smooth cerebral dance floor cuts as you are obscure synthetic techno, even some tropical Balearic rhythms at times just for the hell of it. Label chief, Marco Gallerani, and the rest of the team at Hell Ya Recordings strike a perfect balance with electronic compositions. The label has a healthy understanding of what good music is, and not just for the dance floor. With the amount of music in an almost saturated global market, Hell Ya Recordings stands out as one of the leading labels, and certainly has it’s place in the Italian scene.
Hell Ya Recordings: Official Site | Soundcloud | Beatport
Now in their 11th year, the Scarperia based label has established a reputation for releasing top-notch tech house and techno. Over itâs 11-year tenure Deeperfect has released artists such as Pig & Dan, Stefano Noferini, and Nick Olivetti, and has received support from DJâs like Pan Pot, Monika Kruse, Marco Bailey, Umek, and Cristian Varela. Deeperfect has the formula down for serving up peak time tech house to the masses and is a go-to label for many artists around the world when they need to elevate the energy in their sets. In a country where there is no shortage of quality music, Deeperfect proves that it will continue to be a major contender and influence the musical environment around the globe.
Deeperfect: Official Site | Soundcloud | Beatport
Located near Naples in the town of Caserta youâll find the tech house label, MOAN Recordings. If youâve been to a club night in the past year thereâs a high probability that youâve heard a release from MOAN. With an expansive roster and releases designed to make a heavy impact on dance floors, MOAN is at the forefront of the Italian tech house movement. While MOAN adheres to a very groove oriented music policy, there are moments where we see the label dabble in techno with tracks such as the Marco Faraone remix of Floating Point. MOAN may only be three years in the making, but donât expect them to slow down anytime soon. With incredible support from Italy and artists worldwide, MOAN will continue to be a label to watch over the coming years.
MOAN: Soundcloud | Beatport
