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With 2011 foreshadowing an even bigger next year for dance culture, we’ve crafted up a list of some of the cultural tastemakers and industry leaders that we’d like to recognize for their achievements over the course of this year. Yea, it’s biased. Enjoy our top 10 influential independent record labels of 2011 – we can only aspire to fill these shoes.
Holding one of the most extensive and distinguished lineups around, this duo of Siamese labels will keep your ears occupied for months (literally – we hope you like incredible cinematic tracks usually hanging out around the 7 or 8 minute marker). Richie Hawtin is one of the hardest working men in the dance music industry, and has displayed why he’s earned his way onto our list with his labels after their year of putting out more than 15 releases collectively that continued to define the Detroit techno sound as well as push the boundaries of minimal.
T&B has always been the most transparent what you see is what you get group of people to us. 2011 proved no different on the timeline as we saw some seriously bass hungry releases from near the entire family. The year also saw the 15th installment of their “Heavy Bass Champions of The World Compilation.” Celebrating 5 years of redefining “do it yourself,” the label hosted a national showcase tour including a sold out Webster’s Hall home show in NY. We look forward to the creativity Trouble & Bass brings into 2012!
Fool’s Gold to us is the gritty, yet classy, American equivalent of a label like Kitsúne that so flawlessly entwines multiple genres, industries, and markets. 2011 saw them open up their first physical storefront, continue to expand their presence with festival and convention involvement, and work their artist roster to the stylistic culture creator it sits at today. Their co-founder A-Trak continues to broaden the horizons of what a label is capable of, with activities like their infamous block parties and Sirius radio station shows.
Just. Tiga. The Turbo Recordings brand sticks out another year of embodying the distinctly odd but lovable persona of it’s head honcho, Tiga. Through 365 days of an ever impressive festival lineup whether booked or hosting a stage to spitting out tracks from Jori Hulkonnen, Azari & III, and a highly anticipated collaboration between Tiga & Zombie Nation – ZZT. Now despite all this, they still found the time to introduce an absolute monster into the music world. He goes by the name Gesaffelstein. More than any artist we can plug in this article, check him out. While still somewhat new, the force is strong in this one and we’d say he is a yoda-esque training montage off from making some really revolutionary work.
With a late start giving them what would sound like a handicap to most, the founders of Marble (Surkin, Para One, and Bobmo) used the closing of their previous home, the iconic label Institubes, as fuel to found the current structure. With their year beginning in March they managed to: increase their roster from the founding 3 to the current 7, put out a release for each of those artists, and develop a uniquely carefree style of house all in what feels like one night. Putting together careers, communities, or even ideas like this can be hard to organize; Marble is a constant reminder of drive and love of the trade rarely spotted so easily.
This is a label that every year continues to show the world the extent of their multi-tasking. If hand picking artists for their world renowned compilations didn’t keep them busy enough, maybe their thriving fashion line (might we say some of the classiest pieces you’ll find on the web, take a browse) will give you an idea of the pace they run at. Round this all off with a year of releases from their entire signed artist roster, tons of local events, and even an international touring label showcase. Hats off to these guys – that was one hell of a to-do list.
What hasn’t Alex Ridha done in 2011? Finding the time to pull off two international tours, headline nearly every major festival in his immediate vicinity, revitalize a seemingly lost acid house trend, and foster an artist relationship to his roster only identifiable with the word family. BNR regulars Jan Driver and Shadow Dancer put out strong releases to highlight the year, while label newcomers Housemeister and the insanely young SCNTST made quite the names for themselves.
Hope it goes without saying that there will be a mandatory SF shout to start this one off. On a list so largely populated with east-coast & international labels, we’re very proud to share the city by the bay with the lady (props to J. Phlip!) and gents who take our #3. Celebrating their 7th anniversary this year with a string of releases continuing to dictate trends in tech house, global tours along with their quarterly residency at Mezzanine, and even finding time to keep it local with their free annual party in the park that shows that…well, California knows how to party.
Coming in under the radar for 2011 with late 2010 releases from Clouds, Bowski, and Menace – Blood Music made a strong message of where it’s sound was headed. With near every artist on the roster bringing in their own twisted version of that heavy techno Fake Blood sound we first grew to love, it’s hard to not get that familiar nostalgic feeling right off the bat. Also, whether you hear it from us first or not, we strongly recommend you make yourself familiar with Ado. This young gun is making things so oddly beautiful you’ll be stuck with him after the first track, promise.
Ed Banger finishing up with a year so intense we can only hope to mimic their timeline for future goals. Seeing album of the year worthy releases from SebastiAn, Mr. Oizo, and Justice among others was enough to keep our speakers fresh for months. SebastiAn’s live show and Busy Pictionary brought live performances to a new level of creativity. All the while dealing with the loss of Ed Banger family member DJ Mehdi in September. It’s the supportive community that this label has created and continued to thrive with especially over the last year that gives it our #1 spot.
[...] of one of our 5 minute minimixes. Metrojolt, which you may remember from our guest article (2011 Year End Top 10 List), is where Brandon and Phil of BeardForce call home. Blending their journalistic style into an [...]