Your Favourite Record Label right now

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What's yer current favourite record label? The one where you'll always buy all their releases sight-unseen knowing they'll roX0R (or something), where you scour their news pages to see what treats they've got coming next....

― electric sound of jim, Wednesday, 6 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Pour Moi:

Earworm (although they may be winding up soon, apparently)
Track and Field
Fierce Panda (who are starting to seem a little less like an A&R outpost for major labels)
Matinée (the first true post-Sarah label to hold a candle to Sarah itself, and that *includes* Shinkansen)
Emma's House (everything I would want my own label to be)
Poptones (yeah, yeah)

― electric sound of jim, Wednesday, 6 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Tigerbeat6 makes a good case with that comp. But I really don't follow any label too closely.

― Keiko, Wednesday, 6 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

probably only Siesta bcau even if the record is disappointing usually the packaging is nice. matinee has had a few duds airport girl, the first windmills record, that godawful ego record.

― keith, Wednesday, 6 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

airport girl are TOP.. will agree about Ego

― electric sound of jim, Wednesday, 6 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Kill Rock Stars?? Seem to have bought a few lately on Quarterstick also...

― Ron Hudson, Wednesday, 6 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Drag City

― Jeff, Wednesday, 6 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Are labels really worth paying attention to (this is an honest question, not snarky)?

― Dan Irons, Wednesday, 6 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

kompakt, temporary residence, warp.

― Todd Burns, Wednesday, 6 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yes, if you're someone like me who doesn't listen to the radio or watch music television, and no longer reads music press, but still likes to discover new music, then finding labels that have a certain quality that appeals to me is definitely worthwhile. Quite a lot of indie labels have a strong (if nonobvious) aesthetic that can often mean if you like one or two of their records there's a good chance you'll like them all. I have found this to be the case on many occasions, even with some of the bigger labels like Sub Pop and 4AD. I don't love everything they do, but I love enough of it to take a chance on all of it.

― electric sound of jim, Wednesday, 6 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Labels can be a legit reason to check things out, especially in the independent world, because it is more likely that someone's taste is a common denominator on the roster. And you just may share that aesthetic.

I am not really loyal to any now, but at times in the past have used labels to guide my listening. Main examples that come to mind are Matador in its heyday or early Rawkus.

― Ron Hudson, Wednesday, 6 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Locked On, Kompakt, Force Tracks.

― Tim, Wednesday, 6 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

kompakt,elektrolux and kranky. i do believe it is important to pay attention to labels when selecting music especially when said label is just starting out as they do tend to stick to certain types of artists /groups.
labels that have dissapointed as of late ::warp would definately top my list as well as skam[which only recently released the thoroughly enjoyable bola disc] although maybe they are on their way back.

― william harris, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

inertia distribution, laughing outlaw and sensory projections.

― Queen G, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Labels totally matter if they're small enough to reflect a particular taste--one person's, or a couple of people's. So, the ones that generally make me buy records (or at least very curious about them) on the strength of the label alone:

Dap-Tone. Touch/Ash International. Time Stereo. Reckankreuzungsklankewerkzeuge.

To a lesser extent, 555, Shrimper and Matador.

The only label I actually make a point of seeking out and buying EVERYTHING on is People, which went out of business in 1976. Though I wouldn't say no if somebody offered me the complete Y or Rough Trade discography.

― Douglas, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

razor and tie, bloodshot,matador

― anthony, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Morr Music. Bloodshot Records.

― bnw, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Kranky, Strange Attractors Audio House, Burning Shed, LTM, Clairecords. A fun selection. Oh yeah, and sundry Dunedin labels. :-)

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Thirsty Ear (for the Blue series), AUM Fidelity, Criss Cross, Tzadik.

― Jordan, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

International DeeJay Gigolo.

― Omar, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

TEFOSAV Records is one to look out for IMHO

― doglatin, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Matchless/PSF/Incus

― Julio Desouza, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

It used to be Sub Pop, then Kindercore...but these days, I'm too wise to think that every record released on a particular label is going to be any good.

― jel --, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

French Kiss, Kitty-Yo, Crippled Dick, Transformed Dreams

― Arien, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

AOL Time-Warner!

Just kidding. These days, I tend not to follow labels' activities. I mean, even at their peak Factory and 4AD released a lot of rubbish. That said, right now I am semi-obsessed with the Tricatel label.

― Jeff W, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Kompakt and 555, but not to the extent of buying everything that comes out unheard. The only labels I got close that with were Blast First and Too Pure.

― RickyT, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Racing Junior, Radio Khartoum, Dreamy, Rephlex, Staubgold, Mille Plateaux, Warp, Lado, Leaf a whole bunch of others that i can't even remember and any label with a coherent aesthetic vision.

generally my favourite labels are the ones that are exhibit more talent and creativity than most of their artists.

labels can be auteurs too y'know

― Wyndham Earl, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Titan Sounds, LowLife, YNR, Ronin; pretty much anything on Son and the hip hop portion of Hombre's stuff. Johnny Kane.

― Tim, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Archive, People, Bitasweet, Neroli, Talkin Loud - broken beat bizniz.

C.I.A., Function, Metalheadz, True Playaz, V, Chronic, Valve - drum & bass.

Always listen first, mind, just to make sure.

― JoB, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

at various times in my life it has been:

blast first. creation. suburban base. r&s. harthouse. wurlitzer jukebox. warp. rephlex.

― gareth, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Drag City Sympathy For The Record Industry

― tav, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I mean Drag City AND Sympathy For The Record Industry

― tav, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

This is such a vanity thread.

― Bob Zemko, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Mp3.com, Touch, Ladomat, SmalltownSupersound, Lex, Hefty, Classic, Motown - there's no point re-iterating the obvious ones.

― K_reg aka nick, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

perlon, trapez, playhouse, kompakt, sympathy for the record industry and fat possum.

― stirmonster, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Kompakt, hands down. I probably should have sent Kellman a bottle of something at the holidays as a "thank you."

― scott p., Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Hmph, I was going to answer this thread until you started extolling the virtues of those lying cheating bastards upthread.

[Okay, I will answer it now I'm here- I don't really have the cash to follow a label completely, but I'd say I trust Pickled Egg and Kitty Yo]

― emil.y, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

BAD VUGUM no doubt, Cash Money, The New No Limit, Century Media, Teenbeat.

― adam, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

My favorite is pretty obvious, with Force Tracks and UR pretty close behind. Scott is too kind.

― Andy K, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I discover a lot of new shit on Darla's website, although it often is on other labels. Constellation is highly reliable for delivering GYBE-style pomposity, if you're into that kind of thing. Jetset people just seem to share a range of my taste from twee to noisy fuzz (although David Candy's CD would never have seen the light of day on my say-so). Hush, out of Portland, is a similar up and coming firm. Mute: A Hush Records Instrumental Compilation is in no way typical, but everyone should check it out.

― Curt, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Skingraft Records, Cuneiform, Kitty-Yo... Org Records (coz theyre cheap, heh heh ).

― Marina Organ, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

LTM. Can't beat their reissues.

― Tim DiGravina, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Duuuudes, am I the only one who doesn't give a tosser when it comes to the label?

― , Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

quite possibly Force Tracks

― M Matos, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Duuuudes, am I the only one who doesn't give a tosser when it comes to the label?

I don't care who releases what so long as it's good, but that said, there's a good case to be made for thinking that if you like a hell of a lot that a label releases, the rest is worth checking out at least once.

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yes to Ned.

Cases in point for me: Absolutely Kosher, Skin Graft Records, Load Records, Dark Beloved Cloud, and possibly Troubleman Unlimited. No, I don't like everything they like, but there's a good amount of co-mingling in our Venn Diagrams, which is nice. (Load gets a super thumbs up for mixing the joy & madness of Ft. Thunder w/ the joy & madness of HAWD GANKSTUH RAPPHUS. Doodoo. In my bong.)

The first / last / only label I can recall giving myself over to completely, trusting their judgements w/out question, was Simple Machines (just before they shut down). Ah, the Raymond Brake ...

― Daver, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

what has tricatel been releasing lately?

― g, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

These days : Classic, Compost, International Deejay Gigolo

― Johan, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

with independent music, i think the label is very important. looking at stuff i have gotten lately, the (current as in currently operating) favorites are: matinee, drive-in, 555, bbptc, siesta, LTM, geographic (theough they really don't have a lot of releases) and to a lesser extent march, darla, shelflife (sorry jim)
As for historical stuff: el (of course), sarah, rough trade, buddah, bell, etc.

― g, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Johan; correct reply would be: the ones that give me promos. ;-))))

Ned, you are right. But I am probably to busy checking the cuties on the cover. heh.

― , Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

lately it's been:

ghostly mille plateaux/force, inc. tigerbeat6 city centre offices kitty yo hefty constellation morr music planet mu fat cat

but i also really tend to enjoy:

matador warp chocolate industries

and am really really really looking forward to releases from:

eastern developments

― jason m., Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

whoopsie. all apologies. that should read like this:

ghostly, mille plateaux/force, inc., tigerbeat6, city centre offices, kitty yo, hefty, constellation, morr music, planet mu, fat cat

― jason m., Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

EMI.

― Sterling Clover, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Montaigne.

(But props to Becalmed, Annika, Matinee, TeleRAN, Long Lost Cousin, Miy Paluk, Red Square, FoxyBoy...)

― Michael Jones, Thursday, 7 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

dragcity, rounder, domino, touch & go, rough trade, k , def jux, strictly kosher, city slang, smithsonian folkways hehe, warp but i tend to listen before i scour

― olly 360, Saturday, 9 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

District 6, Kitty Yo, Ata Tak, Tzadik, Karaoke Kalk, Folkways Smithsonian, American Patchwork (which will, I promise, become a label people talk about with the next two releases, Super Madrigal Brothers and The Gongs, due June).

― Momus, Saturday, 9 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I actually volunteered you to put something else out on ILE, but you don't have to. ;-)

― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 9 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

hmm, i pay attention to new releases on Slumberland, Kindercore, and Minty Fresh... But I've been looking into Tigerbeat6, though I don't know what to get after the compilation.

― phil-two, Saturday, 9 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i know i will always be entertained by releases on hot air (www.simplesampling.com)...

― nancy, Saturday, 9 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Arista, Def Jam

― Sterling Clover, Monday, 11 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Vertigo 'cause it's the coolest ass thing to watch rotatin'

― , Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I have just realised reading this thread how little I know about current music. I think I'd better retire!

I pay no attention to labels because I listen to most new stuff on MP3 and then ask for the record by name. The Pazz and Jopp thing asked me to list the labels of my choices and it was the most time- consuming part of the whole exercise! All that said I was mulling over whether to buy "The Kings And Queens Of Bollywood" comp at the weekend and I saw it was on Nascente and thought oh, the other stuff I've heard from them has been classy enough.

― Tom, Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Zemko... couldn't agree more... "hey, i know Bob Zemko..."

― Phong Wiedermeier, Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

two months pass...

what's wrong with the first windmills album? i think it's great. '36 degrees' gives me this rush. and now i see again how lyrics matter! (i won't spoil them by saying which ones. on a which way la program on city-wide reading programs, a commentator was going on about how reading is a private form of communication between the writer and the reader. at least it would explain why talking about specific lyrics seems so clumsy.)

― youn, Friday, 31 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

sorry that's 360 of course (or three sixty).

― youn, Friday, 31 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

i thought the first windmills release on matinee was kinda drab, but i really like the more recent stuff and his side project as well.

new lovejoy record soon on matinee:) the once great bus stop is coming out of their dormancy and will be reissuing a june brides/phil wilson double cd soon, maybe they can convince dustin reske to get off his duff.

― keith, Sunday, 2 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Burning Shed, House of Stairs, Scientific Laboratories.

― Alexander Blair, Sunday, 2 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

four years pass...

― askance johnson, Sunday, 18 March 2007 00:28 (nineteen years ago)