One thing I have been trying to do more often is to look into the rosters of record labels to discover new music. I'm always interested to see who some of my favorite artists labelmates are.
What are some of your favorites?
Mine is the British "Trojan Records" label. They specialize in everything ska and reggae related and have been going since 1968. All of their compilations are world class, and if you have not listened to any of them I would suggest doing so.
Mine is the British "Trojan Records" label. They specialize in everything ska and reggae related and have been going since 1968. All of their compilations are world class, and if you have not listened to any of them I would suggest doing so.
Whilst I've always been a fan of Trojan - and have a set of cufflinks I wear to business meetings to prove it - I'd beg to differ about their compilations being 'world class'. The Tighten Up series seriously ran out of steam towards the end (by volume 6 it was the bird on the cover rather than the music which had the most appeal), and whilst others have their fair share of gems (any LP with Dekker in his prime, golden-era Toots and 60s Upsetters tracks has something of an ahead start) the vast majority are patchy to say the least. If you want proper, wall-to-wall 'reggae' 'bangers' from start to finish I'd seriously recommend the Dynamite series, starting with:
Which brings me rather nicely to my favourite record label - Studio One. I've been listening to S1 records for near on 20 years and in all that time I'm yet to find something Sir Coxsone Dodd put out that I didn't at least like. When out record shopping it's as good a seal of quality as I've ever found, and I'd happily stick a tenner down to take a punt on an LP of theirs that I'd never heard before. Got a chart full of decent tunes, mate if you fancy checking them out yourself.
Other labels I adore:
Greensleeves - British reggae/dub/dancehall imprint. A Trojan fi de youth Sarah - Bristol's finest purveyors of indie-pop
Creation (pre-Britpop era) - before Oasis, home to MBV, the Fannies, Ride, Slowdive, etc. Soundtracked my 6th Form days
Slumberland - more indie-pop (as well as their long-lost UK equivalent, Fortuna Pop!)
Clay Pipe - whimsical small little folk and folktronica label from London Town
And then for reissues and compilations, definitely Soul Jazz (c.f above), Blood and Fire and probably Light In The Attic although some of their stuff can be a bit hit-and-miss (can't fault the packaging and presentation though).
Funny, this all gives me the idea for a tourname.....
Whilst I've always been a fan of Trojan - and have a set of cufflinks I wear to business meetings to prove it - I'd beg to differ about their compilations being 'world class'. The Tighten Up series seriously ran out of steam towards the end (by volume 6 it was the bird on the cover rather than the music which had the most appeal), and whilst others have their fair share of gems (any LP with Dekker in his prime, golden-era Toots and 60s Upsetters tracks has something of an ahead start) the vast majority are patchy to say the least. If you want proper, wall-to-wall 'reggae' 'bangers' from start to finish I'd seriously recommend the Dynamite series, starting with:
Which brings me rather nicely to my favourite record label - Studio One. I've been listening to S1 records for near on 20 years and in all that time I'm yet to find something Sir Coxsone Dodd put out that I didn't at least like. When out record shopping it's as good a seal of quality as I've ever found, and I'd happily stick a tenner down to take a punt on an LP of theirs that I'd never heard before. Got a chart full of decent tunes, mate if you fancy checking them out yourself.
Other labels I adore:
Greensleeves - British reggae/dub/dancehall imprint. A Trojan fi de youth Sarah - Bristol's finest purveyors of indie-pop
Creation (pre-Britpop era) - before Oasis, home to MBV, the Fannies, Ride, Slowdive, etc. Soundtracked my 6th Form days
Slumberland - more indie-pop (as well as their long-lost UK equivalent, Fortuna Pop!)
Clay Pipe - whimsical small little folk and folktronica label from London Town
And then for reissues and compilations, definitely Soul Jazz (c.f above), Blood and Fire and probably Light In The Attic although some of their stuff can be a bit hit-and-miss (can't fault the packaging and presentation though).
Funny, this all gives me the idea for a tourname.....
Maybe a bit of hyperbole on my part. It's the beginning of summer and I've had their Chill-Out box set on heavy rotation (as well as Daptone Records Gold series). Thanks for the other recommendations I am not a reggae (and related genres) expert by any means.
Thrill Jockey, Warp, and Touch and Go are great too.
Triangle Records
RVNG Intl.
Sacred Bones Records
Opal Tapes
4AD Records
other favorites:
Glacial Pace Records
Matador Records
Polydor Records
Partisan Records
Memphis Industries
Geffen Records
Downtown Records
Rogue Records
Fantastic Planet Records
Wrasse Records
Rune Grammafon
PIAS American
New Amswerdam Records
Def Jam Recordings
Full Time Hobby
Red Ink
Manifesto Records
Sub Pop Records
Joyful Noise Recordings
Dead Oceans
Capitol Records
Elektra Records
Hardly Art
Code Cassette
there are a few vaporwave labels i dig too, but not off the top of my head. _________________ follow me on the bandcamp.
Last edited by craola on 05/29/2017 19:24; edited 1 time in total
Trouble with both of these - home to great albums and artists though they are - is that being majors there's no semblance of identity with them, unlike some of the other great ones you've mentioned. It's not like you'd pick up a Mrs. Miller record thinking you'll probably dig it like a Beatles or Beach Boys LP. Same reason that whilst I love a stack of stuff on Rough Trade and Factory I'd never take the plunge and buy something they'd put out on the strength on the brand without hearing it first.
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