Five Electronic Musicians That Started Their Own Record Labels In 2022
By Yvonne Martin
Artists have been taking the matter into their own hands lately. With the oligopoly dominating the industry, it’s only natural for musicians to launch their own record labels. There are many different reasons for this forward-looking movement among which are feeding creativity, freedom in production, providing a platform for promising new talents and supporting a niche genre.
In 2022, many of the top electronic musicians jumped on the wagon and set up their own record companies, broadening their horizons and creating new opportunities for artists in the music industry. We chose five of the biggest names in electronic music that took that leap of faith.
REZZ – HypnoVizion
Canadian DJ and record producer Isabelle Rezazadeh, professionally known as Rezz, announced during the summer that she will be launching Hypnovizion. The Ontario native teased that the label will support musicians with “slow, trippy HOT ass, mid-tempo bob your head ( and maybe even shake ur ass while you’re at it ) type beat + more (i like slow dub stuff too) (stuff that makes you question existence).”
Rezz said that her top priority in 2023 will be Hypnovizion which has her “feeling so fkn stoked. Don’t even get me started on the themed events & merch. I feel so passionate about this, much more than I ever thought I’d be.”
Hypnovizion kicked off with Nightmare On Rezz Street 2 Mix and then followed it with Iqsa’s newly released EP i 4ove you.
Nala – Mi Domina
Underground DJ, producer, and vocalist Nala launched a “femme-dominated” record label called Mi Domina. The LA-based artist kicked off her project with the collaborative three-track EP, Get Familiar, working closely with Venezuelan musician Ernesto Hidalgo, aka E.R.N.E.S.T.O.
With Mi Domina, Nala wants to create a safe space for women. In a statement, she revealed, “I’ve made it a philosophy to only work with artists who have a track record of being respectful to others, especially women.”
Nala praised E.R.N.E.S.T.O’s professionalism and talent, “I’m really honored to be able to work with E.R.N.E.S.T.O, share his talent, and vouch for his character. The man is a class act and an incredibly tasteful and talented producer.”
E.R.N.E.S.T.O also expressed his admiration for Nala, “I’ve been a fan of Nala ever since I heard “Psychic Attack.” We met playing the same festival, realized we both came up in Miami and got along immediately. This EP flowed in the best way possible. She is super talented and came to my studio with a ton of ideas for very personal and unique vocals that she laid down that same day.”
Listen to Get Familiar here:
Nicky Romero – Protocol Lab
Dutch DJ Nicky Romero celebrated the 10-year anniversary of his imprint Protocol Recordings by announcing the launch of the sub-label Protocol Lab. The new project’s inaugural release was “Stuck On You” by talented newcomers Repiet and Andrew A.
Romero’s Protocol Recordings, founded in 2012 is one of the most substantial labels in the industry. Nervo, Afrojack, Armin van Buuren, and many more renowned musicians have collaborated with the recording company. Its sub-label, Protocol Lab also plans to provide a creative platform for artists to be themselves, intending to experiment with new sounds and aiming to “nurture new talent.”
Speaking of Nicky Romero’s perseverance and determination, Protocol Recordings stated, “While showcasing his label’s roster via his weekly Protocol Radio show, Nicky Romero continues to innovate and evolve, and with his annual “Nicky Romero & Friends” ADE showcase and the launch of Monocule alter-ego, he keeps proving his ability to turn into gold everything he touches,” states on their website.
Delta Heavy – Delta Heavy
Delta Heavy, consisting of Ben Hall and Simon James, started a self-titled record label earlier this year. The English drum and bass production duo marked the launch of their company with “Ascend,” which gives a general idea of what is expected from them in the future.
With successful releases like “Heartbeat,” “Work It,” and “Feel,” Delta Heavy has garnered around four million streams. The duo, who already have a solid following of approximately a million listeners across different platforms, also released “Hydra” via their new record label.
Charlotte de Witte – RPM
Belgian DJ and record producer, Charlotte de Witte, popular for her minimal and acid techno sounds, announced the launch of RPM; a new sub-label under her original imprint, KNTXT that "builds velocity around emerging talent."
RPM “ is a turbo-charged, digital-only sub-label of KNTXT that meets the demand of the ever-evolving electronic music scene and increases the creative output of KNTXT label.” The new project hopes to “provide artists a more agile platform to release music. It aims to offer a flexible test circuit for producers both emerging or established, to experiment with contemporary sounds, free from the latency in vinyl production.”
Acid Asian’s “Break Into Acid” is the first release from RPM.
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Posted on May 10, 2022
Swedish House Mafia & Paradise Again: 5 Things To Learn From Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso, Steve Angello
By Barbara Drews
Swedish House Mafia is always embraced by everyone, period. critics and fans. Concertgoers relived their glory days of dance music 2 weekends in a row at Coachella. The trio received a welcoming ovation and is set to embark on a 45+ date tour starting at the end of July. Their new 17-track album ‘Paradise Again’ has close to half a billion streams on Spotify and all of this marks a special reunion. Here are 5 things you can learn from SHM.
1- The Passion & Ambition
Ever seen a band tour for 5 months to say goodbye to fans? Heartbreaking…Passion didn’t only bring them together, it was more than that. The electronic supergroup had not released anything as a trio since 2012 before they dropped the “It Gets Better” single. Dance music is in their DNA, obstacles always appeared, but they pushed boundaries and came out stronger than ever because of their ambitions. In Zane Lowe’s Apple Interview they say: “it’s passion, it’s emotions, it’s fun, but it’s also ambition”.
2- The Love & Maturity
Steve Angello recently said, “I’m not trying to like, satisfy the digital market…my big play here is making an album we love and putting it out”. They say that everything they do today comes back to the ‘essentials’: Is it worth it? What do they want to do? Why do they do it? Why are they away from their children if need be? What do they really like to do? etc. Having the right answers to those questions keeps them dedicated and focused. This time around it’s a choice to be together.
3- The Live Experience
It’s not just confetti cannons exploding after the drop. There is energy, chemistry, synergy, elaborate graphics, and artistry. There’s a theme. Everything about their live performance is super creative. They have the courage to always try new things and elevate. This is why fans never stopped hoping for the reunion. If you’re wondering who did their Coachella stage setup, it was Alexander Wessely! Art sculpture at its finest.
4- The Collabs
The new ‘Paradise Again’ tour includes cool support acts like Grimes, Kaytranada, Alesso, Zhu, and Vintage Culture. The album features Asap Rocky, Sting, The Weeknd, and Connie Constance - all creative and different types of artists, adding a different flavor to their project. SHM exemplifies creativity and innovation, this is clearly no saturated big room sound.
5- The Dream Team in Music
The 3 artists have different tastes in music but they blend in an amazing fashion. They also show support to each other personally and professionally they explain when Avicii’s topic surfaces during their recent Apple Music interview. True friendship. They are currently managed by Sal Slaiby, a prolific manager for artists like The Weeknd, French Montana, Doja Cat, Bebe Rexha, Ty Dolla $ign, and many more. Teamwork makes the dream work.
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Posted on April 26, 2022
What Makes Armada Music The Dance Music Record Label Of 2022
By John Reynolds
1- The Founders
Armada Music was founded by globally well-known DJ, producer Armin Van Buuren, alongside Maykel Piron and David Lewis. What originated as a desire to release music without limitations has become the world's largest and most prized independent record label ever. These three entrepreneurs have extensive knowledge in the music industry and help shape the reputation of Armada Music every day.
2- The Knowledge
Given the founders’ combined experience of more than a few dozen years, partnering with a record label like Armada Music is working with professionals and forward-thinking people. They have navigated the brand through stormy waters to become this substantial independent powerhouse. Armada Music has always been at the forefront of discovering and investing in musical talent. You can find almost everything when looking for music on the label; they strike the right mix between commercial stadium fillers and esoteric skills.
3- The Artistic Circle
Armada is home to artists like Afrojack, Fedde Le Grand, Loud Luxury, and many more known musicians. An in-house club is located next to the studio, where musicians may road-test new tracks on a cutting-edge sound system. Because of Armada’s exceptional professionalism, its sales and streams have grown exponentially. Armada Music has been named the “Best Global Label” at the International Dance Music Awards more than six times.
4- Global Expansion
Armada Music is a record label that does not constrain itself and evolves with the global music industry. The firm currently has offices in Amsterdam, London, and New York and continues to release record quality track after track while expanding its reach to global scale. The label is constantly developing and will continue to push the frontiers in dance music, having identified industry jewels like Lost Frequencies, Loud Luxury, Andrew Rayel, and Eelke Kleijn, it’s just the start.
5- More than Trance
Armada is not a record label for just trance music. It is home to many electronic music releases, including dance, deep house, melodic techno, and many more genres. Armada Music has a mouth-watering roster and is home to more than 40k releases. They gather roughly 500 million streams each month through this star-studded dance music army, receive weekly exposure on the most prominent national broadcasting stations and playlists and frequently appear at the top of the U.S. Mediabase Dance Airplay charts. Continually bringing out the best in its artists has resulted in several important milestones.
6- Sync and Publishing
Electronic music has the power to assist the world's most powerful brands. Armada Music understands how to convey this message. They always guarantee a perfect fit because they have a large and diversified collection. They provide music for commercials, TV programs, and anything else.
Armada Publishing is a luxurious music publishing firm that is part of the Armada Music group. They go above and beyond standard publishing services and support by providing a creative and transparent atmosphere to assist its producers and authors bloom. They focus on expanding artists’ portfolios and establishing musical profiles while taking care of registration, commercialization, and copyright protection to a platinum level.
So next time you are planning your dance music release, keep Armada in your mind, and if you think you have a banger, don’t hesitate to contact the dance music giants before you drop it! Follow their Instagram account to stay up to date.
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