The record label. A dying breed in the digital age, a necessary evil, or an essential cog in the music industry wheel?
Who cares, because instead of worrying about all that here at SMP towers we have picked our favourite record label based playlists and put them into this nice handy post for you to get your lugs around. Enjoy!
Factory Records
“Factory Records are not actually a company. We are an experiment in human nature,” says Tony Wilson in 24 Hour Party People, amongst various other nuggets of genius/pretense. It is this ethos that made Factory one of the most seminal record labels of all time. What about this for a roll call of bands, Joy Division, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, A Certain Ratio, James, New Order, Happy Mondays. Not bad is it.
Beginning life in Jamaica, Island went on to become one of the most influential labels of the 1970s. This brilliant playlist features tracks from artists spanning Island’s 50 year history including Desmond Dekker & The Aces, Roxy Music, The Spencer Davis Group, Paul Weller and, lamentably, U2.
Polydor Records - What we’re listening to
Those nice people of a Polydor Records have put together this playlist of music that is doing the rounds in their office at the moment (not only by their own artists either). A crackin’ collection of tunes which is regularly updated resulting in an eclectic mix that includes The Velvet Underground, Queens Of The Stone Age and Interpol.
The best of Soma Records Vol 1
The legendary Scottish label was the brainchild of dance duo Slam and since it’s inception in 1991 it has been at the forefront of electronic music. Featured here, Daft Punk, Silicone Soul, Holmes & McMillan and an amazing Richie Hawtin remix of Slam’s Positive Education.
Ocarina Records Ultimate Playlist - Volume 1
Ocarina is another really cool label which has some great alternative music talent on its books and they’ve created a playlist of all the music that inspires them. Check out Wilco, Devo, Squarepusher, Fleet Foxes and er, William Shatner.
