Top Labels

Data - Data Records is the commercial house branch of clubbing behemoth Ministry Of Sound, one of the world's most famous and recognisable dance music brands. Adopting a blue print of scouring the underground for hits and turning them into massive commercial club monsters, Data has been responsible for bringing many a club track to the top of the pops. Everyone from Zombie Nation to Benny Benassi, via Eric Prydz and Kid Cudi have secured ubiquity thanks to Data.

Delusions Of Grandeur - A sub label of Jimpster's Freerange imprint, Delusions Of Grandeur specialises in those slow-to-mid tempo disco and house nuggets that adorn the set of many a discerning DJ. The label announced itself to the world with a superb EP in the shape of Craig Smith & The Revenge's The Soul Part II in April 2009, and has made no concessions in the quality stakes since then, with sterling releases from the 6th Borough Project (another Revenge moniker), Manolo, Session Victim, Trickski and Tornado Wallace.

DFA US - The all conquering label DFA will go down as one of the most important record labels of the nougthies, and maintains its allure today by releasing a steady stream of killer disco 12"s and eclectic albums. The label was launched in September 2001 by Mo' Wax co-founder Tim Goldsworthy (who has since left the fold), Jonathan Galkin and LCD Soundsystem man James Murphy. As well as hosting output from LCD Soundsystem, the label has also released a slew of disco 12"s from New York based artists like Still Going, Runaway, Juan Maclean and Shit Robot, while its Death From Aboard wing has looked after international acts including Hot Chip and Shocking Pinks. DFA is also responsible for a slew of impressive albums from like The Rapture, Black Dice, Hercules & Love Affair and Juan Maclean.

Digital Soundboy - Launched by jungle pioneer, scene stalwart and original nuttah Shy FX, the Digital Soundboy imprint has gone from strength to strength since it was first established in 2005. Originally more of an outlet for D&B productions, it has now become the go-to label for an all-encompassing melting pot of sounds - dubstep, breaks, dancehall and UK funky have all made their mark in at Digital Soundboy. Shy FX & T-Power's "Diary Of A Digital Soundboy", which was released in 2005, marked the first of a slew of hits for the label. Recent releases have included Redlight's "Stupid", Attaca Pesante's "Make It Funky For Me", Donae'o's - "Riot Music" and Rockwell's Stowaway EP. A special mention must go to Breakage's Foundations album, which was released in early 2010 - a stunning sophomore outing featuring guests Skream, Burial, Roots Manuva, David Rodigan and Newham Generals.

Diynamic Germany - Since its debut release from label founders Mladen Solumun and Adriano Trolio in 2006, Hamburg based imprint Diynamic has played host to a clutch of the most respected names within deep house and techno. Alongside music from Trolio and Solumun, Stimming and H.O.S.H. have remained mainstays of the label with over fifteen Diynamic releases between them. In addition, major European talent such as Spanish deity Isolee, German duo Kollectiv Turmstrasse and Scandinavian cheese obsessives OST & Kjex have graced the imprint.

Domino - From the financially humble beginnings of starting a label of the back of £40 a week enterprise allowance scheme, Domino has gone on to become one of the UK's most established independent labels with offices in New York and Berlin. The label is characterised by an uncanny ability to sign some zeitgeist defining artists - with the likes of Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys and Pavement amongst a plump roster. In terms of electronic music, Four Tet has a long established relationship with Domino, releasing all his albums via the imprint and more recently the label has been involved with niche acts like Bonde Do Role, Yo Majesty and Count and Sinden.

Dub Police - Caspa's highly prolific dubstep label, Dub Police exists alongside sister labels Sub Soldiers and Storming Productions, and has a reputation for catering to the more boisterous side of the 140bpm genre with dubbed and half stepped beats from Trolley Snatcha, Emalkay, The Others, Caspa, Rusko, Subscape and more. Aimed at providing a platform for up-and-coming artists, as well as the more established lynchpins of the scene, the Dub Police imprint has been steadily gathering force since it came into being in 2004. Part of this success can perhaps be attributed to the ever-popular, Dub Police club nights, which are held at fabric and remain one of the biggest dubstep parties in the scene, alongside the FWD vs Rinse events. Influential cuts from Dub Polics include Caspa - "Cockney Violin" (2006), the six-part "License To Thrill" series, released between 2007-2008, and the My Style compilation, mixed by Caspa in 2010.