Top Labels

New State - Amongst the superclub-branded mixes and TV advertised Hacienda collections, compilation specialists New State have actually released some great music. A flick through their vast back catalogue reveals such gems as Re-Animated, a must-have collection of weird and wonderful remixes from Erol Alkan and Richard Norris's Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve project. Equally as worthy is Township Funk, a Mujava-inspired trawl through South Africa's little known 'township house' scene. Outside of mixes and comps, they've also released a number of artist albums, most notably from Uwe Schmidt's Senor Coconut alias, BT and veteran US garage heads Blaze.

Ninja Tune - What else is there left to say about Matt Black and Jon More's fiercely independent Ninja Tune imprint? For over 20 years, the London-based label has consistently confounded expectations, flitting between sounds and genres almost at will. A cursory glance at their back catalogue will confirm their eclectic credentials; from hip-hop to house, jazz to electronica, dubstep to rock, Coldcut's Ninjas have released it all. Along the way, they've broken and nurtured countless acts, from Amon Tobin, Cinematic Orchestra and Roots Manuva to Floating Points Ensemble, Bonobo and the Heavy. Two decades on, they're still at the top of their game - as 2010's impeccable 'Ninja Cuts XX' compilations neatly prove.

Nukleuz UK - Founded in 1996 by industry impresario Peter Pritchard, Nukleuz has grown to become one of the UK's premiere imprints for commercial and harder dance styles. Whislt the early years focused on purely funky house from the likes of Andy Farley, Mauro Picotto and Mario Piu (remember "Communication"?) Nukleuz really hit paydirt with a move towards hard house around the turn of the century. Iconic names such as Lisa Pinup, Fergie and BK are some of the glossier names on this long running imprint. The decision to implement colour coded vinyl to differentiate between the various genres was also a smartly thought out, unique selling point