RELEVANT PARTIES by Carhartt WIP is a monthly podcast series dedicated to the work of groundbreaking record labels around the globe. In each episode podcast hos...
We meet Traci Washington and Florence J. Leigh from Detroit label Mahogani Music. Founded by house maestro Moodymann, the label is a living, breathing tribute to Detroit’s endless sonic innovation, from vintage soul and funk to soulful house and hip-hop.
Traci and Florence, the women who keep Mahogani running from their respective bases in Detroit and Vienna, Austria, talk with Chal about on their unusual roles as caretakers and collaborators on this resolutely underground label, and reflect on the unique artistry of label founder Kenny Dixon Jr. along with label staples Amp Fiddler, Andrés and Norma Jean Bell.
Check out the accompanying RELEVANT PARTIES Playlist on Spotify: https://bit.ly/relevantparties_playlist
Mahogani Music: https://mahoganimusic.bandcamp.com/ | www.instagram.com/mahoganimusic | https://soundcloud.com/MAHOGANIMUSIC
Carhartt WIP: https://www.carhartt-wip.com/ | https://instagram.com/carharttwip/
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1:10:46
Ed Banger
We meet Pedro Winter aka. Busy P, the founder of Ed Banger Records – the label that became the gateway drug for a generation of ravers and that pushed the indie kids onto the dancefloor with the sound of “heavy metal disco”. From the world-beating rocktronica of Justice to the outré electro of Mr. Oizo, from SebastiAn’s legendary remixes to Uffie’s addictive alt-pop, the ‘00s output of the Parisian label is unparalleled. In this episode, Busy P tells Chal about his evolution from teenage skate rat to Daft Punk’s manager, reflecting on the robots’ glittering legacy in the weeks after their split, and explains why the boundless creativity of the late, great DJ Mehdi was so crucial to Ed Banger’s success. Plus: some never-before revealed information about what’s inside Daft Punk’s helmets.
Check out the accompanying RELEVANT PARTIES Playlist on Spotify: https://bit.ly/relevantparties_playlist
Ed Banger: www.edbangerrecords.com | www.instagram.com/edbanger | https://soundcloud.com/edbangerrecords
Carhartt WIP: https://www.carhartt-wip.com/ | https://instagram.com/carharttwip/
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1:15:46
Exit Records
We meet Darren White, aka. dBridge, the founder of Exit Records. Setting it up the label in 2003, he dedicated himself to exploring new avenues rather than retreading old roads. From heavyweight dubstep to footwork fusion, the shape-shifting label has been breaking ground ever since. dBridge tells Chal about throwing himself into drum and bass after a turbulent childhood, becoming a pioneer of digital technology (and then going back to his analogue machines anyway), and his unending quest to push things forward.
Check out the accompanying RELEVANT PARTIES Playlist on Spotify: https://bit.ly/relevantparties_playlist
Exit Records: https://exitrecords.co.uk/ | https://www.instagram.com/exitrecordsuk | https://soundcloud.com/exitrecords
Carhartt WIP: https://www.carhartt-wip.com/ | https://instagram.com/carharttwip/
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1:12:50
On-U Sound
We meet Adrian Sherwood, the founder of On-U Sound, who’s done things differently right from the start. He started the label at the height of London’s “punky-reggae” moment and quickly put out dozens of groundbreaking dub recordings from acts including Creation Rebel, African Head Charge, New Age Steppers and Tackhead. Drawing on a loose collective of improvisers and wildcards – including Ari Up, Annie Anxiety and Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah – Sherwood leveraged his lack of musical training to produce some of the most influential records of the ‘80s. In this episode he joins Chal from his home in Ramsgate to talk about squatting with Ari Up and Neneh Cherry, dub reggae philosophy, and why you should never trust a hippy.
Check out the accompanying RELEVANT PARTIES Playlist on Spotify: https://bit.ly/relevantparties_playlist
On-U Sound: http://on-usound.com | https://www.instagram.com/onusound | https://www.youtube.com/user/onusoundrecords
Carhartt WIP: https://www.carhartt-wip.com | https://instagram.com/carharttwip
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58:52
Rush Hour
We meet Antal Heitlager, the founder of Rush Hour Records. Antal is obsessed with records – and in the 23 years since he started selling vinyl out of his university accommodation, he’s turned Rush Hour Records into one of Amsterdam’s most treasured dance institutions. His endless crate-digging has defined Rush Hour’s eclectic catalogue, where 80s coldwave and classic Chicago reissues sit alongside homegrown house from locals like Tom Trago and Hunee. In this episode Antal tells Chal how he’s kept his love of digging alive through thick and thin, traversing the shift to digital and surviving two bouts of cancer, to find that the best time for new music is always the present.
Check out the accompanying RELEVANT PARTIES Playlist on Spotify: https://bit.ly/relevantparties_playlist
Rush Hour: https://soundcloud.com/rushhourrecords/ | http://rushhourmusic.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/rushhourmusic/
Carhartt WIP: https://www.carhartt-wip.com/ | https://instagram.com/carharttwip/
RELEVANT PARTIES by Carhartt WIP is a monthly podcast series dedicated to the work of groundbreaking record labels around the globe. In each episode podcast host and music journalist Chal Ravens will delve into the stories behind the music, speaking to some of music culture‘s most important independent tastemakers, who are known for their love of music, enduring idealism, and singular drive. We want to find out what possessed them to take on one of the most challenging jobs in the music industry.
Subscribe to the podcast now and listen to a new episode every four weeks.
Check out the accompanying RELEVANT PARTIES Playlist on Spotify: https://bit.ly/relevantparties_playlist
Carhartt WIP: https://www.carhartt-wip.com/ | https://instagram.com/carharttwip/