21.12.09
Top Labels Of 2009
Deciding the top artists or tracks of 2009 would be way too difficult for me, I personally saw a big change in the niche genres I was following and playing, and my eyes have certainly been opened to some fantastic new sounds and innovators this year. So without having to trawl through too much music here's a summary of my favorite labels this year as well as some mp3s highlighting my picks from their releases. Might not be too many surprises in there for regular readers.




05. Mad Decent


Diplo's very own and now well established label just has to be in the top 5 for me this year. If not only for L-Vis 1990's debut Mad Decent release 'United Groove', which rapidly took over the world like the lyrics imply and rose to the top of everyone's charts, but this year saw more fantastic releases from Diplo & Blaqstarr, Jaimie Fanatic, Buraka Som Sistema, Maluca and it would be wrong not to mention the insane Major Lazer output that has pumped everyone over the past few months. Buy music from Mad Decent now from Beatport and Juno.

L-Vis 1990 - 'United Groove' //128kbps ♫
Diplo & Blaqstarr - 'Get Off' //128kbps ♫
Maluca - 'El Tigeraso (Sticky K Remix)' //320kbps ♫





04. Hotflush Recordings

I know its late, but only this year have I honestly really got into any sort of Dubstep at all and its labels like Hotflush Recordings that have managed to opened my eyes. Unable to get into the intense wobbles of Dubstep in 2008, I've discovered different sides to the genre I didn't know, thanks to the output of Hotflush this year from Pangaea, Mount Kimbie, Untold and of course that iconic debut from Joy Orbison, 'Hyph Mngo' which I think is a safe bet for a lot of people's top tracks of 2009. Buy music from Hotflush Recordings now from Beatport and Juno.

Joy Orbison - 'Wet Look' //128kbps ♫
Mount Kimbie - 'Serged' //128kbps ♫
Untold - 'Just For You' //128kbps ♫





03. Hemlock Recordings

Along the same lines as Ive already said for Hotflush, Untold's own imprint Hemlock Recordings has certainly caught my attention this year, a label with clear aims of innovation, run by one of the leading innovators in British music right now. After just over a year in business Hemlock has so far mainly been an output for Untold's new music including his impressive 'Gonna Work Out Fine' double 12" EP, but this year has also seen releases from Fantastic Mr Fox & Rich Reason and an incredibly well received debut from James Blake who also returned later in the year with a ground breaking remix of Untold's 'Stop What You're Doing'. Buy music from Hemlock Recordings now from Beatport and Juno.

Untold - 'Don't Know. Don't Care' //128kbps ♫
James Blake - 'Air & Lack Thereof' //128kbps ♫
Untold - 'I Can't Stop This Feeling (Pangaea Remix)' //128kbps ♫





02. Nightshifters

The work DJ Donna Summer and Jubilee have done with this label should not be ignored, and this hard work has ensured that Nightshifters has gone from strength to strength this year. With each release more impressive than the last and intense backing from some of the best remixers in the scene, its been a big year for this digital only label with huge releases from its core artists AC Slater, Hostage, Rob Threezy, Rampage as well as drops from Udachi & Jubilee and even a Free EP from DJ P.O.L Style. Buy music from Nightshifters now from Beatport and Juno.

Rob Threezy - 'The Change Up' //320kbps ♫
Hostage - 'Valhalla' //320kbps ♫
Rampage - 'Loving You Is Easy' //320kbps ♫




01. Sound Pellegrino

This might not be much of a surprise, considering that pretty much every single Sound Pellegrino release has been covered on the blog. Run by the Sound Pellegrino Thermal Team of Orasmic & Teki Latex this digital only division of Institubes has now seen 9 releases in the short time its had this year, thats almost 1 per month for us lucky, lucky consumers. I for one anxiously await each release, and the artists taken on board by Orgasmic & Teki have all been hand picked from the cream of the crop, with Zombie Disco Squad, Harvard Bass, Renaissance Man, Momma's Boy, Gucci Vump and L-Vis 1990 and more all putting out exceptional EPs in this labels magnificent first year run. Buy music from Sound Pellegrino now from Beatport and Juno.


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Posted by RJ on 21.12.09
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