10 best: labels of 2011

Economics may be against them, but record labels – those of the independent variety, at any rate – are more vital than ever.

With so much music being made, and with so many channels through which it can be pumped out and imbibed, labels play a vital role not just in getting important music to the right ears, but also in conferring value on that music – by giving it a physical life as a record, by presenting that record in a visually appealing fashion, by placing that record alongside others of similar or sympathetic orientation.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a white label grime 10″ or a lavish 5xLP box set – in the era of the mp3, pressing any kind of record is a serious act of devotion, and of sheer of bloody-mindedness. All of the labels we’ve selected as our favourites of 2011 sell their music digitally – not do so would be rather blinkered – but far more crucial, and telling, is that every one of them invests primarily in physical products. Some have been at it for decades, some a mere matter of months; some are large, multi-staffed companies, others are solitary bedroom operations. What bonds them all is their love of the record as an artifact, a fetish item, the ultimate expression of a musical idea.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011 at 3:33 pm and is filed under Features, Lists, Top Slider. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

  • Jean Michel Genre

    No Stroboscopic Artefacts?!

  • Btown

    No R & S – YU MAD!!?

  • peter

    No Modern Love? easily released 3 of the best 12″s  ive heard all year

  • Merowinger

    R & S?
    Hessle Audio?
    Hemlock?

  • mantar

    Numbers is a serious omission here - I know they’re a bit too obvious, but they’ve released some massive records.

    I was going to say that R&S would be in with a shout too, but not everything that they’ve put out has been gold. They’ve had a patchy 2011.

  • mantar

    Numbers is a serious omission here - I know they’re a bit too obvious, but they’ve released some massive records.

    I was going to say that R&S would be in with a shout too, but not everything that they’ve put out has been gold. They’ve had a patchy 2011.

  • Combobreakher

    numbers have been patchy too – that goldffinch thing is trash.

    the deadboy, mosca and dj pierre records were all really good though. not sold on the randomer or redinho stuff.

  • http://twitter.com/leisureleisure Leisure

    Mathematics deserved it.

  • http://twitter.com/geoffreyyyy geoff

    this year kind of sucked

  • http://twitter.com/geoffreyyyy geoff

    Stroboscopic Artefacts
    Mathematics Recordings
    M>O>S Recordings
    Mule Electronic
    Sandwell District

  • http://twitter.com/the_kort TheKort

    tri angle? they had a huge year. warp? also a huge year. honest jon’s also killed it, per usual.

  • Crab Person

    The Jamie XX thing was embarrassing as well. Hessle had a quiet year, but with the 116 & Rising compilation, Pangaea’s Hex and Peverelist’s Dance Til The Police come, I think they should’ve made it – quality over quantity. Stroboscopic Artefacts also should’ve made it, but I guess straight up (yet inventive) Techno isn’t really FACT’s thing.

    Keysound and 100% Silk are both good labels, but fourth and third best? I know these are mostly abritrary and fully subjective ratings, but come the fuck on…

    I haven’t heard enough of the first two labels, so I’ll refrain from making a judgement on them.

  • Pel

    Swamp 81
    Sacred Bones

    Planet Mu
    R&S

  • Nualafarring

    Genuinely stunned that Tri Angle isn’t on this list.

  • Anonymous

    + 1 for Stroboscopic Artefacts

  • CHARLIEDAY

    UNDERWATER PEOPLES!

  • Square

    Nah Tri Angle is pretty shit.

  • Crab Person

    No, it’s the list that kind of sucks.

  • Jean Michel Genre

    Indeed, Honest Jon’s…forgot about them!

  • Cantona

    Hotflush (again)

  • http://twitter.com/SOVIETPANDA PETER LAN$KY

    3024

  • http://twitter.com/SOVIETPANDA PETER LAN$KY

    3024

  • Dave

    what?  No Tri Angle?  ah, c’mon….

  • Jean Michel Genre

    I also think Raster Noton have had a big year…a number of more mainstream-leaning releases but loads of very enjoyable music. The Alva Noto album is a great example of this…

  • Jose Maria Mart Lo

    .a record label that deserves the top honors in my opinion its NNFUN……….they have put an healthy string of good albums in peaking lights,maria minerva,rangers and most of al the amazing KWJAZ.Also they have made the  rather decent   dance sublabel 100 silk .They have brought to us an really exciting new talent with ITAL.Also we cannot forget their records atwork.Also i miss planet mu here…..not a lot labels can claim they have such a good albums like Severant and most of all the mindtrip of an album that its Rooms.

  • sjsjsjsjsj

    yeah! Latest Mosca’s release is huge

  • sjsjsjsjsj

    I think Ramp(including PTN) is deserved it too

  • Swag

    HOT CREATION!?

  • vikipop

     
    r&s, modern love? cmon, you already should have known fact’s ĂĽber snobbish attitude. the more underground and unknown label there are, the cooler the list is haha. joke. I’m quite surprised that not not fun is not there though
     

  • mez

    bit late. however: 
    no swamp81? stroboscopic artefacts? no 3024? hotflush had a solid year too. too much faux interesting underground bullshit on this list imho

  • mez

    bit late. however: 
    no swamp81? stroboscopic artefacts? no 3024? hotflush had a solid year too. too much faux interesting underground bullshit on this list imho

  • mizuki

    planet mu

  • Langefinger

    No Skrot Up???

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