Ninja Tune’s Matt Black, Jonathan More and Peter Quicke will receive the Innovator Award at AIM’s Independent Music Awards.
The award, which was won last year by Steve Goodman, aka Kode9, recognises the achievements of an artist, label or entrepreneur pushing the boundaries of independent music.
Ninja Tune was founded in 1990 by Black and More, better known as Coldcut, and has been run for 23 of its 25 years by label manager Quicke. The judges congratulated the “visionary label” for its diverse roster of artists – including Amon Tobin, Bonobo, The Bug, Mr. Scruff, Kelis, Machinedrum, Roots Manuva and Wiley – and the founders’ constant efforts to embrace technology and find innovative uses of software, and pointed out the other key labels under the Ninja Tune umbrella, including Big Dada, Counter Records and Actress’ Werkdiscs, and a partnership with Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder imprint.
“It’s a real honour to get this award,” said More. “AIM is so crucial in fighting the indie labels corner – making that collective voice heard where it counts. We started Ninja Tune with a firm belief of being 100% independent. That belief has not changed after all these years.”
The awards are voted for by a panel of judges from across the media and music industry, including FACT, BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra and 6Music, The Quietus, NME, Kerrang! and Boiler Room.
Earache Records boss Digby Pearson was previously announced as the winner of this year’s Independent Music Pioneer Award, which recognises a visionary independent label founder. The rest of this year’s winners will be revealed at an awards ceremony in London on September 8,
FACT met Jon More and Peter Quicke in 2012 to dig into the label’s two-decade history, while Joe Muggs explored the enduring appeal of Coldcut’s Solid Steel mix series.
