RELEVANT PARTIES Carhartt WIP

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/

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/

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/

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

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/

We meet Bill Kouligas, the founder and label boss of the Berlin record label PAN which spans cutting-edge electronic music, avant-garde sound art, scuzzy noise and nauseating ASMR. Of all the labels featured on Relevant Parties so far, it’s probably home to the most extreme material – records that poke at the edges of what makes sound into music. Bill, who set up PAN in 2008, talks to Chal about the meaning of “difficult” music and the diversity of artists on the roster, from jungle auteur Lee Gamble to demonic pop sprite Eartheater. As well as digging into the label’s 13-year history, he also considers the post-pandemic future for underground culture.

Check out the accompanying RELEVANT PARTIES Playlist on Spotify: https://bit.ly/relevantparties_playlist

PAN: https://soundcloud.com/pan_hq | https://delinear.p-a-n.org/ | https://www.instagram.com/pan__hq/

Carhartt WIP: https://www.carhartt-wip.com/ | https://instagram.com/carharttwip/