Warp Records

Beware the label-bashing below...

Warp records is a landmark on the electronic music scene that, with success and the inevitable evolution of electronic music, have a different focus to when they were so beloved by enthusiasts in the 90's.

Like any busy label, their releases are not always timeless and to everyones taste; and nor were those from the 90's.

The influence this label had when dance music and electronica were still growing will ensure it always has a chapter of its own in that story. As a sizeable institution on the independent music scene lets hope they can continue to support progressive and exciting artists

In 1998 Warp make a big deal of their 10 year anniversary, the tagline being "total fucking independence". They had a roster of the cream of IDM, and friendly affiliations with most everyone else in electronic music. True, the remixes comp they put out to celebrate this was weak and a clear signpost of IDM becoming a bit stale, but overall their profile was at its peak.

In 2008 there were no birthday celebrations. No special releases or flags being waved.
Maybe out of respect for the absence of the late co-founder Rob Mitchell. Or maybe just an acknowledgment that they are now just another London label, doing what it has to to stay in business - which has tended to mean signing some dubious acts and losing focus.

Perhaps this is what pissed AFX off so much that after the contractual-obligation releases [a remix album, and a reissue of the 2 rare EPs] he left under a cloud.

Perhaps this is why Plaid - surely a Warp fixture?!- were rumoured to be looking for a new label a couple of years ago?

Perhaps this is why such a once-hypermodernist label has a rarely-updated website, with nothing more interesting than release dates and accompaning PR paragraphs.

Perhaps this is why Bleep, after such a successful start, has become an also-ran. Boomkat literally piss all over Bleep in the downloads market, offering FLAC downloads to audio purists - where Bleep used to do so, but don't bother with them any more.

Though the last year has seen some interesting, worthy stuff, half of it seems like revisiting the past [Leila finds a new home on the label, AET's latest, more interminable Squarepusher and NOW] and half of it seems like box ticking / scene-chasing [Rustie remixing virtually every release, Gang Gang Dance, Flying Lotus, Hudson Mohawke]. And that's just the respectable stuff...

Doing what you have to to survive... is it really worth it? Do they really have hipster A&R men out there telling them what's cool, and signing a respectable token artist from every emerging scene? Because it looks that way, and that's not good. That's not pioneering or creative or interesting.

And when are they going to realise that Jamie Lidell is this decade's Jimi Tenor?*


*a waste of time.

Warp's decline has been long and painful, and there are potentially many reasons for this. I see some factors as being beyond their control.

First, their venerable acts have aged. Autechre, Aphex, Plaid and the rest of them aren't 20-something anymore. Consequently, their output quality and quantity have suffered. Most of them either never tour (Boards of Canada) or rarely do (Aphex). A two-day fest in London doesn't count.

Second, the label signed some very questionable acts in the early 2000s. What in the world was Vincent Gallo doing on Warp? Some others seem to be more concerned with their image than music.

Third, the genre that Warp really pioneered (IDM) ran out of steam early in this decade. Autechre in particular spawned countless imitations, none of which ever really improved upon the original formula. The genre is simply a dead end.

Furthermore, check out the number of reissues Warp produces. Everytime I visit their site, there's news about old recordings being republished. That's when you know you're through.

A once-great label that hit it's peak in the late 90's, before gradually falling away. The problem with Warp is that it now seems to focus on irritating post-Autechre/Squarepusher acts the same way that 'indie' pop bands (Franz Ferdinand, the Killers, Arctic Monkeys, whatever NME pimps next) rise and fall on commercial airwaves within the space of four minutes. They need to either bring about another revolution in electronic music as they have done before, or be done with it and, as has already been said, pull the plug.

It's sad to see how Warp gradually has lost it of late. In the 90's it used to be THE label to check, it put out innovative and beautiful records that never ceases to amaze. These days though it is just a shadow of its former self. Warp should do itself a favour and pull the plug, instead of destroying its own legacy by putting out an ever increasing number of mediocre records.

WARP is something full-size in music, a record label that left and will leave everlasting traces in Electronic music… wish all the best to this label, to continue on its great path with no ending, with the help of great artists such as Autechre, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, Plaid and Boards of Canada … my favorite artists and new upcoming performers. A scratch in music…

First off, let me just say Rest in Peace Mr. Mitchell. I have just read of his passing and a fond memory just surfaced...

In 1992 I walked into Warp Records as an Aussie seeking Drexciyan and Industrial Strength Techno. The guy behind the counter says to me "Nice Shirt, can I have it? So I give him the Stereo Sounds T-shirt off my back [it's the dead of winter mind] and throw my long sleeve back on. I meet and greet, asking about Darthouven Fish Men and Lagowski in the process when "Nice Shirt" returns again, wearing my size XXX [I am 6'6" tall] with a huge pile of records under his arm and plonks them down on the counter and says "That should get you started". LFO, Autechre, Richard H. Kirk, Lagowski, Beaumont Hannant, Drexciya, UR, Joey Beltram, etc etc, about 40 records all up. "Back of the net!!!!"

Thousands of records later and my head is still spinning!

Thankyou W.A.R.P. for pointing me in the very best direction and thankyou Rob & Steve for that warm welcome to Sheffield on that ridiculously cold morning!

p.s. My very best friend during my years in Sheffield was the dentist for Rob & Steve and the guys from W.A.R.P. and he got paid for many years in..wait for it,.... vinyl!!! Classic and killer records for his dentistry work, lucky bastard has about 3000 records, from Nu Groove to Now....and he also happened to live behind the guys from Autechre.

I have to salute WARP as being the absolute greatest label for electronic music ever. I feel that they really are putting effort into letting experimental artists (such as Autechre, Aphex Twin, Boards of Canada and likes) do their thing; instead of Other Labels (none mentioned) which seems to push the artists in certain directions of their own interest. It might be very personal (since the vast majority of artists tied to this label are absolute favorites of mine), but that's what it's all about - isn't it?

I believe Warp Records is going to be studied in school music classes within the next 10 years.When it comes to pioneering visionaries they are in a field of 1,the whole world needs to know what theese people have done for music.

Weird And Radical Projects(W.A.R.P)are the greatest label EVER.Before I bought Artificial Intelligence 1(my first Warp purchase)I only had a passing interest in "dance" music,that cd changed my whole outlook on what I thought was good music,I only ever listened to american alternative rock bands(Big Black,Sonic Youth,Husker Du etc)and early Creation stuff(My Bloody Valentine's Loveless is one of the greatest albums ever).Now I pretty much only listen to IDM,glitch or whatever pigeon hole you want to put it into.