Lists
13 of the most influential house labels of the last decade
2007-2017 has been among house music’s finest decades
6 FXHE
In the past 10 years Omar-S has established himself as a tastemaker of the highest degree. The man knows rhythm and he uses his musical knowledge to craft deep and soulful house cuts. The home for his music, FXHE Records, is a crucial house outlet. Although material from outside sources besides Omar-S is few and far between, the label’s output possesses the epitome of Detroit house. A plethora of artists have graced the label, like Big Strick, Kyle Hall, Marcellus Pittman, Kai Alce, Ob Ignitt, Brian Kage, Fit and Gunnar Wendel and more, but Omar-S’ releases are definitive of a raw and gritty house sound that many try to emulate.
7 Exploited
Shir Khan’s Exploited imprint played a crucial role in the boom of house music that lead many EDM fans to search for the deeper and melodic shades of the genre. Label mainstay Claptone had a lot to do with it as well, with tracks like ‘Cream’, ‘Night On Fire, ‘Wrong’ and ‘No Eyes’ taking over every digital music chart on the internet at the time. The label is home to much more than that though, with standout releases from the likes of Adana Twins, Kyodai, Joyce Muniz, Urulu, DJ Sneak, Sirens of Lesbos, Compuphonic and loads more. The German imprint touches on a variety of styles, but the groove-based house music is it’s key output and is the reason why it’s a major player in the industry today.
8 Crosstown Rebels
Whether through its immersive events or the mesmerizing and hypnotic nature of its releases, Crosstown Rebels has been everywhere in the past decade. Helmed by Damian Lazarus, the label has released material from Skream, Jamie Jones, Laurent Garnier, Seth Troxler, Maceo Plex, Art Department, Dinky and Gorgon City, plus countless others. Not to mention when a Crosstown Rebels event pops up it’s not to be missed. Just look at its 24 hr Get Lost party that takes place in Miami and various locations around the world, and it’s clear the curation and vibe is as infectious as the talent that graces the decks. Crosstown Rebels has a strong presence in the industry year after year and is not to be overlooked.
9 Pampa
A couple standout gems from Axel Boman titled ‘Holy Love’ and ‘Purple Drank’ helped put Pampa Records on the map in 2010. It was released a year following the launch of the label by DJ Koze and Marcus Fink, which had Pampa building momentum. Since then the label’s been home to material from Robag Wruhme, Stimming, Isolée and more, but DJ Koze’s releases have made the label a powerhouse due to his unique output. Soulful yet energetic, ethereal yet straight-forward, simply put, Pampa is a label to watch for tasteful and cutting edge dance music that is always effective.
