The home of supersonic sounds, CENTRL Music is a new label curated by the chart topping act Soul Central. Recognised for providing unforgettable listening and dancing experiences, expect bold beats, moving melodies and bumping basslines from this enviable stable. This imprint is more than just music, it’s a movement where music unites, inspires and influences future dance culture. Kickstarting with a timely rework of the all time club anthem ‘Strings Of Life’ which is globally revered as one of the most enduring anthems of our time the label features a run of releases from innovative artists that include Inner City and Syncia. Expect to see CENTRL to become a resilient beacon for the modern music scene.
How did you first start the label?
We have run and operated many labels over the years and 2023 felt the perfect time to refocus on a consistent outlet for our music. Working with so many artists and musicians that we respect was a logical decision to actively support them also.
Through other labels we’ve often not had the freedom and input to grow naturally. The same with signing material across, the ownership of certain songs and the decision making process for each release didn’t always land with us. Now, this is our opportunity to deliver music without restriction and from a position where we can be as creative as we want. To get this rolling, we reached out to long term friends and colleagues Andy Van and John Course from Vicious Recordings. They helped us set up a distribution deal and also offered the resources of their in-house team to help us make a major impact. Furthermore, our marketing head Sunita Dhaliwal from The Everyday Agency has relentlessly encouraged us to do this for some time. She was correct in the fact that it actively provides us a platform to unite our projects with the additional visibility to cut through the masses, whilst controlling timelines, being reactive to trends and more agile than the larger machines allow.
What was your vision and how has it changed?
This has been on our agenda for a while. Production and building out our audience came first. Following on from our exclusive vinyl only releases, going digital was always a firm focus. We really aim to be a global brand and excite clubbers from every corner of the globe. Thankfully the immediate attention that we received on our launch has fuelled us to keep pushing forward.
This was originally to be a home for Soul Central releases that were outside the box of the normal labels and genres we align with. CENTRL has fast become a home to many other artists wanting the same versatility and expression. Breaking down barriers is fundamentally what the dance music industry was first founded upon. So as a label this interests us in taking it back to what matters most. We also have a newly formed radio show to showcase new music, our influences and present the evolution of Soul Central. Essentially the past, present and future of our sound and share the stage with our friends and people we love to work with.
Share some label highlights or successes
The unparalleled love for our first three releases (various mixes of Strings Of life / Un Amore Supremo) has been absolutely incredible. From features and Hype charts on Traxsource and Beatport, to Radio stations across the world and top playlists, it really has inspired us to grow. Starting with our DJ Promo campaign through Promoly, the response to these tracks has meant the world to us as it was such an important and pivotal tune. As you can imagine, starting a fresh imprint and firing out your biggest tracks can seem daunting, but for us, it was the best way to step forward and show how we want to progress as a label.
We have some great releases scheduled and we really can’t wait to share them with the industry and all of the fans engaged already. To be honest. the highlights and success is really our journey so far. We’ve been fortunate to gain support from the likes of Gorgon City, Joseph Capriati, LF System, Honey Dijon, Jamie Jones, Paco Osuna, Fatboy Slim, Roger Sanchez, Pete Tong, LP Giobbi, Carl Cox, Danny Howard, Hannah Wants, David Penn, Sam Divine, Sarah Story and so many more.
Future releases or artists we need to know?
Syncia. He’s been our hot pick for a while and is making some serious waves this year. Positioning number one on Techno charts on both Beatport and Traxsource for his first few releases shows he’s going to rise and fast. His sound is expansive and deeply experienced, translating from dark Techno to Deep House at the flick of a switch. Edgy, innovative and a pure talent. His remix of Inner City which is coming up next will be a standout moment for us. Not only as friends and long term fans of Kevin Saunderson and Inner City, but this remix is something we’ve been wanting to release for some time, it’s absolutely huge.
Favourite part of being in the music industry?
Sometimes it may be tough navigating an ever changing beast, but the satisfaction of connecting with so many people whilst doing what we love is always an incredible experience. Not only as DJs and producers, we remain clubbers at heart. We love the raw and unadulterated energy of being on a dancefloor. This first ignited our initial flame and still holds true today. We seriously love creating and discovering new music and work really hard to ensure it gets into the right hands and reaches the masses. That is not only our forte, but also where the magic often happens and the fun begins.
Any advice for artists wanting to grow?
Stay grounded and focused on creating your own unique sound and style. Authenticity is always key. Work on your relationships and network with a consistent and positive approach. Good people and music go a long way, remember that. Appreciating and understanding the full cycle of releasing music and building your own audience is crucial to sustain in the current scene. Most importantly enjoy what you do.
Hype or news we need to know?
Soul Central feat Eman ‘Sleep Talk’ is due out in December. It’s already circulating with a handful of tastemakers and we’ve seen it tearing up clubs already. Sign up to receive updates from CENTRL Music as we’ve got a solid release schedule for next year planned, so be prepared for some seriously hot singles ahead. We’re now accepting Demos for a limited time, so we are encouraging music submissions from anyone that has something different to offer. We aim to be different. Fire across your unsigned House cuts but make sure they have a unique edge and are 4/4 and electronic focussed. We aren’t just looking for profile artists with a history, we aim to challenge the norm and shine a light on cutting edge and breakthrough acts that want to ignite the underground, not just the airwaves. One last thing, expect a run of label showcases in 2024 and a run of limited edition merchandise to land.
