Did you see this last month? Rise Of The Underdogs on ice-cool French imprint IM:LTD. Released just before Christmas it was in danger of being criminally overlooked amid the festivities… So we thought we’d return to it and give the label boss Caine a call. Turns out he’s got some very progressive thoughts about the old vinyl VS digital chestnut, and has heaps of interesting releases lined up for 2013. Let’s check-in…
Rise Of The Underdogs… Cool way to celebrate four years in the game, right?
“Yes of course! It’s been a lot of hard work but we do things our own way. We release the bangers we want when we want. And it’s down to the releases we’ve done so far. We couldn’t have developed our reputation without them. So it’s a nice way to remind people how good they are, and for new people to learn what IM:LTD is all about. They show our progression. Each one is relevant. For example there’s the very first release of Mortem, which remains our best seller! It’s a digital classic, no?”
‘Digital classic’. I’ve not heard that phrase before!
“This is the thing with digital… Everyone always wants the new stuff but there’s still this prehistoric recognition of the vinyl. I love vinyl, I’ve collected it for 20 years. I’m an enthusiast. I’m proud now that I’ve got something of my own on vinyl. But I can see why vinyl people look down on digital. They’ve only experienced the releases that never would have made the vinyl cut. People who haven’t finished producer school. So they think that’s all digital is. It isn’t: you get what you put into digital. If you take it seriously it’s the new industry standard. Even if you press a vinyl you’ll only make money from the digital sales. It’s more of a political statement to support your scene and not just download it for free. But they’ll only do it if the music is the best it can be. We’ve taken digital seriously and the quality control is just as tight as it would be on vinyl. Our digital releases are mastered so well you could mix it with vinyl. There’s no difference in compression. That master goes to the stores and the vinyl press.”
Quality. Literally! Do you think there’s a vinyl renaissance going on at the moment?
“Yes and no. Vinyl is more for promotion; for recognition; for visibility. To be taken seriously. The funny thing is; people think we’ve been a lucky digital label who’ve made enough to go digital. But this has always been part of the plan. Four years ago my strategy was to develop a strong reputation and solvability within the digital market. But I know releasing on vinyl won’t make the label or any of our artists big, like back in the day. It’s just been important for me to be able to do it. I’m a helpless romantic but that’s always been the master plan!”
How about the future master plan?
“You can expect the same thing we did this year. We’re going to try and keep up with the same productivity and continue to work with the artists we’re lucky to have; the guys who have stuck with the label will be pushed as much as possible. We’ve started to attract more attention from bigger names lately with remixes from Zero T and Bungle coming soon. In fact if any big names are reading who want to have a release then I’m sorry to say you’ll have to wait; there’s no space on the release schedule!”
Ha! Let’s chat underdogs. You guys consider yourselves underdogs?
“We’re underdogs because we’ve raised our profiles as artists from nothing. Who are we? We’re not from London where everything happens. We’re from little local scenes where it’s difficult to springboard into the mainstream.”
Give me your favourite underdogs…
“What’s your definition of an underdog? Is it a sorry loser? Is it the sorry loser who ends up kicking ass? Is it the guy who you don’t expect to succeed?”
All three please mate.
“Well the Blues Brothers, they’re my all time inspiration! Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver? He’s an underdog. Everyone who’s been successful in music has been an underdog; they’ve followed the rock n’ roll dream, you know?”
I do. What’s happening next then?
“I should be going out more! I should be DJing more and promoting more! So should my producers! We’re at the point where people are expecting to see us and find us. But the thing is we’re fucking nerds! We stay locked down making music and records and visuals and stuff like that.”
Not enough hours in day, man…
“Well our personalities don’t help. I see a lot of people who are very prompt on promo and have all their channels wide open but they got nothing to promote. We got shit loads of content but don’t shout loud enough.”
Sorry losers?
“Haha, maybe not. But we’re stepping it up. We want to share our music as wide as possible. I want a moshpit of my own someday.”
Give this guy a moshpit in 2013. Rise Of The Underdogs is out now and watch out for the massive Junction 12 EP featuring Es.Tereo, Kantyze, Mortem, Quartz, Gerwin and Atmosphere & S-VB out on January 28.