Page 18 - Zone Magazine Issue 011

feature
__________________________________________________________________________________
If you are a fan of dance music the names ‘Hardwell’ and ‘Revealed Recordings’ will be ones that are instantly recognised and ones whose history are intertwined. The Twice topping ‘DJ Mag Top 100 Poll’ winning Dutch DJ originally started the label as an outlet for his own productions and collaborations in 2010, but since then it has grown into so much more, with over 260 releases of which 47 have become Beatport number 1’s and over 170 have made it into the Beatport Top 10.
Considering that the label has only been in existence for 6 years and from such humble beginnings, it is fair to say that it is one of the global success stories of the Dance Music Industry that from my perspective knows no parallel. It has also launched the careers of the likes of: Dyro, Dannic, Julian Calor, Thomas Newson, Kill The Buzz and many more and is now also famous for its tours, events and high profile residencies in Ibiza and beyond.
From an A&R perspective, it has been Hardwell’s approach of scouring the globe in search of new talent that has delivered in spades for the label and some would say that it was his tearing up of the rule book that has made him into the legendary figure that he is today. Instead of just waiting for demos to land in his inbox, he has actively gone on a mission to discover and nurture new talent from all over the globe and it is this philosophy that has set ‘Revealed Recordings’ apart from many other labels in the globe.
And now that he has the success that only most can dream of, instead or resting on his laurels, he continues to search for new talent with his album series, ‘Hardwell Presents Revealed’ which offers listeners a real taste of all that is
new, good and great about the electro dance scene today. He has recently released his sixth edition of the series which features music by: Futuristic Polar Bears, HIIO, Olly James & LoaX and many more and again, the album has been well received by the press and public alike.
Another string to his bow is his ‘Revealed Radio Show’ where again instead of sticking to the usual suspects, he still champions music from an ever talented array of new artistes on a regular basis, as well as featuring guest mixes by the good and the great alike like: Afrojack, Bassjackers, Sick Individuals, and Hardwell himself who all play the music that they feel is the next big thing, and not what's already out there and being hammered to death by so many other radio shows that like to play it safe to keep the ratings up.
‘Revealed Recordings’ has become a global brand now and one that regularly tours the World. They have in fact staged events in America, Canada, Greece, Switzerland, Austria and Netherlands, and have played host to arena stages at some of the biggest festivals in the World such as ‘EDC Las Vegas,’ ‘Ultra Music Festival,’ ‘Creamfields,’ Tomorrowland and many more. In fact you could almost say that a sign that if your festival is great enough is, if ‘Revealed Recordings’ are hosting an arena at your event!
To fully gain an insight into Revealed Recordings ethos, the best way that I could think of to explain the philosophy behind it all is to ask the man himself so without further adue Here is what Hardwell had to say about Revealed Recordings:
Firstly thanks for taking the time out from your busy schedule to answer these questions, our readers greatly appreciate it. My first question is about Revealed Recordings inception, in 2010, what made you start your own label?
Setting up a label was something I had
thought of before. I always wanted to have full control of my music and that even includes how the music is managed ones it leaves my studio and is signed with a label. So owning my own label was a way to control this aspect of my music even more. The other reason is because I’d also been through the process as an artist wanting to get signed various labels before and knew of the struggle you face and how you often get treated. So I wanted to build a platform that wasn’t just for my music, but also to help others and use it as a home that new talent would know they could come to and their music would be taken of in the best way possible.
As it started growing in stature, how did you manage to cope with such a successful label alongside your other commitments to DJing and producing tracks etc?
It was a lot of work and once it really started gathering pace it was a lot to keep up with, so I decided to put together a team to help me run the label. It’s the only way possible. I’ve always been heavily involved, and continue to be involved in all aspects, mostly because for me it’s an obsession. A healthy one but one I truly love being a part of the process every step of the way. The smart thing about running a label is being open to ideas and not closing the door on new talent. We’re always pushing forward, seeking out new talent and constantly talking about new music and sounds and styles that have grabbed us lately. From managing the release schedule to the artwork, you have to keep a constant proactive approach to make sure every release that goes out is treated with the same level of passion and commitment.
You have always made it a policy to break new musicians and new music with the label and you have specifically gone out of your way to give these new artists a chance to succeed, how do you find the time to sift through all of the new music that is offered to you?
__________________________________________________________________________________
Revealed Recordings With Hardwell