Now the world’s biggest house outfit, Defected Records started life in a small office in Soho where boss Simon Dunmore dreamed of creating a label as big as Motown. Fed up of life with the majors at A&M Records, Dunmore and partner Janet Bell decided to go it alone, making Defected into a publishing house where their love of dance music came first.
Central to Defected’s success is their policy of nurturing raw talent. In Dunmore ’s own words - “ Whenever I ask someone to sign with us, I always get them to consider all the other artists who’ve stuck with for so long already. That doesn’t happen if you treat people badly.” This hands-on approach to music making means that although the label is now inflated and successful, it remains a close community of like-minded music makers. Thus, it’s able to push house music forward as a united front.
This is best seen at the headline night – “In The House” – at Pascha in London and at the sister club in Ibiza and heard on the special compilations, mixed by Dunmore , of the same name.
By Tom Knight
Features
