If you've been keeping your ear to the ground in D&B, taking notice of emerging artists and labels, then I'm sure Cue Recordings has been on your radar ever since their debut release of Fred V's Catch You back in August 2010. The label has gone from strength to strength and their first release of 2012 looks back at the label's beginnings, while also pushing the imprint forward. We spoke to Cue Recordings owner Tom 'Tommy Dub' Whitlock as he reflects (pun well and truly intended) on the past couple of years and discusses the forthcoming Reflections EP.

Tell us a bit about the history of Cue Recordings, how did the label come about?
With the fear of not doing what makes me happy! I was living in the UK two years ago and met Fred V and Grafix who really inspired me with the drive they had for turning music into a career...  it gave me the confidence to attempt to do the same. I still work a full time job to keep the label going, but with every release, there's always other artists and label owners I meet who inspire me to keep going until the day it can stand on its own two feet!

What's it like operating out of Australia, is the local scene supportive?
Yeah, each city is really supportive as they are so far apart from each other (and everywhere else haha!) that we work together to make sure the scene down here is vibrant and growing. When I do get the chance to play shows in other cities, there's always someone that happily surprises me with a really positive comment about what Cue is doing. It's always great to know people are following our work in our own backyard!

How did the idea of the Reflections EP materialise?
Fred V put a lot of trust in Cue as, admittedly, we had no prior experience or idea what we were doing with 001. After its release, Mutated Forms expressed their enjoyment for Fred's tracks and, as I knew Fred really looked up to them, I wanted to do something to thank Fred for his trust and went about organising the remix. It was a really rewarding experience and I was so happy with how the track ended up, that I wanted to do it again for the other tracks. Luckily for me, each remix was just as rewarding and enjoyable as the first, and I'm already looking forward to volume two!

A wide range of styles and sounds are covered in the EP, was this a conscious effort?
Definitely! I'm really excited with how drum & bass is evolving at the moment and genuinely love every single style and sub-genre produced. I wanted to put together an EP that showed a full 360 of the genre, as that's what makes drum & bass so special.

 

You've chosen to release on 12", is the vinyl cause important to you?
I personally don't play it. But the feeling I get when I physically hold our work which, by the time it reaches me, is actually after everyone else, really makes me understand the importance and love the vinyl community get from playing and collecting. Vinyl also makes me think twice about what we release, as I need to make sure what I'm investing the label's time and resources in are going to be worth it. I have had some funny experiences from being in Australia, trying to get licences and organise pressings in Germany to distribute from the UK, but I get some great support from the guys at DeltaDisc and, once it's in my hands, it's all been worth it!

Looking back at your past releases, you've worked with a lot of fresh, up-and-coming artists, two of which have recently signed to Hospital Records as a duo (Fred V & Grafix). Why do you focus so much on the newer producers rather than sticking to the established names many others do?
Because theres so many great new artists! Drum & bass has some really brilliant and exciting new talent around at the moment and I think it's evident with the rise of so many new artists in 2011. I really want to be part of the next generation of producers and have the label built on their success. Hopefully this year, with a little more knowledge and momentum behind us, we can look to consolidate and build a family of our own!

So what do we have to look forward to from Cue in 2012?
A single from Koncept is up next and I'm really excited about this one, as its been getting some crazy reception on the dance floor. He is a great kid and has a lot of success ahead of him, so it's a real honour to be part of his catalogue this year - hopefully there's a couple more to come from him on Cue. There are a couple of other artists I'm betting on this year and we are working with them on tunes that will hopefully see a release on Cue. It's an exciting time for us and we have a lot of work to do to match (and beat) the first four releases on the label!

Anything else you'd like to add?
Just a massive thank you to everyone that purchases our music and supports the label. Your support doesn't just mean a lot, it means we exist. Thank you Cue crew!

Related Links:

• Cue Recordings Label Profile
• New Label Profile: Cue Recordings
• New Label Profile: Cue Recordings
• Grafix Guest Mix
• Fred V Guest Mix

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