RAMP recordings, simply put, are one of the most important record labels of the moment. Last year saw a barrage of releases from some of the most talked about DJs in dubstep, garage, hip-hop and skweee. Names such as Zomby, Hot City, Ras G, Shortstuff and Flying Lotus all had releases in 2009.

Kmag managed to get a few minutes to talk to Tom, the owner of RAMP Recordings, to talk about what to expect in 2010, a secret obsession with deep house, and skipping school (stay in school kids!).

What inspired you to set up Ramp?
Well, it's one of those things you talk about as a stoned teenager with your friends, setting up a record label. I suppose the thing was, I was a bit more serious about it than my friends were.

The main reason I initially started the label was a lot of the artists I was listening to didn't seem to have a home. Two of my favourite albums from the early 00s were Dwight Spitz by Count Bass D, and From Artz Unknown by Kankick, both of which came out in 2001 I believe.

I just found it utterly shocking that artists like this seemed to have no support, while Madlib was having so much success with Stones Throw. In around 2003, I tracked both artists down, signed albums from each of them, got distribution, and here we are!

I was also very aware of how a lot of artists had been treated by certain labels, and wanted to try and make a platform where people would get paid for their sales, as well as get the promotion they deserved. A lot of labels seem to push their own brand before they push the artists, which I'm not too keen on, so I made a conscious effort not to push the Ramp brand. If you look at my releases, some of the records don't even have a Ramp logo on.

Another factor was other labels artwork. It all seemed so generic and boring, and still is. I have a big team of illustrators working for Ramp, who I like to give as much freedom as possible.

A big thing was to see fruit from my lifetime of complete and utter obsessing over music, especially as I am just some retard hick from Suffolk! I have no music industry background or experience whatsoever. It's nice for my Mum to see that years of spending all of my money on records and compulsively reading sleeve notes actually got me somewhere!

What can we expect from Ramp in 2010?
In the short term, we have singles from Shortstuff & Mickey Pearce, SBTRKT & Sampha,  FaltyDL, and albums and EPs from Ras G, P.U.D.G.E., Tokimonsta, Shortstuff.

In the long term, we are putting together releases from Computer Jay, Slugabed, Maxmillion Dunbar, Sampha, Clouds, and new boy becoming Real, who I'm really looking forward to getting out there.

I'm going to be concentrating much more on albums and EPs this year, pushing my artists to develop their sounds, cutting back slightly on the 12"s, but not too much.

What were your early influences in music, and what developed your current influences?
After pinching my older brothers Guns N' Roses records as a child, the first music I really got into independently were people like Public Enemy, George Clinton in all of his various guises, Bad Brains, The Goats, Faith No More.

When I was about 13, I got heavily into west coast Rap music, listening to lots of Eazy E and Ice Cube. From there, I went in all different directions, from soul and disco, to weird electronic stuff and indie bands like Sonic Youth.

The real turning point in my life to getting me to where I am now was when I heard Da Funk by Daft Punk for the first time, sitting in a car in the middle of a field getting stoned when I should have been in school. I was completely blown away. I rushed out, got Homework (which I still believe to be one of the greatest albums of all time), and listened to it over and over again. I still have the same battered copy.

Then, I started to try and track down some of the artists they were talking about, which lead me to all the great mid 90s house and techno stuff which I still collect.

I was really into garage, but being a bit of a deep house head, I had to hide my Locked On records from my friends. Grime and dubstep passed me by for a while. I was aware it was happening, but they didn't do much for me.

It wasn't until about 06/07 when things started getting interesting for me. Hearing things like the Kode 9 remix of Skeng and Left Leg Out by Mala really caught my attention, so started to look a bit deeper into the scene, and ended up signing 12"s from Zomby and Clouds. In more recent years, I have got a bit more into grime, thanks to Zomby sending me a load of stuff I hadn't heard before.

Anyone who you think we should look out for in 2010?
My new signing becoming Real I think is definitely one to watch, on some Terror Danjah meets Gang Gang Dance type thing. I'm very excited to hear more Jam City and Greena.

Rustie's album for Warp is going to be wicked. Clouds' album for Ramp is also going to be wicked. Computer Jay's album, again for Ramp is going to be, well, wicked. Am I allowed to mention any more Ramp artists? Sampha is going to do some great things. Brainmath is a label to watch too!

How do you think dubstep and bass music will evolve in the near future?
I think it has already started to evolve a lot; walls are starting to come down. Dubstep, house, hip hop, garage, they are all coming together to make a big beautiful sticky mess.

I think people are getting more and more open to listening to lots of different types of music, and not automatically thinking anybody who doesn't listen to their very specific type of music is gay. There are probably lots of other reasons why they are gay outside of the music they listen to.

 

Words: Joe Goldsworthy

 

Download the Ramp mix

1. Shortstuff Minimix
2. SBTRKT & Sampha - Break Off
3. Skweee Tooth Minimix
4. becoming Real - Fast Motion
5. FaltyDL - Hip Love (The xx Remix)
6. Tokimonsta - Cosmic Intoxication EP Minimix
7. P.U.D.G.E. - Idiot Box LP Minimix
8. Maxmillion Dunbar - Cool Water LP Minimix
9. Clouds - Cannibal Generals

 

• RAMP Recordings
,
• Shortstuff
,
• Tokimonsta
,
• P.U.D.G.E.
,
• Maxmillion Dunbar
,
• Clouds
,
• FaltyDL
,
• becoming Real
,
• SBTRKT
,
• Sampha

Related Links:

• Looking Back Looking Forward: RAMP
• Shortstuff & Brackles On Blunted Robots
• RAMP Marks 50 Releases
• Blunted Robot Profile
• August 2010 Dubstep Reviews

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