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When XL started, back in the heady Acid House days of 1989, we specialised in the D.I.Y. hardcore rave sounds that were coming from London's suburbs. I was a teenager, making records and DJ'ing on pirate radio and in clubs. Alongside other independents like Shut Up And Dance and Suburban Bass, we helped shape a sound that was equally influenced by American urban music, Jamaican dub and reggae, and European electronic sounds. Our noisy, abrasive records were shunned by all media and had a fuck you aesthetic reminiscent of the two other great D.I.Y music movements- punk and hip hop. The scene was about home recording, white label record releases, pirate radio and illegal raves.
This spirit is neatly encapsulated by The Prodigy's Experience LP, the work of an Essex teenager, Liam Howlett, who recorded at home and borrowed samples from sources as diverse as Max Romeo, Ultramagnetic MC's and childrens TV programmes. His follow-up LP Music For The Jilted Generation, with its more sophisticated production and arrangements, stands up as one of the definitive works of electronic music.
In 1997 The Prodigy delivered their world-wide breakthrough LP, The Fat Of The Land; it charted at number one in 26 countries including the U.S.
Whilst continuing our unique partnership with Martin Mills' Beggars Group, we re-located from their Wandsworth H.Q. to our own offices off Ladbroke Grove in London, W11.
The incomparable Basement Jaxx were our next platinum artist; with Badly Drawn Boy's Mercury Prize winning debut album The Hour Of Bewilderbeast we broadened our musical horizons further.
Next came classic albums by artists including Leila, Peaches, The Avalanches, Gotan Project and Lemon Jelly.
Then we met Dylan Mills, an East London teenager who called himself Dizzee Rascal. His perceptive lyrics and groundbreaking production made his Mercury Prize winning album Boy In Da Corner every bit as uncompromising, uncouth and innovative as The Prodigy's early work. Like The Prodigy, Dizzee rose from the street, via pirate radio and raves, to critical acclaim and mainstream success; and with their respective homes of Bow, E3 and Braintree, Essex they grew up only a few miles apart.
We were sufficiently taken with a Detroit duo called The White Stripes to license their first 3 LPs; when Jack and Meg delivered their fourth LP, the number one multi-platinum 2003 release Elephant, they became perhaps the most original and important new rock group in the world. In 2005 they gave us their fifth album "Get Behind Me Satan", and with its accompanying hit singles like "My Doorbell" and "Blue Orchid", and the unmatchable live shows and videos they delivered, they cemented their permanent place in the rock pantheon.
In 2006 Jack (alongside his friends Brendan Benson, Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler) launched his new band The Raconteurs to huge acclaim and worldwide success.
Another highlight of 2006 was to be chosen by Thom Yorke, one of the most singular and brilliant talents of our generation, as the home for his extraordinary album "The Eraser", and to celebrate our first self-released US number one artist album.
We subsequently were more than honoured to be chosen by Radiohead to collaborate with them on the physical release of their astonishing "In Rainbows" album.
2007 proved to be an exciting year for XL, with stunning new albums from Dizzee Rascal, Devendra Banhart, M.I.A and The White Stripes, and the introduction of new artists such as Jack Penate and Cajun Dance Party. Both Adele and Vampire Weekend had debut singles released toward the end of the year, and albums released early in 2008 find them each enjoying spectacular success. We've always been fans of Sigur Ros and were thrilled they chose XL as the US home for their new project.
As we work alongside these extraordinary talents, we find ourselves in ever-changing musical terrain but with a focus that continues to intensify; to discover and nurture the most original and inventive artists possible, regardless of genre, and help them take their music to the widest possible audience- without compromise.
We're now able to assist friends such as Milo Cordell and his Merok label, Imran Ahmed and his Abeano imprint and Caius Pawson and his Young Turks set-up. And along the way we also find time to commit ourselves to occasional projects such as Aluminium and Serious Times which are esoteric but nonetheless still important to us.
The story of XL is an unusual one amongst record labels. We've become more committed to creativity as we've gone along. And whilst we seem to re-invent ourselves every few years around the talent we work with, one thing that remains constant is that we are 100% independent, continuing a great tradition of UK record label culture.
Richard Russell
2008
xl recordings,
one codrington mews,
london, W11 2EH
304 Hudson Street, 7th Floor,
New York, 10013
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At the top of the page you will see a list of the 15 most recently active artists. Here's a complete list of our current roster: