- Studio !K7
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Studio !K7 
Founded 1996 Founder Horst Weidenmüller Genre Electronic Country of origin Germany Location Berlin Official Website http://www.k7.com/ Studio !K7 is an independent record label based in Berlin, Germany that focuses mostly on electronic music. The name is an abbreviation of the company's original Berlin address, Kaiserdamm 7 (they have since relocated to Heidestr. 52). !K7 has since opened branch offices in New York City, Hamburg, London, and Tokyo. It has four independent imprints as part of the K7 label group. !K7, Gold Dust, Strut and Rapster.
K7 has a licensing deal with the New York based indie label Frenchkiss Records, distributes the labels BBE, District 6, Environ, Get Physical, Ghostly International, Kindred Spirits, Lo Recordings, R2, Rushhour, Skint, Salt Records and Muthas Of Invention and has a music publishing company.
Contents
History
Studio !K7 today is best known for producing electronic music artists and especially for the DJ-Kicks compilations. Its history finds its beginnings back in 1985 with the idea of releasing digital video clips. 1991 saw the release of the first of the 3LUX series (three volumes), followed by the X-Mix series (from 1993 to 1998), the specially mixed DJ sets, also available on longform videos.
Ten years later, the DJ-Kicks series came to life. Its concept was innovative, since complete albums with DJ cuts to be played on your home stereo were unknown at that time. Artists such as Kruder & Dorfmeister, Nightmares On Wax, Thievery Corporation and Stereo MC's Chromeo, Booka Shade and many more contributed releases.
In 1996, !K7 started launching artist albums. Currently the !K7-discography features albums from artists such as Kruder & Dorfmeister, Matthew Herbert, Dani Siciliano, Ursula Rucker, Swayzak, and Boozoo Bajou.
In 2001, Rapster Records, a new label under the !K7 umbrella, started focussing on Urban, Soul and HipHop. Since then, Rapster has been releasing records by DJ Jazzy Jeff, Pete Rock and Roy Ayers, amongst others. Rapster also forged an alliance with UK based soul aficionado Peter Adarkwah whose label BBE has been dealing in diverse, eclectic sounds covering many genres from old scratchy Brazilian grooves through 70's funk via jazz fusion and new hip hop for over a decade.
With its newly founded subsidiary Ever Records in 2006, !K7 has become a platform for Indie bands and singer/songwriters such as Cortney Tidwell, Cyann & Ben, and Howie Beck.
In 2008 Strut & Gold Dust Media joined the !K7 label group. Between 1999 and 2003 Strut released everything from Nigerian Afrobeat to Leftfield Disco to Rare Groove. The release of Grandmaster Flash’s new album will also take place this year. Strut’s founder, Quinton Scott, is responsible for A&R. Gold Dust Media is A & R’D from the US office of !K7 and will focus mainly on American artists.
Notable artists
- A Guy Called Gerald
- John Acquaviva
- Boozoo Bajou
- da damn phreak noize phunk
- Chris de Luca
- Sean Deason
- Benjamin Diamond
- Vikter Duplaix
- Fehlfarben
- Five Deez
- Funkstörung
- The Herbaliser
- Herbert
- Beth Hirsch
- Nick Holder
- Interstellar
- Khao
- Koop
- Kruder & Dorfmeister
- Mike Ladd
- Milosh
- Nicolette
- Out Hud
- Erlend Øye
- Terrence Parker
- Peace Orchestra
- Playgroup
- Princess Superstar
- Stacey Pullen
- Quiet Village
- Rae & Christian
- Ursula Rucker
- Ian Simmonds
- James Sims
- Shantel
- Dani Siciliano
- Smith & Mighty
- Spacek
- Stateless
- Swayzak
- Terranova
- Tosca
- Trüby Trio
- Gez Varley
- Voom:Voom
- Wamdue Kids
See also
External links
Categories:- Record labels established in 1996
- German independent record labels
- Electronic dance music record labels
- Electronic music record labels
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