Perc settles up in front of the fire & gives us the low-down on one of the freshest labels in techno right now...

Perc is a London based label owned and run by Alistair Wells aka Perc & Spartak. Musically the label's output ranges from deep tech house to driving techno. With a roster that includes Nico & Ed Rush, Forward Strategy Group,Ekoplekx, Justin Berkovi, Kyle Geiger & Perc himself, it's a label interested in more than one dimension.

Read on for a great insight into what keeps the label percolating....

When did you start the label ?

2004

Why ?

Perc Trax was initially launched as an outlet for my own music. Somewhere where I had complete control over the music released, the way it is promoted, the artwork and the mastering. All those ideals continue to this day but now the label has opened up to include a roster of artists including Forward Strategy Group. Donor/Truss, Sawf, Jeff Derringer, Ekoplekz, Dead Sound & Videohead and many more. I believe the supporters of the label are open-minded and like the way they don't know what to expect with each new release and even if it is a non-techno release then there is still a gritty/industrial sound to every release which people recognise as the Perc Trax sound.

Who or what was your biggest influence ?

Back when the label begun I was very much caught up in the looped techno sound of Drumcode, Primate, CLR etc. This was matched with a love of jackin’ Chicago sounds. Relief and Cajual were huge influences on me, especially the sound of early Green Velvet, DJ Sneak, Boo Williams, Glen Underground etc. Obviously tastes change but there is a lot of music from this era of techno that I still love today.

What was your biggest record ?...and the best?

The biggest selling vinyl release on Perc Trax was the Avus 12” with it’s James Holden remix. The best selling in terms of digital sales was my own Work Harder/Softer which sold amazingly well and set the label up for the album projects it has done this year. To choose a best record is hard but recently the Forward Strategy Group’s Network Infrastructure EP and my own My Head Is Slowly Exploding have had a big impact on me.

Can you make a living running a label ?

I can’t make a full living running the label, but maybe it is possible if you release music leaning towards the more commercial side of house and techno. Perc Trax though is one part of what I do, which also includes production work, remixing and Djing. Perc Trax is an essential part of this and will always be the primary outlet for my music.

If you could sign any artist, who would you go for ? And why?

Right now the Modern Love label is a huge love and influence of mine, so an EP from Miles or Andy Stott that compares to their output this year would be amazing. Going back in time and avoiding something obvious like Energy Flash then I would have loved to have signed something like Sneak’s ‘Runaway Train’ or Markey’s ‘Bounce’, those are amazing tracks that still do the business today.

Upcoming plans ?

Up next is Perc Trax’s 50th release which is by Ekoplekz with a remix from Cabaret Voltaire’s Richard H Kirk, after that is an EP from ASC, who serves up 3 tracks up bass heavy broken-beat techno. Then going further into 2012 there is the debut album from the Forward Strategy Group, which is sounding even better than I expected it to. There are also a number of confirmed Perc Trax showcases coming up next year including the first ever Perc Trax event in Berlin.

Keep up to date with all things Perc Trax at the linkage below:

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