Winter Music Conference: Best Label Parties

March 11, 2009 12:41 PM
by Michael Maryanoff

It’s a little known fact that there will be so many parties at this year’s Winter Music Conference in Miami, that if you took one ticket from each event and stacked them one on top of another, they would be as tall as the Empire State building. All right, so maybe there aren’t that many parties going on at Winter Music Conference, but sometimes it can feel like it. What further complicates the issue is that sometimes you’ll spot a good DJ on a flyer only to see one hour of quality music and a few lukewarm acts. One way to separate the musical wheat from the chaff is to use the same method when you go shopping at Best Buy: only see the labels you can trust. This list is nowhere near complete, but it’s a good starting point at some of the best labels having parties during Miami’s Winter Music Conference.

#5 Best Label Party at WMC
Dirtybird Records at Doublegrand Waterclub Miami

There are many DJs out there today that stray from the beaten path of dance music, but there are very few who do it as successfully and non-pretentiously as DirtyBird records. Founded by Claude VonStroke, DirtyBird Records has succeeded in cultivating a sound as unique as it is eclectic. Anyone who has been lucky enough to catch the Martin Brothers the last few times they came to Miami, knows to expect a sound from DirtyBird that makes you want to shake your ass just as much as it makes you want to sit back and revel in the sublime musical oddities they have to offer.

Dirtybird Records @ Doublegrand Waterclub

#4 Best Label Party at WMC
Minus Records at Karu & Y Miami

The name Richie Hawtin has a lot of clout when it comes to techno, and with good reason. He’s been spinning the stuff when there still was a reason to be afraid of Detroit. Out of all the DJs on Minus, Hawtin’s name may be one of the few that would actually pop out on a flyer to the average dance music fan; but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the other DJs that boast the Minus label aren’t heavyweights in the booth. He has also been known to push the envelope when it comes to technology. At a recent Minus party, all of the DJs on the label were spinning simultaneously with their laptops synced via Ethernet cable. If you’re a fan of techno, seeing the Minus label is a definite seal of quality.

Minus feat. Ritchie Hawtin and Guests @ Karu & Y Miami

#3 Best Label Party at WMC
The Swedish House Mafia at Mansion Miami

House music has made inroads in places very far from its humble beginnings in Chicago. They might come from a land of snow and Herring, but their sound is right at home amongst the tropical weather in Miami, a city where you’re going to hear at least one of their songs on any given night on the town, especially during Winter Music Conference. They aren’t exactly a record label, but they hold enough sway on the dance floor and in the studio that you might as well consider them as one. If you’re looking to check these guys out during WMC, then there’s no better place than Mansion in South Beach, where these guys are hosting their all-out bash.

Swedish House Mafia @ Mansion

#2 Best Label Party at WMC
Finger Lickin’ Records at Ink Nightclub

If there is one generalization that can be made about Miami’s dance scene, it’s that we love house music. Sadly, that doesn’t present many opportunities for international breaks DJs to make the trek down here, other than of course Winter Music Conference. Just because you rarely see any of their names on a flyer in Miami, doesn’t mean they should be taken lightly. They are to nu-school breaks what Ansel Adams’ f/64 club was to photography. It sounds like a lofty statement, but they have won “Best Label” seven years in a row at the Breakspoll in London.

Hot Cakes vs. Finger Lickin’ @ Ink Nightclub

#1 Best Label Party at WMC
Nervous Records at Nocturnal Nightclub

Even though Nervous is the most tenured label on the list, don’t think that their penchant for old-school house music will hold them back from having a cutting-edge sound that is right at home in Miami. If listening to their music isn’t enough evidence of their compatibly with the City of Lights, take into consideration the fact that they recently filmed a DVD on the Space Terrace, have just released a compilation mixed by Miami’s own Armand Peña, and have both Oscar G. and Ralph Falcon on their label. At this year’s Winter Music Conference, Nocturnal will be hosting their label showcase.

Nervous WMC @ Nocturnal Nightclub