Formed in 2005, CR2 Records was a naturally evolution of Credence Records (home to hits by Lee Cabrera, Dirty Vegas, and Eric Prydz). Marc Brown (half of Mync Project) set up the fully-independent label and manages to achieve both commercial success (Chuckie, The Egg) and credible club tunes. Their ‘Live and Direct’ series of mixed compilations are among the most consistently solid available. With a new collaboration with the classic Big Beat imprint, watch for big things from CR2.
DJ Ron Slomowicz: So Mark, CR2 has been together for how long?
Mark Brown: So we're in our fifth year now. It evolved off the back
of my previous label called Credence Records. CR2 is fully independent
and it’s exciting times for us at the moment as we've got lots of bit
projects happening. We just launched a new Miami album which is
released this week and we had our party last night which was sold out.
RS: I heard it was amazing.
Mark Brown: It was cool. I mean we got a really great venue and a
great sound system. It wasn't too big, like three hundred and fifty
people, so it was a really intimate atmosphere and it was a great
opportunity for all the different DJs to play on the roster.
RS: There isn’t one defined sound of CR2, you have everything
from like lounge house to the more aggressive Sidney Sampson stuff.
What is you’re A&R philosophy?
Mark Brown: It’s all about keeping things interesting and being in
touch with what the market wants to hear. We're always trying to sign
the next big thing. I totally respect labels that have one identity
and focus on one style of music. I want to be seen as a leader in
electronic dance music and always be forward-thinking, trying to sign
the next big superstar, and bringing those people through.
RS: For you, who is this next big superstar?
Mark Brown: I hate being put on the spot. Our next big superstar, I
think it’s going to be a new signing from before Christmas, his name
is Jacob Plant. He's an eighteen year old singer/songwriter. He's
been compared to Calvin Harris. I'm really excited with him. He's
going to be working with Missy Elliot, Kylie, and we're off to a good
start with him already. His MySpace is Jacob Plant Music, check him
out.
RS: You had a top ten hit with Chuckie this year. How did you
get your hands on that record?
Mark Brown: That record first surfaced this time last year. I heard
it out in a few clubs and one of our DJ/artists signed to the label,
Norman Doray was telling me about this record. I picked the phone up
and started doing some research and managed to get hold of the track
and we signed it forty-eight hours afterwards. So it’s a year exactly
since Chucky was born, letting the bass kick in Miami.
RS: Then it became a mash-up too.
Mark Brown: Yes, it was basically a mash-up which was done by a guy
called DJ Infinity.
It fused the acapella of LMFAO “I’m in Miami Bitch” with Chuckie’s
“Let the Bass Kick” record. I think it was a bit of a genre-defining
record really, it brought hip-hop and house music together for the
first time in a while. Both versions were cleared by various record
companies and we put it together as one record.
