Lex Records
Encyclopedia
Lex Records is an independent record label
founded by Tom Brown in 2001
. The label was an imprint of Warp Records
and run from their North London offices, until September 2005.
Lex has a low volume of releases, rarely releasing more than three albums annually. The label is not focused on one particular genre although most releases are hip hop
, alternative rock
or electronic music
.
Lex albums are often collaborations between members of the label roster and musicians from elsewhere. These collaborative projects include Boom Bip
with Gruff Rhys
, Jneiro Jarel
with Khujo Goodie, and Doseone
with Mike Patton
& Tunde Adebimpe
.
Recent releases include Neon Neon
's Mercury Music Prize nominated album Stainless Style
and DOOM
's Born Like This
, an audiobook and score for Alan Moore
& Mitch Jenkins' Unearthing
and Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi's album Rome
featuring Jack White
& Norah Jones
. Forthcoming releases include the debut album from the Nevermen.
Lex packaging is striking and often elaborate. Most Lex sleeve artwork is by Ehquestionmark. Other sleeve artwork has been created by Kid Acne
, James Jarvis
and SSSR.
Former
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
founded by Tom Brown in 2001
2001 in music
See also:* 2001 in music Record labels established in 2001-Events:*January 1**Comeback of Guns N' Roses in House of Blues**Hum disbands.*January 17 – Bass player Jason Newsted leaves Metallica after 14 years with the band....
. The label was an imprint of Warp Records
Warp Records
Warp, commonly referred to as Warp Records, is a pioneering independent British record label, founded in Sheffield in 1989, notable for discovering some of the more enduring artists in electronic music....
and run from their North London offices, until September 2005.
Lex has a low volume of releases, rarely releasing more than three albums annually. The label is not focused on one particular genre although most releases are hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
, alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
or electronic music
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
.
Lex albums are often collaborations between members of the label roster and musicians from elsewhere. These collaborative projects include Boom Bip
Boom Bip
Bryan Charles Hollon, better known as Boom Bip, is an American producer and musician. His music is mostly instrumental, but over the course of his career he has collaborated with several vocalists. He is currently signed to Lex Records, which, until 2005, was a division of Warp Records in the...
with Gruff Rhys
Gruff Rhys
Gruffydd Maredudd Bowen Rhys is a Welsh musician, performing solo and with several bands, including Super Furry Animals who obtained mainstream success in the 1990s. He also most recently formed the electro-pop outfit Neon Neon with Boom Bip. Their album Stainless Style was nominated for the 2008...
, Jneiro Jarel
Jneiro Jarel
Jneiro Jarel is a United States-based music producer. For over a decade he has provided listeners with an eclectic mix of sounds ranging from hip hop, to electronica, to electro-pop, to Brazilian funk, to bass music. Noted for his abstract style, he is also known for his beat-making alias Dr...
with Khujo Goodie, and Doseone
Doseone
Adam Drucker, better known as Doseone , is an American MC, artist, and poet from Idaho. Dose is known for his nasal, high pitched, fast polyrhythmic rapping style and abstract lyrics. He often simultaneously performs synth, sampler, or keyboard on stage. His words tend to express upon topics of...
with Mike Patton
Mike Patton
Michael Allan "Mike" Patton is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and actor, best known as the lead singer of the metal/experimental rock band Faith No More. He has also sung for Mr...
& Tunde Adebimpe
Tunde Adebimpe
Babatunde Omoroga "Tunde" Adebimpe is an American musician, actor, and director best known as the lead singer of the Brooklyn-based band TV on the Radio. His vocal method often involves improvisation, the use of effects and repeating sampled loops....
.
Recent releases include Neon Neon
Neon Neon
Neon Neon is a collaborative project from producer Boom Bip and Gruff Rhys, the frontman for the Welsh rock band Super Furry Animals. They began work on the project in October 2006 originally under the moniker Delorean...
's Mercury Music Prize nominated album Stainless Style
Stainless Style
Stainless Style is the debut album from Neon Neon—a project from Super Furry Animals front man Gruff Rhys and electronic artist Boom Bip—which was released in March 2008 via Lex Records. The album was streamed in its entirety on the band's Myspace page for one week before its physical release...
and DOOM
MF Doom
Daniel Dumile is a hip hop artist who has taken on several stage names in his career, most notably MF DOOM, where the "MF" stands for metal face, and for tracks he has produced, metal fingers...
's Born Like This
Born Like This
Born Like This is an album by American hip hop artist MF DOOM, released under the shortened pseudonym DOOM on Lex Records on March 24, 2009. It debuted at #52 on the Billboard Chart, having sold 10,895 copies as of March 29. In addition to tracks produced by Doom, the album includes production by...
, an audiobook and score for Alan Moore
Alan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
& Mitch Jenkins' Unearthing
Unearthing
Unearthing is an essay written by Alan Moore and originally published in Iain Sinclair's 'London: City of Disappearances' in 2006. It has subsequently been developed into a photographic book in collaboration with Mitch Jenkins and an audiobook in collaboration with Crook&Flail...
and Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi's album Rome
Rome (album)
Rome is an album written by the American music producer Danger Mouse and the Italian composer Daniele Luppi. The album took five years to make and was inspired by the music from spaghetti westerns....
featuring Jack White
Jack White (musician)
Jack White , often credited as Jack White III, is an American musician, songwriter, record producer and occasional actor...
& Norah Jones
Norah Jones
Norah Jones is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actress.In 2002, she launched her solo music career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album Come Away With Me, which was certified a diamond album in 2002, selling over 20 million copies...
. Forthcoming releases include the debut album from the Nevermen.
Lex packaging is striking and often elaborate. Most Lex sleeve artwork is by Ehquestionmark. Other sleeve artwork has been created by Kid Acne
Kid acne
Kid Acne is an artist, illustrator and hip-hop musician. He was born in Lilongwe, Malawi in 1978. He grew up in Lutterworth, Leicestershire and is currently based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.-Early work:...
, James Jarvis
James Jarvis (illustrator)
James Amos Jarvis is a British illustrator and toy designer, a pioneer of the soft vinyl designer toy revolution.Beginning as a designer for the fashion company Silas, Jarvis now creates characters at his own company, Amos Toys, each character with its own personality and background...
and SSSR.
Roster
Current- Alan MooreAlan MooreAlan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
& Mitch Jenkins - Andrew Broder: FogFog (band)Fog is a band fronted by Andrew Broder, which includes members Mark Erickson and Tim Glenn. For most of their existence, material released by Fog had been produced largely by Broder alone, combining both traditionally performed instruments and turntable-derived samples, until the switch to a...
, Hymie's BasementHymie's BasementHymie's Basement is a collaboration of anticon and cLOUDDEAD singer, lyricist, rapper producer Yoni Wolf and singer, turntablist, guitarist Andrew Broder , released in 2003 via Lex Records....
(with Why?) and Crook&FlailUnearthingUnearthing is an essay written by Alan Moore and originally published in Iain Sinclair's 'London: City of Disappearances' in 2006. It has subsequently been developed into a photographic book in collaboration with Mitch Jenkins and an audiobook in collaboration with Crook&Flail...
(with DoseoneDoseoneAdam Drucker, better known as Doseone , is an American MC, artist, and poet from Idaho. Dose is known for his nasal, high pitched, fast polyrhythmic rapping style and abstract lyrics. He often simultaneously performs synth, sampler, or keyboard on stage. His words tend to express upon topics of...
) - Bryan Hollon: Boom BipBoom BipBryan Charles Hollon, better known as Boom Bip, is an American producer and musician. His music is mostly instrumental, but over the course of his career he has collaborated with several vocalists. He is currently signed to Lex Records, which, until 2005, was a division of Warp Records in the...
and Neon NeonNeon NeonNeon Neon is a collaborative project from producer Boom Bip and Gruff Rhys, the frontman for the Welsh rock band Super Furry Animals. They began work on the project in October 2006 originally under the moniker Delorean...
(with Gruff RhysGruff RhysGruffydd Maredudd Bowen Rhys is a Welsh musician, performing solo and with several bands, including Super Furry Animals who obtained mainstream success in the 1990s. He also most recently formed the electro-pop outfit Neon Neon with Boom Bip. Their album Stainless Style was nominated for the 2008...
) - Danger MouseDanger MouseBrian Joseph Burton , better known by his stage name Danger Mouse, is an American musician, songwriter and producer. He came to prominence in 2004 when he released The Grey Album, which combined vocal performances from Jay-Z's The Black Album with instrumentals from The Beatles' White Album.He...
: Danger Mouse & Daniele LuppiRome (album)Rome is an album written by the American music producer Danger Mouse and the Italian composer Daniele Luppi. The album took five years to make and was inspired by the music from spaghetti westerns....
, Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse, DANGERDOOMDANGERDOOMDanger Doom is a musical collaboration between DJ and producer Danger Mouse and rapper MF Doom. Their first album, The Mouse and the Mask, was released in 2005, and followed by the Occult Hymn EP in 2006.-Background:...
(with DOOMMF DoomDaniel Dumile is a hip hop artist who has taken on several stage names in his career, most notably MF DOOM, where the "MF" stands for metal face, and for tracks he has produced, metal fingers...
) and Danger Mouse & JeminiJemini the Gifted OneJemini the Gifted One , better known as Jemini, is a rapper from Brooklyn who has worked with DJ Danger Mouse, most notably on the rap/pop album Ghetto Pop Life... - DOOMMF DoomDaniel Dumile is a hip hop artist who has taken on several stage names in his career, most notably MF DOOM, where the "MF" stands for metal face, and for tracks he has produced, metal fingers...
: DANGERDOOMDANGERDOOMDanger Doom is a musical collaboration between DJ and producer Danger Mouse and rapper MF Doom. Their first album, The Mouse and the Mask, was released in 2005, and followed by the Occult Hymn EP in 2006.-Background:...
(with Danger Mouse) - DoseoneDoseoneAdam Drucker, better known as Doseone , is an American MC, artist, and poet from Idaho. Dose is known for his nasal, high pitched, fast polyrhythmic rapping style and abstract lyrics. He often simultaneously performs synth, sampler, or keyboard on stage. His words tend to express upon topics of...
: Nevermen (with Tunde AdebimpeTunde AdebimpeBabatunde Omoroga "Tunde" Adebimpe is an American musician, actor, and director best known as the lead singer of the Brooklyn-based band TV on the Radio. His vocal method often involves improvisation, the use of effects and repeating sampled loops....
& Mike PattonMike PattonMichael Allan "Mike" Patton is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and actor, best known as the lead singer of the metal/experimental rock band Faith No More. He has also sung for Mr...
), Subtle and Crook&FlailUnearthingUnearthing is an essay written by Alan Moore and originally published in Iain Sinclair's 'London: City of Disappearances' in 2006. It has subsequently been developed into a photographic book in collaboration with Mitch Jenkins and an audiobook in collaboration with Crook&Flail...
(with Andrew Broder) - Jneiro JarelJneiro JarelJneiro Jarel is a United States-based music producer. For over a decade he has provided listeners with an eclectic mix of sounds ranging from hip hop, to electronica, to electro-pop, to Brazilian funk, to bass music. Noted for his abstract style, he is also known for his beat-making alias Dr...
: Shape of Broad Minds, Willie IszWillie IszWillie Isz is a United States alternative hip-hop duo comprising Jneiro Jarel and Khujo Goodie. Their first studio album Georgiavania was released in 2009....
(with Khujo Goodie) and Dr Who Dat? and Jawwaad Taylor - Kid AcneKid acneKid Acne is an artist, illustrator and hip-hop musician. He was born in Lilongwe, Malawi in 1978. He grew up in Lutterworth, Leicestershire and is currently based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.-Early work:...
Former
- HeartbreakHeartbreak (band)Heartbreak is an Italo disco, electronic, electro, synthpop, disco duo composed of Ali Renault and Sebastian Muravchix. Their music finds its strength through a juxtapose of Renault and Muravchix's respective background in Electro and Italo Disco...
See also
- List of record labels
- List of electronic music record labels
- List of independent UK record labels