Imaginarium Records: Meet the new Leeds label adding a fresh chapter to the city's electronic music scene

• Amidst the changes in the UK music industry, one new record label is looking to act as a platform for Leeds’ EDM scene.
• Imaginarium Records launched at the start of November, with a focus on “inspiring more creatives” within the genre.
• They celebrated the launch of the new label with the vinyl release of IMAG001, bringing together some of the collective’s most vaunted names.

The UK music industry may be going through somewhat of a boom period as of late, but the challenges up-and-coming artists are facing are still very present.

With reports that the annual growth period has slowed down from double-digit increases seen right after the pandemic, many grassroots venues are closing due to surging costs in rent and inflation, which is directly affecting a pipeline of new talent. It seems the ‘development gap’ is becoming increasingly difficult, with the industry relying heavily on legacy acts or established stars to generate the current record revenue.

Then, there’s unregulated artificial intelligence affecting creators’ rights - a whole different Pandora’s set-top box.

So, who in their right mind, at this juncture in the music industry, would start a record label?

“Starting a record label was always on our minds from the very beginning when our space was originally located behind Cardigan Fields,” explains Rob Chadwick, founder of Imaginarium Records in Leeds, which launched its first release earlier in November.

“It took a while for us to fully formulate the idea, and we ended up being so busy running the Church Walk venue that it kind of ended up on the back burner. So it’s really exciting to have now finally got it up and running!”

At the core of the new label’s philosophy is the idea to provide a platform for talent closest to them, and given the city’s legendary status as a home for electronic music, as much as it is for goth and post-punk, Rob believes it’s important to have “an outlet for the creativity of our core collective of resident DJs.

“Leeds has always been a hotbed for house and techno, with countless world-renowned club nights and record labels having originated here. To contribute towards that heritage in any way is an honour," Chadwick notes.

"We feel that our club space has probably earned a chapter in the folklore of the city, if the label can in any way add to that, then it’s a bonus!"

IMAG001: The Debut Release

Having laid the philosophical groundwork, the label needed a debut release that perfectly encapsulated the collective's vision. Rather than focusing on a single artist, Imaginarium chose to launch with a four-track VA EP (Various Artists).

"To be honest, the amount of excellent music our community have up their sleeves, it just wouldn’t have been fair to focus only on one artist," Chadwick confirms.

The EP, which is titled Imaginarium EP (IMAG001), is deliberately diverse, showcasing a journey across the club spectrum: "Sonically, the label will focus on club music, tracks for the dance floor and for the party. Records that DJs will want to buy and play.”

The track-list features four residents: Pete Melba (who kicks things off with groovy tech house), Phil Warner, Roya Brehl (who moves into darker realms with cascading synths), and James Geeson.

The inclusion of Geeson, one half of the duo Le Frequency, highlights the label's commitment to nurturing local talent, with Chadwick labelling him a "rising star."

"When he played us Parkside Chug [his track on the EP] we knew straight away we wanted it for the label. He’s got such a unique style and is making some incredible music. There’s no doubt he’ll be releasing music for years to come..."

Inspiring more creatives to contribute to the scene

For Rob and the Imaginarium collective, success in the debut 12 to 18 months isn't measured solely in sales figures, but in the label's impact on the local creative ecosystem.

He said: "Success for us will be continuing to release music from the wealth of talent in Leeds with more EPs to come and inspiring more creatives to contribute to the scene, whether that be making music, attending events or playing our records."

The momentum is already building, with the next release well underway. Fans won't have to wait long for the follow-up, IMAG002, which will continue the Various Artists theme.

"IMAG002 will continue the various artists theme with tracks from our core crew and guest appearances from two very well respected local Leeds DJs/producers,” Rob added.

“More information to come on that very, very soon.”

By firmly planting their flag in the Leeds scene, Imaginarium Records is not only producing records but is actively investing in the next generation of local club music, proving that even in a challenging industry, there is still room for passion, community, and vinyl.

The debut EP from Imaginarium Records is available to order now through Deejay.de or for locals in the area, can be picked up at Plant & Deck, Imaginarium’s sister project, or Tribe Records.