Firstly, lets get this out there! Im obsessed with Defected, I have a wardrobe full of merch, vinyl, flags, towels anything with Defected on I need! I go to at least 1 event every year, that’s due to age and health but if I could I would go around the world to their events. My vinyl collection is defected heavy and in the car its only the latest pod cast on the stereo. I know bigger fans but I love them and their ethos and they are run how I would run a company if it was mine.
Defected Records is a British independent house music record label founded in 1999 in London by Simon Dunmore, formerly an A&R executive at AM:PM and Cooltempo. It quickly became one of the most influential and enduring house music labels in the UK and internationally. Its first release was Soulsearcher – “Can’t Get Enough”, which reached No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart, followed by Roger Sanchez’s “Another Chance” topping the UK chart in 2001 — early proof of Defected’s cultural and commercial impact.
i was lucky enough to meet Simon Dunmore at Eden, what a great guy.
He’s a great DJ as well, with an amazing knowledge of music.
Over the years Defected expanded far beyond a traditional label to encompass events, festivals, compilations, radio shows, artist management and publishing, becoming a media group for the global house music community.
In 2022, Defected was acquired by its former managing director Wez Saunders, with founder Simon Dunmore transitioning to an A&R consultancy role.
I was lucky enough to meet Wes and Defected main stay DJ Sam Divine at Ushuaia for the opening event. what a great couple of people.
Defected’s structure includes a broad ecosystem of sub‑labels and affiliated record series. These are curated to serve different niches within house and electronic dance music; some existed independently before becoming part of Defected’s umbrella.
Defected is the flagship imprint releasing flagship house and deep house records from both established and emerging artists.
Glitterbox, originally a nightlife brand and party concept launched by Simon Dunmore, Glitterbox also operates as a recording imprint known for uplifting disco‑influenced house and inclusive dance music releases by artists like The Shapeshifters, Purple Disco Machine and Mousse T. Glitterbox parties are seen as ultra accepting to different genders and cultures. An event will have gay/trans/cross dressing dancers on stage, costumes and as the name suggests most attendees will be wearing glitter in some shape or form.
Classic Music Company was founded by Luke Solomon and Derrick Carter in 1994 as a vinyl house imprint, Classic was later administrated under the Defected family. It’s known for left‑of‑centre house music and has released material from a range of influential artists.
DFTD is known for focusing more on underground or peak‑time house, DFTD is a Defected offshoot for harder, club‑driven material.
4 To The Floor is an imprint covering deeper, disco‑inflected house styles and often tied closely with Defected’s seasonal compilations.
Soulfuric was originally an independent U.S. house label founded by Marc Pomeroy and Brian Tappert, Soulfuric was acquired by Defected in 2017, bringing its deep soulful house catalogue (including Soulfuric Deep and Soulfuric Trax) into the group.
Other labels and catalogues that fall under Defected’s umbrella or are historically associated with the brand include:
Nu Groove – Recognised imprint rooted in classic New York house sounds.
Big Love Music – House imprint focusing on soulful, groovy tracks.
DVINE Sounds /555– Imprint emphasising Afro‑house and global rhythms., run by Sam divine.
Faith / Faya Combo – Smaller imprints showcasing niche house subgenres.
The Remedy Project / Stay True Sounds / Movin’ / Slip ’N’ Slide / Bargrooves / Freeze / K4B / Soul Heaven / Sub‑Urban / Yoruba — a selection of other affiliated or catalogue‑managed labels representing various strands of soulful, deep, tribal and classic house flavours.
Historical affiliations & acquisitions includes Azuli Records Was a notable British house label founded in 1991 by Dave Piccioni and known for seminal club series like Choice. Defected acquired Azuli’s back catalogue after it entered liquidation, integrating some of its releases and legacy into its own catalogue. The business model at Defected included catalogue expansion through acquisitions. Defected also absorbed other heritage house catalogues (including Slip ’N’ Slide, Strictly Rhythm back catalogues and others) as they became available, further consolidating classic house tracks into its global distribution and reissue strategy.
Defected’s A&R strategy increasingly includes partnerships to open demo submissions to global producers via platforms like LabelRadar (a Beatport service), extending access to tracks for Defected and all its sub‑labels.
Today Defected’s catalogue includes hundreds of records, seasonal compilations (e.g., Defected In The House, Ibiza, Croatia), and releases from a wide range of artists — from house royalty like Masters At Work to contemporary stars like Peggy Gou or John Summit.
In summary Defected Records started as a niche independent house label in 1999 and has grown into a major house music institution, embracing everything from label sub‑imprints to global events, radio, publishing and catalogue acquisitions. Its ecosystem includes vibrant imprints like Glitterbox, Classic Music Company, DFTD, Soulfuric, 4 To The Floor, Nu Groove and many more, each with distinct stylistic focus within house and related dance music.
The stage and set up at Ushuaia was amazing but I do prefer a club environment at night rather than daytime events. The sound was good but nowhere near as good as Eden
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