Label Feature: Hooversound

Click here to listen to the Carhartt WIP Radio Show featuring Hooversound.

This month’s show is brought to you by the London-based record label Hooversound Recordings, which was co-founded in 2020 by musicians and long-time friends Sherelle and Naina.

The label is committed to pushing the boundaries of electronic music, from hardcore jungle to cutting-edge dubstep and gqom, and has released music from the likes of Special Request and Tim Reaper, Deft, and Drumskull. “We wanted to create a home for all these sounds and build a community through it,” say its founders.

For this edition of Carhartt WIP Radio, both Sherelle and Naina have created a fast-paced mix pulsing with Hooversound’s signature energy, which showcases the wide array of artists on their roster, while hinting at some forthcoming releases. In an accompanying interview, the label’s founders discuss how their love of The Prodigy led to a pivotal moment for Hooversound, the impact of community radio, and why running a label doesn’t feel like a job.

What have been some pivotal moments in your life that have led you to what you do now?

Sherelle: Community radio was a huge thing for both of us. We actually met at Reprezent Radio in Brixton. We found our people and we all helped each other with our radio shows, it was so cute and wholesome. The platform exists to help young people get their foot in the door, and it definitely shaped both of our careers in different ways. We’re both huge fans of The Prodigy, and we got the opportunity to go B2B supporting them at Brixton Academy (through Reprezent), which was also a pivotal moment for Hooversound. That’s what started the label and pushed us forward to actually make this idea a reality.

What was the reason for launching Hooversound Recordings together in 2020? Can you talk about the history and origins of the label?

Naina: There are so many wicked labels out there – spotlighting some incredible talent. We wanted to add our own flare to that by bringing more left field club sounds to the UK. For example, back in the day when we were on community radio, it was only Sherelle and I playing footwork / 160 bpm on air. Cleaning it was a ballache. We still loved it, though. We wanted to create a UK platform that pushes these sounds, along with hybrid club sounds that take elements from juke, 160, techno, jungle and of course, hardcore rave. We wanted to create a home for all these sounds and build a community through it.

If you could describe the sound of the Hooversound Recordings in three words, what would it be?

Sherelle/Naina: Euphoric. Emotional. Rave.

What has been Hooversound’s biggest hit so far?

Sherelle: I mean, having a Special Request x Tim Reaper collab was pretty huge for us.

How did you select the tracks for your Carhartt WIP Radio show?

Naina: We wanted to show an array of artists we work with and lots of forthcoming releases – a sneak peak.

What's one club or party that had a major impact on you as an artist?

Sherelle/Naina: Fabric is a pivotal space… also FWD parties. As a group, we all used to go the Alibi pretty much every week, too, because someone we knew was throwing a party

How do you stay up to date with all the new releases for your DJ sets? Do you still make selections before you play?

Sherelle: Bandcamp is awesome. We also love to dig. Digging for music is part of the job, part of running a label. If you generally love music, it doesn’t even feel like a job. Discovering new music and new artists is still very exciting for us.

Any role models when it comes to DJ or making music?

Sherelle/Naina: DJ Rashad (RIP).

You’ve run a Hooversound residency on NTS since 2021. How does having this residency influence you both as musicians and label founders?

Naina: It’s cool because we get to shout about all the new music on Hooversound, but we also invite those artists we’re working with onto the show, and they can do whatever they want with it. They can do a takeover and it gives them a well-deserved spotlight, and full reign to share their sounds and love for music. Sherelle and I both come from a radio background so we will always recognize the importance of radio within music culture and artist development.

What's one social or political cause you want the world to pay more attention to?

Sherelle/Naina: Free Palestine.