Hi! Thank you for taking the time to answer this Label Spotlight with Paradise Worldwide. First, we want to know more about who you are, where are you from, what type of music you release through your Label?
My name is Danilo Braca, I am from Italy, I currently live in Brooklyn, and I run a label called The Sound of New York City. The label was born in 2019 as an offshoot of the web radio station that I founded in 2010. The label’s sound lives somewhere in the disco / classic house neighborhoods with Balearic excursions but is by no means limited by genre conventions. It is ultimately about bringing music that I love to the right set of ears.
Why in the first place you wanted to start a Label? What was the necessity you found on doing so?
The first release on the label was an original production of mine, called “Oh My God” for which I put together a double 12” package of remixes by the likes of DJ Spinna, DJ Nature, Ashley Beedle, The Revenge and DJ Rocca. It was a very personal release, featuring samples from a rare recording of Little Richard that my father had given me many years ago, not to mention the first one under my real name. So in many ways it made a lot more sense to try and put it out on my own. I enjoyed the process of bringing my creative vision from raw idea to full fruition via the label, and thought that it would be cool to invite my friends and family to join me in this project. And here we are!
What are the principles of your Label?
I like for each release to have a story of its own. Could be the inspiration of a moment between the composers, a tribute to someone departed, an idea from a record that we grew up with or something to dedicate to a lover. I also like to bring different remixers for each release, mainly to attract a bit of a wider audience: the dance music crowd is picky, somebody might vibe with one sound, but not necessarily with another, so it helps to have a good range. Personally, I also really care about releasing records that sound GREAT, whether it’s on headphones or on a giant sound system, digital or vinyl – once you put a TSoNYC record on I don’t want you to be able to pay attention to anything else!
What have been successful things you’ve done in terms of spreading the word and let people know about your Label?
Social media have been helpful, especially whenever I have involved producer friends with a very strong following. A lot of it however has come from DJ gigs in NYC, back in pre-Covid days. I would play lots of unreleased stuff, and inevitably somebody at some point in the night would come by the DJ booth to ask. A lot of connections came from that.
Through the years, artists have appreciated more the fact that Independent Labels exist and have helped them in their careers. You’ve probably also learned a lot from them from working with them side to side. Could you share with us one or a couple of stories you guys have on helping an artist reach the success they’ve wanted through music?
Synth & Soda are my dear friend Mario Gentili & myself. We met working together in a recording studio in Rome, many many moons ago. We started making music together then, over a decade ago in Italy, but only got together – online – last year to finish some of those tracks. We only recently started sharing our work with the world, we’re super excited about it.
How has Social Media helped you in terms of promotion and spreading the word about the Label?
I don’t think that the label would exist nowadays without social media. It is the way to let people know what is going on. Having a radio Facebook page for many years was really helpful, and certainly, in the past year, social media have certainly helped keep those dancefloor connections alive.
Who are some of the artists from the Label we should keep an eye during this year?
Synth & Soda just won the Beatport competition for remixing DJ Harvey’s infamous Berghain – Locussolus, you’ll be hearing more from them soon. The Odd Monks, the techno/trance mysterious Italian duo. Superjaimie had her debut last year and has a new single, Homage to Jan S Remixes, out May 21, 2021. I also have an LP in the works under my name, Danilo Braca, a snapshot of my musical heritage and of where I am going.
Where do you see your Label in the future?
Hopefully in DJ charts!!!
