AudioPorn Records is a Britishindependent record label based in Essex. It releases electronic music, primarily drum and bass. It was founded in 2007 by producer Shimon Alcoby. AudioPorn Records is credited with the discovery of Dirtyphonics, who won "Best Newcomer Producer" award from Drum & Bass Arena in 2009. Recent signings include Polish music producer Xilent and English DJ Youthstar, who have been nominated as "Best Newcomer Producer" and "Best Newcomer MC" respectively by the Drum and Bass Arena Awards in 2011. AudioPorn have their own stage at Vienna's Beatpatrol festival, one of Europe's major annual festivals. Label's roster of exclusive artists includes Xilent, High Maintenance, Mediks, Fourward, Dilemn, Youthstar and Shimon, with past releases from artists like Dirtyphonics, Tha New Team, Camo & Krooked, Hybrid Minds, Sparfunk, Tali, RAM Trilogy, PLAYMA, Disaszt and Moving Fusion.
History
From 1994 to 2006, Shimon was an integral part of RAM Records, established in 1992 by Andy C and Ant Miles. Shimon produced many hits such as "Quest", "Hush Hush", "Body Rock" and "The Shadow Knows". He also made up one-third of Ram Trilogy, alongside Ant Miles and Andy C which released tracks such as "Chase Scene", "Gridlock", "Titan", "Beastman", and "Screamer" helping to build the label's reputation. In 2007, Shimon parted from RAM Records and launched AudioPorn Records. He hit the ground running with releases from Shimon, Matrix, and Sparfunk, as well as a return by Ram Trilogy. The label quickly established itself in the drum and bass scene, discovering talent like the French quartet Dirtyphonics, who released their first single French Fuck/Bonus Level on AudioPorn in 2008. In 2009 Dirtyphonics released twice more on AudioPorn with the Quarks EP and following on with Vandals, which earned the #1 spot in the "Beatport All-time classics" chart and coined the phrase "It started as a rave and ended as a riot". Dirtyphonics became largely successful and are well known for their unusual live performances and remixes for the likes of Nero, ShockOne, The Bloody Beetroots, Does It Offend You, Ya? and Skrillex. In 2010, the Austrian duo Camo & Krooked made a guest appearance on the label with ‘History of the Future’. They went on to win "Best Newcomer DJ" that year in the Drum and Bass Arena Awards. Meanwhile, Shimon reunited with other Ram alumni Ant Miles & Moving Fusion on ‘Pimp Slap’ and shortly after released Tantrum Desire's Jump-up remix of ‘The Smoker’, backed with ‘Vengeance’, a 2-step hit modelled after the swing-beat made famous by ‘Body Rock’. In 2011, AudioPorn announced the release of ‘Dark Days, High Nights’, an artist album and supplementary live cover album from MC Tali, a female MC, who worked with artists like Ed Rush, Dirtyphonics, Benny Page, SKisM and Dodge & Fuski. Later in 2011, AudioPorn signed three more artists - Xilent, High Maintenance and Fourward. In May 2011 Xilent released his 'Choose Me' EP including 'Choose Me II' which peaked at #1 spot on Beatport's Dubstep chart and stayed in the Top 5 for three months. High Maintenance released his debut single "With You" in addition to Xilent's dubstep-heavy, electro inspired "Skyward" EP released in December 2011 as well as Tha New Team's "Mosh Pit" release in February 2012. In 2012 AudioPorn had the highest number of releases to date with EPs and singles from Xilent, High Maintenance, Dilemn, Fourward, Tha New Team and Hybrid Minds. AudioPorn also exclusively signed another artist to the label - a Bristol-based drum and bass trio Mediks, who delivered their debut release Outbreak EP, followed by Fast Lane EP later in the year. 2013 began with the release of Xilent's single Boss Wave along with the official video directed by Kristofer Ström, which received over a million views on UKF DubstepYouTube channel. The track took the #1 position in the Beatport's Top 10 dubstep tracks chart four days after the release and stayed at the #1 spot for two weeks. In February Fourward released their Aftermath EP featuring Youthstar on the title track.
