Jalapeno Records is at the epicentre of the UK’s funkiest dance labels. With international stars like Kraak & Smaak and home grown talent like Smoove & Turrell as well as some of the daddies of the scene like Skeewiff and Boca 45 there is a label sound that is unique. Fun and funky, generally upbeat but sometimes emotional the sound encompasses funk, breaks, lounge and most other varieties of beats that make you dance.
At a time when DJ’s have become bored of a night of monotonous, linear beats Jalapeno makes a play to bring some soul back to the dancefloor. Whether that’s the dark electronic soul of Henrik Schwarz remixing Kraak & Smaak, the upbeat northern soul of John Turrell belting his heart out or the authentic funk of Dr Rubberfunk and Soopasoul – you just know that you are listening to a Jalapeno tune.
Founded in 2000 to release the early records of lounge funk kings Skeewiff, the label quickly grew to be the go-to guys for funk, soul and anything a little left of centre in the dance music world. Owned and run by Trevor Mac the label now has album artists like Dr Rubberfunk, Max Sedgley, The Beekeepers (Parker and Boca 45), Soopasoul and Basement Freaks swelling the ranks.
Jalapeno has always kept a foot in the club world with sub-labels Illegal Beats (run by house don Kid Crème) and Floorplay Music (run by beatport hotshots Prok & Fitch) part of the J-Family. So the Jalapeno sound – is it Funk breaks ? Leftfield electronic ? Northern Soul ? Chill Out ? House? Breakbeat?
Simple it’s all of those things. We call it J-Funk.