Music label showcase: Creative Source

Creative Source is an inactive Drum & Bass record label that I want to share with everyone!

But first, let's get this out of the way: a meme in 2022 took the internet by storm for a hot minute, entitled "sims cat break-dancing", which was remixed countless times in various ways.

This is relevant because it became associated with a song that was released on Creative Source in 1996: "Only You" by Intense.

So, you may have already been introduced to this record label without knowing!

Now, let me tell you why this record label is more important than you may initially think.

Ready for a history lesson?

After DJs Fabio and Grooverider (who both are credited as the "founders" of the Jungle and Drum & Bass scene; that's a story for another day) were told that their 'Rage' nights at the Heaven nightclub would come to a close due to growing concerns and liabilities over an unfortunate increase in attracted criminal activity in 1993, most people made their way to clubs like Paradise (used to be located in Islington, North London) for their fix of Breakbeat Hardcore, Jungle and other related rave styles of the day.

Meanwhile, not keen on the violent direction that Jungle had taken, the incorrect assumption that "all Jungle is ragga", and wanting an outlet to play out more musical works rather than the relatively chaotic nature of Jungle without getting boo'd by the crowd, Fabio joined forces with LTJ Bukem to run 'Speed' nights to showcase said music. It started off very slow (on a Thursday night) but quickly gained a large audience. These nights would be renamed to 'Swerve' as the 2000s approached. (I don't know the name of the club but it was ran by Nicky Holloway.)

While LTJ Bukem would establish Good Looking Records (aka GLR; lots of actual drama around this one for another day) to release what would become an empire for what the media of the time would call Intelligent Jungle / Drum & Bass (and Atmospheric Jungle / Drum & Bass), Fabio would establish Creative Source to showcase the "same" style of musical Jungle, but with their own key differences.

To put it simply, LTJ Bukem's GLR would showcase music that was very space-like and ethereal, while Fabio's Creative Source would tone down on the spacey effects and kept everything relatively funky and "raw" (if that makes any sense).

They would both release music that would help inspire video game developers to include their interpretation of this style of Drum & Bass. For anyone that likes looking up mixes online, I'm sure you've seen stuff like "PS1 Drum & Bass mix." Well, if you like that then you'll love to know that these two labels (and some others, like Moving Shadow) are the origin of that kind of music!

Anyways, as the 2000s approached, Jungle was getting a negative name, so "Drum & Bass" was used to describe the same music. It's like the same guy but wearing a fancy suit! Also, Drum & Bass was losing popularity to UK Garage due to aforementioned issues mostly involving violence and a growing "dark" and overly-technical sound (i.e. neurofunk, darkstep, techstep, jump up, etc.), GLR was losing it's entire roster due to aforementioned drama plus audiences losing interest in the ethereal sound they were known for, and generally people saying Drum & Bass was "dead".

Sometime between 1998 - 2000, Fabio came across the term "liquid funk" used by a US Hip Hop group, Tha Alkaholiks, for their song "Likwidation", and he used it in both his "Liquid Funk" compilations and BBC 1 Radio slot. He thought it was funny how they used it, but also thought it was a perfect way of describing that style of Drum & Bass he loves and wanted to promote since basically 1993.

Quote

Who you tellin, we did more shows than Aaron Spelling
Leavin Las Vegas likwid funk is what you smellin

Just as quickly, he caught wind of a producer named Calibre, who had actually previously met with LTJ Bukem but didn't receive a follow up for any releases. Fabio picked him up very quickly and signed him to Creative Source, starting with the game changing release of "Mystic / Feelin" in 2000. Calibre is known for creating so many songs at a quick pace that a good majority of Fabio's DJ sets would have what's known as "dubplates", or unreleased works, by Calibre. It got to the point where Liquid Funk = Calibre productions for a long while!

Since then, Calibre will occasionally release these on his "Shelflife" compilations on his personal label, Signature Recordings, which he set up between 2003 - 2004 to be more independent. (He and Fabio are on good terms, don't worry!)

Of course, this is to not discredit the other artists released on this label!

Outside of the UK, it reached huge popularity in places like Japan and Brazil, and kept the Drum & Bass flame going in terms of popularity outside of the underground; it wasn't "dead" like people were saying in the late 90s. Nowadays, Liquid Funk is simply known as Liquid, or Liquid Drum & Bass.

History lesson over! That's about as condensed as I can possibly make it. There's more to it but it kind've deserves it's own post.

Creative Source: led by DJ Fabio, it featured feel-good Funk, Disco, House, R&B, and Jazz-influenced Drum & Bass releases, starting with the release of "Heaven / Carlito's Way" by Carlito in 1995, and ended with the release of "Dystopia / House Groove" by Sato in 2010. It would also become the birthplace of the 2000s Liquid Funk sound.

Some works have been officially digitized, but a good chunk of the discography is on vinyl only unfortunately.

As it's one of my big inspirations, I put together a playlist on Youtube showcasing their releases for the curious (open the spoiler):

Also unfortunately, there's one track missing.
The missing single is "Face To Face" by Random Movement, released in 2007. It's not something I have on hand right now, but maybe in the future I or someone else will upload the full length of it.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!