Fink and Mr Scruff help us profile Ninja Tune.

listen to 60-minute Ninja mix by Fink.
read track listing.

Potted history
The label was started in London in 1990, by the DJ duo Coldcut who helped pioneer what became known as trip-hop. Primarily, the Ninja Tune imprint was a way to release music of a more underground nature, free from the restraints of major labels. The first releases by DJ Food soon gained the label a reputation for releasing funky, eclectic stuff. Over recent years, the label’s roster has expanded to include artists like The Cinematic Orchestra, Roots Manuva and Mr Scruff.

What’s so special?
“Ninja Tune is simply a massive collective of passionate music listeners and collectors just putting out what they think sounds good. There is no huge calculated commercial agenda outside of our need/want to put out good records.”

Who’s on it?
9 Lazy 9, Amon Tobin, Chris Bowden, Coldcut, DJ Food, DJ Vadim, Fink, Funki Porcini, Hexstatic, Homelife, Kid Koala, Mr Scruff, The Cinematic Orchestra, The Herbaliser.

Mr Scruff on Ninja
On why he signed for Ninja: “I don’t consider myself doing any particular kind of music… I think at the moment that Ninja is one of the strongest labels ever because of the amount of talent, and that it’s not any kind of music in particular - it’s just very, very high quality.”

On Ninja’s artists:
“People who have their own sound. It’s musical leaders rather than followers. And that’s why the roster is so strong, because there’s no chaff in there, it’s just people who do what they do really well and nobody’s doing anything quite the same.”

In the pipeline
Pest - Jefferson Shuffle – Jan 03
Hexstatic - Solid Steel - Listen And Learn – Jan 03
Pest - Necessary Measures – Feb 03
DJ Vadim - Till Suns In Your Eyes (Moshun Man) - Apr 03

useful link: www.ninjatune.net