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| Tempa (record label) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Tempa |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Founder | Neil Jolliffe |
| Status | Active |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Location | London |
| Genre | Dubstep, electronic |
Tempa (record label) is an independent record label based in London known for pioneering the dubstep genre in the early 2000s. Founded by Neil Jolliffe as an offshoot of the FWD>> event series, the label released seminal 12" singles that shaped the sounds emerging from South London clubs and pirate radio scenes such as Rinse FM and Kiss FM. Tempa’s catalogue includes landmark releases by artists who later became central figures in electronic music scenes spanning UK garage, grime, and bass music.
Tempa’s origins are tied to the late-1990s and early-2000s evolution of UK garage into darker, bass-driven forms encountered at nights like Forward>> and on stations such as Rinse FM, Flex FM, and Reprezent Radio. The label grew alongside contemporaries including Hotflush Recordings, Hyperdub, Deep Medi Musik, and Planet Mu, and interacted with venues like Plastic People, Fabric (club), and The End. As dubstep matured into the mainstream through crossover touches from artists associated with Warp (record label), Ninja Tune, and XL Recordings, Tempa retained a focus on 12" single culture and club-oriented releases.
Tempa was established in 2000 by Neil Jolliffe to document tracks played at the FWD>> events and on pirate radio shows helmed by DJs such as Zed Bias, El-B, and Skream. Early releases included records by Oris Jay, Bok Bok, and breakout singles from Skream and Benga that later featured heavily in sets by DJs like Mary Anne Hobbs, Distance, and Joe Nice. The label’s maiden years coincided with releases on neighboring imprints such as Soul Jazz Records and Breakbeat Kaos, creating a dense release calendar that supported DJs who spun at events including DMZ and Subdub.
Tempa’s roster has included producers and DJs who became synonymous with dubstep, such as Skream, Benga, Coki, Youngsta, and Digital Mystikz. Standout releases include Skream’s early singles, Benga’s collaborations, and the label’s release of tracks played by tastemakers like BBC Radio 1 hosts Zane Lowe, Annie Nightingale, and Mary Anne Hobbs. The label has also issued records by artists linked to collectives such as SUBstance and labels like Deep Medi Musik and DMZ Records. Tempa’s catalogue captured influential tracks that were later featured on compilations alongside releases from Hotflush Recordings, Hyperdub, and Planet Mu.
Tempa’s aesthetic emphasized heavy sub-bass, sparse rhythmic architecture, and syncopated percussion draws found in releases by Skream, Benga, and Digital Mystikz. The label’s output influenced producers across scenes associated with grime figures such as Wiley and Skepta, as well as cross-Atlantic bass practitioners connected to Dubstep USA nights and festivals like Sonar (festival), Unsound Festival, and Outlook Festival. DJs from Fabric (club), Berghain, and international radio hosts on KEXP and NTS Radio often cited Tempa releases when charting the evolution from underground UK garage to global bass music phenomena.
Operating as an independent imprint, Tempa worked with vinyl pressing plants and distributors that serviced specialist record stores like Red Eye Records, Phonica Records, and Boomkat. Distribution relationships linked Tempa to larger networks that handled physical and later digital distribution via platforms associated with Beatport, Juno Download, and retail partners in the United Kingdom and internationally. The label navigated licensing and sync opportunities with media outlets such as BBC Radio 1 and streaming shifts driven by services including Spotify and Apple Music while maintaining a focus on vinyl culture favored by DJs from The Lot Radio to Worldwide FM.
Tempa is frequently cited alongside DMZ and Hyperdub as foundational to dubstep’s codification and global spread. The label’s singles helped launch careers of artists who later influenced mainstream acts and producers across genres linked to electronic dance music, hip hop, and pop; collaborators and remixers have included figures from Four Tet to Burial. Tempa’s role in documenting early dubstep scenes contributed to academic and journalistic accounts in outlets such as The Guardian, Pitchfork, and FACT Magazine, and to documentary treatments associated with broadcasters like BBC and Channel 4.
Tempa’s discography centers on 12" singles, EPs, and selected compilations, featuring releases by Skream, Benga, Digital Mystikz, Coki, Youngsta, and collaborators from adjacent labels like Hotflush Recordings and Deep Medi Musik. Key catalogue numbers include early flagship issues that circulated in sets at events such as DMZ and venues like Fabric (club), later consolidated in digital archives and reissues appreciated by collectors frequenting stores like Phonica Records and online marketplaces tied to Discogs.
Category:British record labels Category:Dubstep record labels Category:Record labels established in 2000