stralwerks Records, a record label known for its core of dance music and electronica, was founded in late 1993 as an off-shoot of what was once the uber-hip Caroline Records. Caroline, which through the late 1980s and early 1990s released debut records by Hole, Primus, Ben Folds Five, and the Smashing Pumpkins, started getting records sent to them by international artists in 1992, starting with Amorphous Androgynous, a Future Sound Of London side-project. Instead of distributing the record as most of its artists would, Caroline created Astralwerks as an alternative label imprint.

However, as Astralwerks started distributing more and more relevant records— the label’s now-signature artist, The Chemical Brothers, and their debut Exit Planet Dust; as well as the debut record by the Space Time Continuum— Caroline slowly started dying out, releasing less and less important/profitable music. By the time The Chems dropped their arena-rock electronica (read: "Big Beat") smash Dig Your Own Hole, though (which to date is Astralwerks’ biggest success, selling over one million copies nationally), Caroline shifted gears and merged with the now much larger Astralwerks.

Astralwerks, which is part of EMI, has access to artists from labels such as Virgin overseas and Capitol nationally, so while they are viewed as a sort of "indie dance label," they do have access to distributing major label artists here in the States. Hence, while the label does have direct oversees signings like their marquee artists Fatboy Slim and Basement Jaxx, they have recently become quite a bit more diversified, as they have added very un-dance music-like artists to their roster, including Turin Brakes, Kings Of Convenience (and Erland Oye’s solo work), and Beth Orton.

With the incoming diversity the label has acquired, Astralwerks has also been turning their attention to North American artists, while still keeping their eye on their chief source of music, Europe. Recent signings include K-os, a Canadian rapper; West Indian Girl from Los Angeles; and, more excitingly, VHS Or Beta, and the ultra-awesome Radio 4 from Virgin Records. Astralwerks has also managed to snag reissues by Neu! and Brian Eno’s latest record; the soundtracks to movies by Spike Jonze; some pretty cool rarities compilations for electronica/dance music novices (Rarewerks and MTV's Amp); as well as odd side projects Mali Music (Damon Albarn) and the Beta Band off-shoot King Biscuit Time. It looks to be a very bright future for a label still known best by "The Rockefeller Skank."

Label Roster: A Band Of Bees, Air, Alpinestars, Alpha, Basement Jaxx, Beta Band, Caesars, Cassius, The Chemical Brothers, Clinton, Constant Elevation, Crydamoure, Dimitri From Paris, DJ Deep, Doves, Brian Eno, Fatboy Slim, Fluke, Gabin, Kings Of Convenience, I Hear Voices, K-os, King Biscuit Time, Lazy Dog, Sondre Lerche, Les Rythmes Digitales, Motorbass, My House In Montmartre, Neu!, Beth Orton, Erlend Oye, Phoenix, Photek, Plastilina Mosh, Q-Burns Abstract Message, Respect Is Burning, Royksopp, Sebastian Tellier, Simian, T-Love, Tranquility Bass, Total Lee, Turin Brakes, Luke Vibert / BJ Cole, Cosmo Vitelli, u-ziq, Uberzone

Nine Essential Releases:
Massive Attack vs. Mad Professor — No Protection (1995)
u-ziq — Lunatic Harness (1997)
The Chemical Brothers — Surrender (1999)
Primal Scream — XTRMNTR (2000)
The Beta Band — The Three EPs (1998)
Basement Jaxx — Rooty (2001)
Doves — The Last Broadcast (2002)
Air — Virgin Suicides Score (2001)
Neu! — Neu! (Reissue 2001)