Over the past decade, Inermu Records has carved out a unique space in the UK’s electronic music scene, championing new talent while staying true to its deep and groove-oriented sound.
At the helm is DJ, producer and label head James Dexter, whose passion for music was sparked as a teenager with a pair of decks and a dream to craft tracks that resonated with global audiences. As Inermu nears its 10-year anniversary, James sat down with us to reflect on the label’s evolution and its latest release, Set Back, which recently achieved both a Beatport home page banner and Minimal/Deep Tech genre page banner.
How did you get into music originally?
I got into music when I was about 14-15 when I first got my set of decks. Then I went to college at 16 to study music production before I went on to university to study for a music production degree.
How long has your label been in operation?
This year will be 10 years of the label in October.
Tell us a bit about the latest release, Set Back…
The latest release, Set Back, is one of my favourite releases to date. I love the underground feel on both tracks, especially the groove on Setback. It’s a real representation of the style I love to play as a DJ. I’m very proud of this release.
Could you sum up your label’s philosophy and creative vision?
The philosophy of the label has evolved since I launched it. It originally started purely as a way for me to release my own music whenever I wanted. However, it has developed into a label that now gives upcoming producers a chance to shine and showcase their work.
What advice would you give to anyone thinking of setting up their own imprint?
Just do it, don’t wait. Learn as you go along, styles and genres are going to change as well as your taste, so be open to that and go with the flow. It’s a great way to build a community of like minded artists and followers.
Check out Inermu Records on Beatport.
What are your plans for the rest of the year and beyond?
This year marks 10 years of the label, and we have some big plans. The next release is from a producer called Max Haas. After that, we have the Vapor Remixes release. This was a competition I set up for people to remix my track Vapor, and we have five winners from that, which will be released in May. Following that, we’ll be looking ahead to the 10-year anniversary of the label, where I’ll be releasing my debut album toward the end of the year and drip-feeding some tracks from the album leading up to it.
What have you enjoyed about working with MN2S?
I really enjoy working with MN2S, I have been with them since the start of the label. It’s a great platform that I respect for its professionalism as well as its friendly approach, they’ve always helped as much as possible to help push the label to where it is now.