TDR

90 Resident Spotlight #9-Tropical Disco Records

Last updated on December 4th, 2023 at 09:50 am

Tropical Disco Records, you love them, we know that.

Our team certainly does! We had the pleasure of catching up with half of them last week. It was nice to see what Moodena has been up to, what music he has been listening to, etc.

Sartorial Moodena and Tropical Disco are two like-minded individuals with similar interests in music, parties and vinyl culture. In just over a year, they’ve built one of London’s hottest imprints, consistently topping vinyl and digital charts across all platforms with feel-good groovers that repurpose classic disco, funk, jazz, soul and boogie into a modern dancefloor context, breathing a new spirit into the genre of nu-disco. Their bold aesthetic and vibrant sound has attracted the attention of heavyweight selectors across the board, with Chez Damier, Joey Negro, Soul Clap, RNT, DJ Spen, Get Down Edits, Full Intention, Yam Who, and Marshall Jefferson to name a few showing continued support.

LET’S GET IT!

Number 90: Alrighty mate. Quickfire question, 1 song for the rest of your life?What would it be?
Moodena: Don’t Worry, Be Happy!

 

90: Great choice! Introduce yourself!
M: I’m Tim (Moodena) and i’m co-owner of Tropical Disco Records. I co founded of a company called MN2S 25 years ago which was originally an Events Company, Artist Agency, Record Company and Record distributor.  I sold my shares about 3 years ago and then was approached by Alex (my partner at TD) who had just started the label to put out a record and the rest is history as they say!

 

90: Awesome! What’s your prized possession record?
M: This is an extremely tough question as every record has a place and memories so it’s really hard to choose.  But a record that really gets me every time i listen to it is Chez Damier’s ‘Close’. Pure Class and features the vocals of Chez Damier and Latrece B Kinchen MK’s wife at the time. Every time I hear this record it still gives me tingles!

 

90: Any new music you’ve been listening to?
M: I stumbled across an artist called Rosa recently from Italy. To be honest I had never heard of them before and I couldn’t find any information on them!  The album I bought is called Acqua Di Sale and it  looks like it’s their first album on vinyl and it has a great selection of Italo Disco numbers. I don’t usually buy Italo Disco, but I was really digging this album! Has a nice array of cool tracks, worth checking!  Another artist that I’m only just really getting to know is a guy called Coflo from California. He just dropped a track on Local Talk last month called Lux, and his extended mix is dope! Moody keys, squelchy bass line, a sick little hammond jam, it’s proper deep house goodness.

 

90: How have you been spending time in isolation?
M: I was actually meant to be in Mexico gigging and holidaying with my wife but all flights got cancelled the day before we were meant to depart. So to start with it was pretty chilled as we treated it like holiday time, sorting out the garden and generally doing things in the house that we never had time to do! Then i went back working on the label, signed a shit load of tracks and some absolute weapons too! And sorting out release schedules as we are still releasing music. We have at least one or two tracks coming out a week as well as our vinyl releases which are every 6 weeks. I’ve also been in the studio working on remixes for a few different labels. Buying and playing lots of music obviously too and walking my dog!

 

90: Have you got any TV show recommendations for us?
M: The Righteous Gemstones. If you haven’t seen it check it, very funny. Also one of my favourite documentaries last year ‘Operation Odessa’.  I’ve watched it about 10 times as have to watch it if I ever have someone come over who hasn’t watched it. Supermench, The Legend of Shep Gordon is another classic. To be honest i’m more into documentaries!

 

90: Do you have a musical guilty pleasure at all?
M: Some old 90’s R’n’B!

 

90: Lastly, what’s your favourite recipe and what would the soundtrack to it?
M: Bloody Mary! Tomato Juice, vodka, Tabasco (lots), Worcester sauce, black pepper, celery, shaken on ice… It’s a meal in a glass! And the soundtrack would be the Dub version of Bob Marley‘s “Jammin‘”

 

Well, what a banger! The mix has been curated specifically for your ears, so be sure to check it out

If you missed our “A Chit Chat With…Ethan from Car Seat Headrest“, you can watch it here, for some insider knowledge on what it’s like to tour the world, how he got started with guitar and how to become a professional musician.

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