Third Ear Recordings have been flying the flag for heavy transatlantic house for almost ten years now. Third Ear Recordings is a bit like one of those highflying sons of diplomats with a "child of the world" demeanour. Dual UK/Japanese parentage meant that, for a time, the label called both London and Tokyo its home, while experiences and exposure to the city of Detroit shaped much of its early development. Later, uncles and aunts from New York and across Europe would help it reach maturity with different opinions and further schooling. A splintered and confusing upbringing? Sure. But one that has imbued the label with a global outlook and an entirely unique temperament.

Label head Guy McCreery is one of the proud parents in question—although it would probably be more accurate to describe him as the dad that learned to love. "I didn't intend to get into the music business at all," he explains, "but it just kind of happened. I lost my job….[and] I kind of drifted into it and started doing distribution in Japan; importing CDs and vinyl." Setting themselves up in the compound model of distributor/imprint, McCreery and former partner Masakazu "Hiro" Hiroishi cast Third Ear in two differing lights: The movers of music in the Japanese market, and proponents of the Motor City's little known "Beatdown" sound—the essence of which was first bottled on 2002's Detroit Beatdown (Volume One). Key protagonists Mike "Agent X" Clark, Norm Talley and Delano Smith saddled up for the release alongside the likes of Theo Parrish, Rick Wilhite and Eddie Fowlkes on a trip into the jazz and house affected districts of the city. Via the latterly commissioned remix treatments, the compilation also birthed Third Ear's largest critical and commercial success, Carl Craig's throbbing retouch of Theo Parrish's "Falling Up." The series was later reprised when, in 2007, the team sheet was ripped up and DJ Minx, Reggie Dokes and Pirahnahead mucked in over two EPs, building upon the original's freewheeling spirit.

Although much of the Third Ear flavour can justifiably be attributed to the fruits of these erudite Detroiters, it would be an oversight to view the imprint as anything less than the product of a global scene. Early artist albums from Japanese acts World's End Girlfriend, Why Sheep? and Sketch Show account for a sizeable lump of Third Ear's early discography, while Belgium producer Soul Designer, AKA Fabrice Lig, stepped out under the same format for 2007's Evolutionism. South African-born New Yorker Brendon Moeller has been among Third Ear's strongest performers with his three EPs since 2006. And responsibility for many of the label's present, and indeed future, endeavours have fallen at the feet of talent from the UK (Wbeeza), Switzerland (Demetrio Giannice) and Germany (Sarrass).

Read the interview of Label head Guy McCreery here

http://www.third-ear.net/