Various Artists - Nervous Records 30 Years (Part 2) (4LP) [Nervous Records]

Format: 4x12" in printed sleeve.
CAT: NER25446BLACK

Nervous Records, the iconic label synonymous with the rise of house from the streets of New York City, will be celebrating 30 years in the music industry with the release of the compilation album Nervous Records: 30 Years, which will drop in two parts: October 1st (Part 1) and October 15th (Part 2).

The record features original mixes of some of the label's most emblematic tracks, as well as remixes by several of its most prominent acts. Nervous Records: 30 Years is both a celebration of the past and a look into the future. With a stellar lineup of electronic music, this LP brings together artists such as Louie Vega, David Morales, Darius Syrossian, Tensnake, Monki, Franky Rizardo, Danny Howard, among others, reinterpreting classic Nervous cuts: “You Make Me Feel Mighty Real”, “Treat Me Right”, “Future Groove”, “Feel Like Singing”, “Get Up Everybody”, “Break You”, “Hot”, “End This Hate”, “Unspeakable Joy”, “Can Ya Tell Me”, “Jerk It”, “The Anthem”, “It Makes A Difference”, “Learn 2 Luv” and “Don’t You Ever Give Up”.

The album commemorates one of the most enduring and extraordinary legacies in American music history, not only within electronic music, but far beyond. Founded in 1991 by Michael Weiss and his father Sam Weiss, and immediately recognized by its distinctive drawn character logo, the label quickly grew, largely thanks to Michael's unwavering passion for discovering new music.

"Louie Vega and Kenny Dope woke me up at 4 AM between Tuesday and Wednesday from their studio, telling me they had something very different that I needed to hear," Michael recalls. "I asked if they could play it over the phone. They told me that if I really wanted to hear it, I had to go to the studio. So, of course, I got up, got dressed, and went. That 'very different track' ended up being The Nervous Track, a track that became our flagship release and was fundamental to the emergence of the 'Broken Beat' movement in London."

The label's willingness to bet on fresh sounds and innovative concepts emerging from the New York cultural melting pot ensured a catalog that today represents a living musical history of the city. House tracks like “Unspeakable Joy” and “Nitelife” (Kim English), “Get Up (Everybody)” (Byron Stingily), and “Feel Like Singing” (Sandy B) coexist with hip-hop anthems like “Who Got Da Props” (Black Moon) and “Bucktown” (Smif-n-Wessun), and reggae cuts like “Take It Easy” (Mad Lion); soulful flows from Mood II Swing (Kim English “Learn 2 Luv”, Loni Clark “Rushing”), Armand Van Helden (“The Anthem”), and Nuyorican Soul (“Mind Fluid”) alternate with foundational techno singles like Winx’s “Don’t Laugh.” Many of the young producers who joined the Nervous Records family have gone on to become legendary figures in the global circuit: Louie Vega, Kenny Dope, David Morales, Tony Humphries, Roger Sanchez, Armand Van Helden, Kerri Chandler, Kim English, Byron Stingily, Josh Wink, to name just a few.

"We did a release with Josh Wink under his alias Winx titled Nervous Build-Up," Michael recounts. "It was well-received and Josh's talent was evident. After that, I was quite persistent about him showing me his new demos. In one call he told me: 'Mike, I'm going to play you something over the phone, but don't laugh when you hear it.' That demo ended up being Don't Laugh, one of our biggest international hits and still one of the first and most influential US techno hits today."

Both a celebration of the label's future and its history, Nervous Records: 30 Years is a milestone that marks both the path traveled and what is to come. After three decades, the label's determination to discover new raw gems remains as strong as ever.

"I've always been one to observe what others do (the industry in general) and think: 'okay, do they do it for a specific reason or simply because everyone else does the same?' and make decisions based on that," says Andrew Salsano, general manager of Nervous Records. "In an era dominated by data and analytics, I still believe that they should be complementary tools, not the sole criterion for decision-making. Today, many songs are written with a 15-second social media hook in mind, and while there's nothing wrong with that model, one ends up chasing trends instead of forging their own path and identity.

"My primary focus has been, and will continue to be, signing good music with the ability to resonate first at a street level. The best results come from artists who first receive local support, which then expands globally. I'm also interested in music that expresses childlike curiosity, vulnerability, artists and producers who don't make music with certain markets in mind, but with their own unique style and signature, yet capable of walking the line between underground and mainstream."

Still as raw, as underground, and as tuned to the dance floor as ever, perhaps the secret to Nervous Records' success—and longevity—has something to do with that tough, determined, uncompromising attitude so characteristic of New York. With a new generation of producers emerging from the city's clubs, one thing is certain: Nervous Records will be there to find them, support them, and bring them to the world, for the next decade and beyond.