Platipus Records

It was back in 1993 that Rave Magazine ad salesman Simon Berry (Art Of Trance) began work on creating a stable outlet for the music and artists he loved. The first Art Of Trance record "Deeper Than Deep" launched the label, immediately identified by a certain quality and depth of production. Indeed this still continues today. It was with early records such as the Union Jack "Two Full Moons And A Trout" and Poltergeist's "Vicious Circles" that resulted in Platipus standing out head and shoulders above the rest of the pack.
The quietly successful and prolific label was rocked however in 94 by the release of a certain record called "Children" by the then unknown Robert Miles. "We were in the Firestone Club in Orlando," explains Simon, "listening to Florida jock Kimble Collins. He dropped one of only two acetates in existence at the time of Robert Miles Children on Italy's DBX. We rushed back to England, signed it and had a hit on our hands. It got so big that we eventually had to sell it on to BMG. We couldn't handle the volume." Huge wasn't the word. A track that blew the scene open, with everybody and their mother whistling the tune in the street. A huge multi platinum success and the sound of 95. Setting up a more secure basis for the label was perhaps the most important result of this success, enabling album and artist development as well as allowing Simon to indulge more in his original passion of creating music himself.
It was later in the 90's that trance became synonymous with a more banging, European style of production. Although contributing to this scene with the anthemic Ferry Corsten production of Art of Trance's "Madagascar" (an update of the earlier Cygnus X remix), Tracks like Libra's "Calling Your Name" and Oliver Lieb's various guises maintained the consistent quality of the labels releases. Platipus artists began to look to a new generation for the sounds of the future, Moogwai's euphoric but subtle sound and Pob's highly advanced progressive tracks being fine examples of the labels philosophy in action.
Innate's "Changes" and Star's "Rock Rose" followed and 2001 highlighted a shift towards the darker and more tribal orientated sounds, with Praha's "Pachinko" being a stand out track in this genre.
2002 and the label was clearly heading in the right direction as big-name jocks Sasha and Steve Lawler hammered releases like Leama's 'Melodica' and 'Into Sea' by Adam Dived, another Dino Lenny alias.



Another significant event in any trance DJ's diary was the birth of Platipus:Euro. This new direction for Platipus plans to focus on a slightly tougher and more - would you believe it - European sound! The label launched with an awesome track by M.I.K.E PUSH under his Solar Factor guise, then continued with bombshells from R.O.O.S and trance wunderkinds Neo & Farina.
2006 saw the release of 'Persia,' a collaboration between Art Of Trance & Natacha Atlas of Trans Global Underground fame. History in the making & history repeating itself in the form of Union Jack's landmark record 'Two Full Moons & A Trout' got a much over due & long anticipated re-release. New interpretations by Chab, Luke Chable & tektonik^ with Caspar Pound's mix added to the vinyl format as a nostalgic tribute.
2007 saw the release of the critically acclaimed BIG FREEZE VOLUME 1 (DJ MAG 4/5 MIXMAG 4/5) Mixed by head honcho SIMON BERRY. Volume 4 in the ART OF CHILL series was released in August of that year - Mixed by ALEX PATERSON from THE ORB. - again to critical acclaim (following 3 previous volumes by ALTITUDE, JON HOPKINS and SYSTEM 7) and ADDICTED 2 Mixed by GUI BORATTO (VOL 1 was mixed by KOSMOS EPSILON and LUKE CHABLE).
BIG FREEZE 2 Mixed by BLISS began 2008, followed by the arrival of new comp GLOBETRONICA Mixed by PATHAAN, mixing dub, funk, baile, worldmusic, dubstep, d'n'b.
Later that year TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED 3 Mixed by HARDFLOOR (1 and 2 Mixed by ART OF TRANCE and SIMON BERRY respectively), ART OF CHILL 5 Mixed by BENT and BIG FREEZE 3 Mixed by CHRIS COCO were also released.
Shaping up to be an amazing year for Platipus, 2009 started with one of our biggest selling compilations to date. A MONSTROUS PSYCHEDELIC BUBBLE EXPLODING IN YOUR MIND - VOLUME 1 - COSMIC SPACE MUSIC Mixed by AMORPHOUS ANDROGYNOUS (Future Sound Of London). Completely different to anything Platipus has ever released this album has exceeded all expectations, receiving amazing reviews everywhere.
'quite simply the best compilation ever " TIME OUT
It's f**king mind-blowing. That would be my album of the year or any other year. It's a double CD of the most obscure psychedelic tracks I've ever heard in my entire life and I've got a lot of psychedelic music.
NOEL GALLAGHER in ROLLING STONE MAG
A welcome ART OF TRANCE:RETROSPECTIVE was released soon after, 3CDs including new remix of MADAGASCAR by RICHARD DURAND and new AOT track SWARM.
VOLUME 2 in the GLOBETRONICA series arrived along with TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED 4 Mixed by the legendary SPOOKY. 2 exclusive SPOOKY tracks were released from the compilation - EYPES MOUTH (Lyme Bay Version) and BAMBOU (an amazing Sebastian Leger cover).
2009 will also be known as the year UNION JACK came back. Yes thats what we said! Too many years have passed since the album THERE WILL BE NO ARMAGEDDON and UJ fans has been amazingly patient. SIMON BERRY and PAUL BROGDEN (POB) (2009 UJ members) have now spoilt them - 3 singles are taken from the forthcoming PYLON PIGS album - PAPILLON, FUNNELWEB and the soon to be massive TRICLOPS.
The album will be released on 14th SEPTEMBER and one week later a CLUB EP will be available digitally containing 3 DJ friendly album mixes and 2 exclusive tracks - VOCODER ALLSTARS and TWO FULL MOONS AND A TROUT (ORKEDIA REMIX).
21st September 2009, the second in the series, A MONSTROUS PSYCHEDELIC BUBBLE EXPLODING IN YOUR MIND - VOLUME 2 - PAGAN LOVE VIBRATIONS Mixed by AMORPHOUS ANDROGYNOUS (FSOL). Volume 1 had amazing reviews.
"Quite simply the best compilation album ever!" Time Out
"A modern psychedelic classic" Mojo
"…the strongest argument to turn on/tune in etc since Lennon thought naming a song after a children's home might be a good laugh" 9/10 NME
"Brain-melting…you'll be wigging out until daybreak" Esquire
"Album of the year or any other year… fucking mindblowing" Noel Gallagher
ART OF CHILL 6 - Mixed by I Monster is released 16th November
UNION JACK:RETROSPECTIVE will be released by the end of the year.
Some Monstrous Bubble 2 quotes
AMORPHOUS ANDROGYNOUS
"A MONSTROUS PSYCHEDELIC BUBBLE EXPLODING IN YOUR MIND VOLUME 2 – PAGAN LOVE VIBRATIONS"
"(Amorphous Androgynous) have flawless taste in reality-dissolving source material.this is probably the best nightclub in the world" - Record Collector
"Mind blowing" - Mojo
"Masterful.The perfect companion to dreams of hazy daze" - Word
"the compilation of the year" - Sunday Times
"A sonic blotter that's better than drugs" - Q
"A second glorious, head-spinning compilation" - Uncut
"Quite simply the most expansive, expertly mixed compilation you are going to hear this side of the time continuum" - The Fly
"Amorphous Androgynous are beginning to become a hiply droppable name" - NME
Until then .