20 April 25 - MAy 1, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents His Medium Has a Message Red Eye’s new label aims to inject political substance back Into techno and house. BY ELVIS ANDERSON R ecord labels are like dogs: they take on the personality traits of their owners. Dallas-based electronic music label Crash Planet Records launched in late March as the crowning achievement of Scottie Canfield, aka Red Eye. Like the la- bel’s owner, Crash Planet Records is a friendly, nimble, non-genre source for alien- esque, transitional and functional beats. Canfield prides himself on being a “cool uncle” who understands dance music’s ori- gins and embraces its evolution. The label’s debut is an acid-rich 124 beats-per-minute track tagged “Power People” by the label boss. The track was released on March 24, and it timestamps the label’s official grand opening. Canfield sampled a social activism documentary for the track, which is part of the label’s ethos. Release No. 2, “Talk To Me” by Paradigm Shift, is set to release on May 3. “The party is a vehicle for the music and the music is the vehicle for the message,” Canfield tells the Observer. “House and techno were very political early on, and I feel the scene has gotten away from that. I want to bring it back.” The label’s admin and technical work is done in Germany by dance music industry veteran Beth Lydi, but as founder, Canfield is more interested in the A&R, music-hunting aspect of the business. This venture is a natu- ral move and leverages his greatest strengths: music programming and relationships. Few, if any, DJs have played more sets in Dallas than Red Eye, who humbly grooms the dance floor at It’ll Do Club every week- end. He headlines often, and could head- line more if he wished, but he embraces the It’ll Do role. Canfield has more DJ relation- ships than the Tomorrowland booking agent. In the next few months alone, Can- field will catch up with and open for Josh Wink, Carl Craig, Miss Monique and Sasha, to name a few. “I’m not going to say names, but legend- ary producers are donating remixes that would typically be quite expensive, but they’re doing it because this industry, like others, is about relationships, and I’m fortu- nate to have a lot of good ones,” Canfield says. It’s an ambitious goal for a label to side- step genres and opt for a sound or feeling as Crash Planet is doing. The recipe for label success is often something very specific that music shoppers can put their finger on. When people think about Claude Von- Stroke’s Dirtybird Records label, they often use the words “funky” or “mainstream house.” Adam Beyer’s Drumcode Records is referred to as a “techno gateway.” But Crash Planet isn’t married to trance, house or techno, and it’s more of a professional’s label with substantive goals. Its focus is less on marketing and market share and more about uplifting the Dallas music community and releasing tunes that work for Crash Planet. And it’s about gathering and grouping tracks a novice ear would not have considered. “The label is boutique, casual with a min- imal online presence, and I want to keep it underground. I’m not trying to be big like Defected Records,” Canfield says. “I will treat my artists right, and this label won’t be my primary source of income, but simply another piece of my Dallas story.” Four of the next 10 releases in the queue are local, and six are imports, including a ro- bust EP from the UK’s Man 2.0. And Red Eye will regularly contribute new originals and remixes as well. It’s a common miscon- ception, but Canfield’s professional alias has nothing to do with drugs or late-night flights. It dates to a 1986 album and a music connection so many electronic music fans can relate to. The name was inspired by the Depeche Mode song “But Not Tonight,” in which frontman Dave Gahan sings: “When my eyes have been so red, I’ve been mistaken for dead, but not tonight.” Canfield’s catalog on the online dance music marketplace Beatport is loaded with originals and remixes that were released on other labels such as Dirtybird, Sofia Records founded by Kink, and the Get Physical Mu- sic label by M.A.N.D.Y. Canfield will con- tinue to release music on other labels that aren’t a fit for Crash Planet. But for the right tracks with soul, purpose and lasting power — this music is for Crash Planet Records. Listeners can follow along and producers can connect for demo submissions via the la- bel’s Instagram account @crash_planet_dtx. Matthew Reeve | B-SIDES | t Music Scottie Canfield, aka Red Eye, has a new record label, Crash Planet Records. Hand built not bougHt. Franklins TaTToo and supply TWo loCaTions: 469-904-2665 • 4910 Columbia ave, dallas, TX 75214 903-710-2028 • 17581 old Jacksonville hwy, flint tx 75762 proFessional TaTToo supply For pros only Call for your appointment or design commissions today! B U R G E R W E E K D A L L A S . C O M ICYMI IN CASE YOU MISSED IT SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DAILY NEWSLETTER DALLASOBSERVER.COM/SIGNUP
