Formation Records was established by DJ SS in 1991, growing from Leicester’s local music network around DJ SS, the Total Kaos events and the 5HQ record shop. A recording studio was built above the shop in early 1993. Three years after it opened, the operation had three studios, three in-house producers and staff running the label. Formation Records releases drum and bass that combines elements of jungle, techno and hip-hop, and its logo shows a stylized eagle with its wings spread.
The label’s first release was DJ SS’s The Psycho EP, and its first numbered output appeared in 1991. Tango’s The Impact EP came out in 1992, followed by DJ SS’s The Lighter in 1995, a jungle track associated with Formation. The label’s sound developed from early hardcore rave into jungle and drum and bass. Formation also released early work by Rhythm For Reasons, and issued The Prototypes’ single Breathless / Work It in 2011.
Music has appeared on Formation and New Identity, the label’s two imprints, and Formation became the parent label of more than 30 sister imprints. Its wider network released early work by John B and Twisted Individual, and the label has also issued music by TB.
