Tangent Recordings was established by John B in 2001 as the first sub-label of Beta Recordings, which he had founded in 1999. Tangent’s musical focus was drum and bass, particularly its soulful, melodic and jazzy forms, including liquid funk. John B’s “It’s so Real / No One Like You” was the imprint’s first release. That year, Tangent also issued Nu:Tone’s “123FM (Nobody Like You) / Get It On.”
Between 2001 and 2003, the label released drum-and-bass records by John B, Nu:Tone, Greg Packer and Mars. Nu:Tone’s “Rock the Jazz Bar EP” appeared in 2003. Commix and Blu Mar Ten also released music on Tangent in those early years.
