Everyone's talking about Bromance Records, and I thought I knew why. The Paris/LA-based label, started by Brodinski in 2011, put on a legendary show at Fire in London last week, in two rooms, which gave fans everything from killer Panteros 666 and Louisahhh!!! sets to a Brodinski hip-hop set (under the name The Boogieman) and mind-blowing Club Cheval, Canblaster, Illangelo, Jepordise, and Gesaffelstein sets.
Brodinski
So what makes the label special, especially when they come to one of London's craziest club spaces? I used to think Bromance had an edge because of their varied, innovative roster and dual-city situation, which they do, but their individual and collective sets proved that their influences are beyond dance music and extend to the realm of art and overall entertainment. All of them experimenting and having fun, playing more techno than I expected of Gesaffelstein and more hip-hop than I expected from Brodinski, for example, made me realize that they're the best and most exciting crew to be doing it right now.
It doesn't hurt that Gesaffelstein has a lot of buzz currently, either, making him the definite crowd favorite that night. One of the main producers on Kanye West's "Send It Up" from this past summer's Yeezus, he waited until the very end to play the first two singles from his album, Aleph (out today)—"Pursuit" and "Hate or Glory." The videos for both have been Fleur & Manu masterpieces, and the Aleph album cover is a striking fogged-clear case with a wire pattern and a golden disc, showing just how much importance Bromance places on their visual efforts.
Gesaffelstein
In fact, all of Bromance's visual identity, which has a black and white, slightly gothic vibe, emphasizes this impossible coolness of the label and the brand they've created. It's easy to look at hip-hop crews, in particular, like A$AP Mob, Young Money, and GOOD Music and see how their collectivity elevates one another. Bromance has that, which is important in a time when new labels and artists come and go faster than ever before.
They're serious. They're making moves. They're taking over. If you're not with it, get with it before you're late.
