Who are you?
We’re Beat Machine Records, an independent label, music publishing, and artist management company based in Milan since 2014. The label was founded by Luca Grasso and Alberto Campi. What started as a small DIY passion project has grown into a space where we champion artists who aren’t afraid to experiment, blending forward-thinking club music with deeper jazz-inspired sounds. Beat Machine Records has never been a bass music label per se, but our Swinging Flavors series lets us explore bass-driven club music like jungle, footwork, breaks, and experimental hybrids in a focused, curated way.
What’s your ethos?
We live by the phrase “discover a sound without borders”. We don’t chase trends or hype. We love music that challenges, that mixes different worlds, and that feels raw and real. Whether it’s jazz slipping into electronics or hybrid club tracks that melt genres together, we’re all about pushing boundaries and supporting artists with strong individual voices.
Tell us your origin story…
The journey has always been about a deep-seated passion for music that exists just outside the mainstream. We founded Beat Machine Records in 2014 from that very passion. Our mission has always been clear: we exist to “amplify the voice of the underground”. We saw that raw, unfiltered creativity often struggles to find its footing in the industry, so we built BMR to be the “professional bridge” that connects that artistic passion with the strategy needed to build a sustainable and uncompromising career. We operate in the fascinating space “between contemporary jazz and experimental dance music”, and we pride ourselves on being true, transparent partners for our artists, not just intermediaries.
Where are you based? Tell us about your local scene.
We’re based in Milan, which has a strong tradition in techno and house culture, but we’ve always liked opening new lanes. From jazz-infused projects to bass-heavy club experiments, we’ve seen the local audience become more curious and open to adventurous sounds. There’s a small but growing underground community that shares our taste for music that bends the rules. At the same time, we’ve always kept an international perspective, collaborating with artists across Europe and beyond.
Do you have a specific sound or vibe?
We love exploring the in-between. One side leans into jazz-rooted experiments with artists like Daykoda, KARU, and Naima Faraò. The other goes straight for the club with Swinging Flavors: jungle, footwork, breaks, halftime, experimental bass. What ties it all together is raw, fearless energy, with the latter taking care of the bass-heavy mayhem while the wider catalogue stays open and adventurous.
Do you have a regular artist roster?
Some of the artists we work with regularly include Daykoda, KARU, Maxwell Simons, Naima Faraò, FUCK!LACRÈME — also part of our management roster — and more. These artists represent both our experimental, new jazz as well as club-focused sides. We also love bringing in new voices through the Swinging Flavors.
Tell us about your A&R process…
Our A&R process is a mix of methodical research and organic discovery, guided by our unique sonic identity. We are deeply immersed in the scenes we represent. This means constant digital digging on platforms like Bandcamp and SoundCloud, attending niche festivals, and keeping a close ear on our series, Swinging Flavors, which often features up-and-coming producers. and gives us a special playground to experiment with bass-heavy and club-oriented tracks while keeping our broader catalogue diverse. In some way, we have a very defined sonic palette. We are always exploring the land between contemporary jazz and experimental dance music, going deep in its darkest corners. So when we listen to a demo, we’re not just listening for a good track; we’re listening for that unique voice and a bold artistic vision that feels like it could only come from our label.
What makes you different from other labels?
For us, success is measured differently. We’re not chasing numbers, we’re focused on building careers, not just streams. Our goal is to help artists create a body of work and a loyal following that allows them to make a living from their art without ever compromising what makes them unique. Everything we do is about connection. We act as transparent partners, not gatekeepers, helping artists forge authentic bonds with fans and giving them the tools to grow their own communities and revenue streams. It’s a model built for resilience and longevity, one that empowers creativity rather than restricting it. Musically, we have a clear identity: exploring the space between contemporary jazz and experimental dance music. Few labels consistently work across both worlds, but that intersection is exactly where we thrive. And because the physical experience matters as much as the digital, every release comes with vinyl, artwork, and a strong visual identity, turning each record into a collectible as well as a statement. At the core, our sound has no borders. What drives us is curiosity, community, and passion.
What does it take to run a label in 2025?
Patience, adaptability, and a lot of DIY grit. Between streaming algorithms, vinyl pressing delays, and content demands, things can get messy. But the core hasn’t changed: trust your taste, support your artists, and build real connections with listeners. Everything else you learn along the way.
What have you got coming up we should look out for?
We’re closing 2025 and kicking off 2026 with some really exciting stuff. Swinging Flavors Vol. 15 drops on November 28 with AC1D VICIOUS bringing Screamer, a hardcore-rave-meets-breakbeat monster full of distorted Amen breaks and twisted 303s. On the flip, Samurai Breaks brings his signature high-speed chaos. It’ll be out on limited 7” vinyl and digital in October. FUCK!LACRÈME are back with Fuckxy Mama, the first chapter of a trilogy in the making. This three-track EP is raw, chaotic, and unapologetic, blending footwork, breakbeats, industrial textures, and DIY energy. There’s also a frenetic remix from ZULI. Think Toma Kami, Joy Orbison, Fracture, Two Shell for reference. There’s plenty more coming across both our experimental and club-focused sides, but these are the ones you’ll want on your radar first.
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