Defected Records has announced the signing of UK dance stars Groove Armada in a long-term single/EP deal.
An official press release stated that, following a run of club and festival appearances for Defected and Glitterbox, Groove Armada will “continue to headline Defected’s international roster of events”, while releasing new music that “spans house and disco”.
Groove Armada – comprised of Andy Cato and Tom Findlay – have released nine studio albums, the best-selling of which is 1999’s Vertigo which has sold 333,920 copies according to Official Charts Company data.
Speaking on the signing, their management Nathan Thrusting and Mike Cridland said: “The relationship with Defected is a perfect fit at a perfect time with Tom and Andy back djing across the globe, celebrating the culture and heritage of their sound. After celebrating 25 years of the live band on the road last year and eight studio albums behind them, it’s exciting to be going back to the roots of the bands inception, making records for the dancefloor with one of the world’s leading house music labels, and one they have always loved. The relationship is a perfect fit at a perfect time with Tom and Andy back DJing across the globe, celebrating the culture and heritage of their sound.”
Tom and Andy have always been at the very top of their game, and we’re very much looking forward to working with them in the future
Wez Saunders, Defected
Andy Cato added: ''Defected’s first release landed more or less at the time as Vertigo - the moment when me and Tom had our lives transformed, swapping weekends in Shoreditch warehouses for adventures in LA aircraft hangers. Throughout everything that followed, the fabric, Ibiza and Tunnel residencies, there was always a Defected tune in the box. So it’s lovely to become part of that gang as we close the circle and return to the house music, djing and parties where it all began.”
In August 2022, Wez Saunders acquired Defected – which was launched in 1999 by Simon Dunmore. Following the management buyout by the MD, Saunders has now become CEO of the group.
Speaking about the Groove Armada deal, Saunders said: “Very few artists have been able to produce and perform across multiple sub-genres of house and disco and stand the test of time like Groove Armada, so I’m very proud to be able to announce this signing. From their Shoreditch beginnings, Tom and Andy have always been at the very top of their game, and we’re very much looking forward to working with them in the future and release lots of great music.”
In May, Defected appointed Sarah Crane as its director of marketing and operations. Crane will oversee recorded music marketing for the label, with the marketing, streaming, design and production teams under her supervision.
Subscribers can read our Wez Saunders interview here.
