Wicked Wax
Amsterdam-based Wicked Wax was founded in 2017 by Lucas Benjamin together with DJ Leroy Rey and Ty Campbell. Jazz is the fertile ground on which the eclectic record label builds a diverse roster of artists from the Netherlands, with names such as Brintex Collective, Y.O.P.E., Siegfried Hart, Mo Wrights, RADIOHOP, and the duo of Robyn Florence and DAVIES. We asked Lucas to help paint the label’s portrait.
Wicked Wax often blends jazz, soul, hip-hop, broken beat, and electronic music. What connects these genres in your view?
‘The Black music continuum has connected them all for us already. And therefore we simply try to acknowledge this and provide a pathway for the next generation and their expressions in this realm. It’s also the sweet spot of my personal taste as a DJ and collector.’
In what ways has the Amsterdam scene influenced the sound and direction of Wicked Wax?
‘It’s a two-way street. We get inspired by what the next generation of musicians are making and, at the same time, inspire them by what we’ve already released. Some artists on our label are a direct result of earlier releases, and this is something that we’ve heard quite often. We aim to present a lot of underrated and rising artists of the scene by supporting them early on in their trajectory, so they have time to evolve and really become part of the active circles.’
What are the most important criteria when deciding to release music?
‘It’s always a combination of how it sounds and what the artists’ intentions are. We try to support them where needed but also can only do so much as an independent, so it has to be a collaboration that aligns for both parties involved.’
Community seems to play an important role within Wicked Wax. How do you build and maintain that community?
‘We are closely tied to the music platforms Steppin’ Into Tomorrow, Super-Sonic Jazz, and OSHI. All of us are striving to connect like-minded musicians, producers, DJs, dancers, and fans to build a cohesive ecosystem for the upcoming years. Consistently collaborating has been key for us, and for the past 7 years this has evolved a lot. This can be with fellow labels, such as INI Movement or Rucksack Records, or with the above-mentioned platforms. Physical spaces such as the Amsterdam coffee & vinyl spot Black Gold are also a key part of our community, which is where we do most of our in-store release sessions.’
How important are live events, club nights, and festivals for the identity of the label?
‘Live events and club nights are quite important for us. It’s where most of the releases and artists get their time to shine. With all our upcoming artists, even the producers, we try to inspire them to consider working on a live act to bring their sound to life in a club setting. Misto Kay is a good example of that. We’d love to curate more festival stages in the near future and showcase the versatility of our roster.’
How do you balance artistic identity with the demands of streaming platforms and algorithms?
‘We don’t. Artistic expression and identity come first, then we push that to reach as many people as possible in a sincere way and try not to rely on any algorithms. Too many artists are trapped in that cycle and lose themselves in the process. We mostly release on vinyl, and having those in the right shops to reach the right people is more important for us than the constantly shifting algorithms.’
What developments in jazz, broken beat, or electronic music currently excite you?
‘So many of them! There is so much happening all over the globe right now in the intersection of these sounds, from the thriving UK jazz scene to the Melbourne, Berlin, and LA scenes. They all have their own sonic fingerprints and are continuously evolving. It’s been amazing to see where the jazz of this century has moved to, and all it needs is to have some more people dancing to it instead of mainly sitting down and listening at more traditional jazz venues/festivals. I feel that the Dutch version is also progressing rapidly now and is close to its own iteration. Being part of that evolution with the Wicked Wax records is exciting us a lot and we can’t wait for all the next steps.’
What has been a particularly memorable release or collaboration for Wicked Wax so far?
‘Honestly many of them, but to highlight an example: RADIOHOP – All We Do.’
‘We’ve worked with this young band from Amsterdam since their early beginnings, around 5 years ago. All the various projects we did with Steppin’ and them have led to the release of this debut album, and it sounds like a future classic of the current Dutch scene. Their album also brings together many of the elements and sub-genres that we’ve released over the years, which makes it a really fitting release in our catalog.’
What are the ambitions or future plans for Wicked Wax?
‘Continuing the current trajectory, focusing mainly on presenting the rising Dutch scene on the global map, building more connections with the UK and Japanese scenes to travel and perform there, and hopefully staying afloat for many more years to come in this unstable music business. True support is needed more than ever, and we appreciate this article a lot. Thank you, injazz!’
Website: wickedwaxmusic.com
Bandcamp: wickedwax.bandcamp.com
Soundcloud: Wicked Wax Music
Instagram: Wicked Wax Music
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Text by Hannah Holterman and Mark van Schaick