Ecstasy is a (mostly) Portland, Oregon based label run by Rafael Fauria and Honey Owens of Miracles Club and L.A.-based Brian Foote. Honey is also known as Valet and used to be in a rad band called Jackie-O Motherfucker and is one of the most stylish humans we know—she is like the spirit animal of everything cool. Brian is involved with 20-year-old pioneering chillout label Kranky and also makes cool leftfield disco sounds under the name Leech. So in 2010, when they said they were starting a record label and web log called Ecstasy naturally we were like, "Cool, we'll pop some right now."To celebrate the release of the new Poisonous Relationships EP on June 18 (complete with bleeding-edge remixes from Black Madonna, MikeQ and Montel), Ecstasy is offering me, you and everyone we know a free download of the Massacooramaan remix of "Nite Birds." And when Ecstasy offers you something free you don't turn it down. (Sorry, I'll stop with the jokes. Sigh. But they make it so easy.) This buckwild track from the buckwild bass futurist sounds like you're voguing during the apocalypse. Put it on and watch the dancefloor do the Robocop.Interview with Brian Foote of EcstasyTHUMP: How do you all know each other?
Brian Foote: Honey Owens and i played in bands together for years and years when I lived in Portland—it's a tight-knit town.Ecstasy. That's a pretty provocative and obvious name for a dance music label.Agreed, Pretty self-explanatory. I mostly just like having the opportunity to say 'on Ecstasy' all the time.What is the ethos behind Ecstasy?Hooks, house and hardware seem to be the central themes but nothing is set in stone here aside from an openness to underground club music for/from all genders/races/orientations.You guys grew up going to punk shows and not necessarily raves, right? What were the record(s), producers or events that got you into electronic music?Actually, it went raves then punk/indie for me. The early Drop Bass network parties in Milwaukee were an early turning point. House DJs weren't really allowed on until the sun was coming up and after 8-plushours of hardcore techno it was analogous musically.Do you think your background in bands influences what kind of stuff you put out?Absolutely. For myself, even when working on something that is essentially a genre exercise, I try to keep an omnivore spirit to what i do. All my past projects kind of reflect that as well which makes doing so natural for me.Tell us a bit about this guy Poisonous Relationship.Poisonous relationship is a fellow from Sheffield named Jamie Crewe. He is talented and fabulous. Raf landed that one for us. I think the poison came in the form of a scorned love.What can we expect from the label over the next six months?We have a few things in the pipe, but up next is Alexis Penney's album, Window.
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Brian Foote: Honey Owens and i played in bands together for years and years when I lived in Portland—it's a tight-knit town.Ecstasy. That's a pretty provocative and obvious name for a dance music label.Agreed, Pretty self-explanatory. I mostly just like having the opportunity to say 'on Ecstasy' all the time.What is the ethos behind Ecstasy?Hooks, house and hardware seem to be the central themes but nothing is set in stone here aside from an openness to underground club music for/from all genders/races/orientations.You guys grew up going to punk shows and not necessarily raves, right? What were the record(s), producers or events that got you into electronic music?Actually, it went raves then punk/indie for me. The early Drop Bass network parties in Milwaukee were an early turning point. House DJs weren't really allowed on until the sun was coming up and after 8-plushours of hardcore techno it was analogous musically.
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