For our second Local Label Spotlight feature, we’re turning to TUFFEM UP! Records – the close-knit ‘family’ of dancefloor dynamos borne out of Sydney party collective Trashbags. Taking the same brash, DIY ethos to running a label as they do to filling clubs, the TUFFEM UP team has an all-killer, no-filler approach to its output.

From local exports like Redial to international heavyweights DJ Antention and Barretso, the stable’s star acts are a select bunch. We caught up with Diego at TUFFEM UP! Records to hear about the challenges and triumphs of running a niche label in 2011.

How did TUFFEM UP! Records come to be?
Probably one of the easiest names we have thought of! Nik and I were heading to the gym, and started throwing around ideas – names to represent our music style, being so tough, hard, and aggressive. TUFFEM UP! Records just had a ring to it.

Is there a ‘philosophy’ that guides the label?
Well, not really. Although the label tends to have the whole stereotypical image of being ‘harder electro’, we also have guys like Barretso and Kolt13, who are more pop-disco on the label.

I like to keep the artists releases at high standards, so not all music from the artist ends up being released. Their production level needs to be perfect to keep our credibility and also their own credibility in the international market high. Just recently we have seen Justice play DJ Antention, who is signed exclusively to TUFFEM UP! Records. That is what we want, and what we work towards!

What are some of the greatest challenges involved in running a label in this day and age?
It’s extremely exhausting. A lot of work, time and effort for no physical return. I’m not sure if any niche label out there is really making money on sales, not like prior to ‘07 anyway! Back then you would see Ed Banger, Institubes, Boys Noize Records pumping out release after release. Those were the good days.

I think now it’s not really about the releases themselves generating income, which is unfortunate, but the releases themselves are now almost just a tool for promotion, enabling tours – which on the bigger picture is what the public want, live performances.

I went into this more to build a bigger division outside Trashbags. Although the label does not turn around figures, what it does add is image, which really has no price. The benefit of running a record label is the collaborations you can create with different artists, from that also starts touring and live performances in Australia. It’s a never-ending cycle.