720 began life in 1997 as a subsidiary of Good Looking Records, masterminded by one of GLR’s premier artists at the time – Conrad Shafie, aka Blame. The label’s debut release, Blame’s own ‘Cuban Lynx / Solitude’, set a firm precedent for the 720 sound – put simply, the label was to release cutting edge drum & bass, broad-minded in approach and consistently innovative. “What I wanted to do was give people a chance to make the music they want without having to fit into any certain category to sell records,” explains Conrad. In the years that followed, 720 began to fulfill its philosophy, becoming a platform for groundbreaking material from artists such as Odyssey, Seba, Future Engineers and Pariah. In 1999, Conrad released the label’s first compilation album, ‘Two Revolutions’, which showcased early 720 material alongside unreleased tracks that were to form the future output of the label. It was these tracks that marked the evolution of 720 into a harder-edged, space-age style. “I think 720 definitely carved its own niche,” says Conrad. “So that now, if you pick up a 720 record, you know what you’re gonna get. It’ll have dancefloor potential, it’ll be interesting and it’ll spark something off in your head. It’s just about putting that spark back, that injection.” The 12” releases that followed ‘Two Revolutions’ certainly created sparks. Future Engineers’ ‘Momentum’ / ‘Organism’ showcased the Glaswegian duo’s talent for spine-tingling breaks fused with subterranean bass; whilst Pariah made dancefloors rumble with the tough, technoid duo of ‘Censure’ and ‘Living Cell’. It was this release, in May 2000, that formed the last 12” of 720 as a subsidiary of Good Looking. In the following months, Conrad dedicated himself to writing his debut album for GLR, and his label was put on the back burner. However in Autumn 2001, with his album written and ready to go, Conrad saw his opportunity to strike out on his own with 720 and rebuild the critically acclaimed label with new material from up-and-coming artists. “I spent so long looking at the same four walls of my studio,” he explains, “that I decided to concentrate on taking time to produce some brand new artists for 720. These guys are bringing a whole new angle and outlook to the music.” Indeed the repertoire of the newly-liberated 720 will include tunes from new artists such as Third Rail and Dragonsword; material that Conrad is confident will take the well-respected label to even greater heights. As he explains, the 720 philosophy is as strong as ever: “It’s about taking drum & bass to the next level. The sound is always in motion. As an artist I’m always striving to break boundaries, and this is my vision for the label.” With Conrad’s A&R perfectionism ensuring plenty of exciting new tunes in the pipeline, 720 is continuing its mission to create innovative, forward-looking drum & bass; and the sky, as they say, is the limit. “720 is my ideal balance of drum & bass,” says Conrad. “Music and beats. Full stop.” 720: leave your expectations at the door.