Students set for success as they launch online record label

Voodoo Records UK, set up by BSc (Hons) Music Technology undergraduates Kieran Edwards, aged 21, and Tom Howson, 20, specialises in electro, house and dubstep music.

Due to graduate from Leeds Metropolitan this summer, the friends and newly formed business partners have already secured a deal with American music agency Baseware Distribution which will see their label's music available on websites including global download giants iTunes, Beatport and online streaming service Spotify. Their success so far will be marked by the official launch night of their label's first album - 'One', at The Warehouse nightclub in Leeds on Thursday April 26.

Speaking about setting up the record label, Kieran said: "For our degree project we wanted to set up a music label, but rather than do it hypothetically we decided to do it for real. So far it's going really well and hopefully after we graduate we can really make a go of it full time."

"As part of the label we are releasing a compilation album featuring various artists that gives an idea of what Voodoo Records UK's sound is and we are constantly on the lookout for new, talented artists to get involved."

Tom added that one of their artists, Jini Cowan, who has worked with international DJ, producer, and composer Paul van Dyk, had been named by national monthly DJ magazine Mixmag, as 'One to watch' for 2012.

"Three of the artists we have signed to Voodoo Records UK - MMBeats, Dirtytrix and A Squared are Leeds Met students," said Tom. "All five artists will feature on the album."

What's more the business-savvy duo, who only discovered they were studying the same degree when playing in the same American football team at Leeds Metropolitan, have the backing of local company Voodoo Events.

"Rather than start up our label with an unknown name, we teamed up with Voodoo Events," commented Kieran. "They are based in Yorkshire and host 19 weekly student club nights in Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford, Liverpool and Newcastle. Voodoo Events are hosting our official album launch at The Warehouse nightclub in Leeds on Thursday April 26.

"We launched the label last month to the public and in a short space of time we have had over 12,500 people view our Facebook page."