London-based Crammed/SSR offshoot Language was the brainchild of Tony Thorpe (of Moody Boyz fame).

Language was started from scratch in the spring of ‘95, and immediately set out to sign five totally or practically unknown acts.

The inaugural release on the label was “Miscellaneous 1”, which featured 12 exclusive tracks by new, cutting-edge artists, and clearly established the label’s sonic agenda: the emphasis is on experimentation and innovation, in an attempt to defy the musical categorisation that ravages music at the time (and still does, to an extent…). Language’s musical spectrum thus covered anything from techno to dub to hip hop to jungle.

3 additional signings were made, and Language’s roster soon consisted of seven brand-new acts: Endemic Void, Buckfunk 3000, Elixir, Circadian Rhythms (all from the UK), Bio Muse (Italy), Phosphorus (UK/Italy) and Tao (Japan), veering from the ultra-violent (Bio Muse) to the extremely accessible (Phosphorus), from the avant-jazz jungle of d’n’b whiz-kid Endemic Void to the hyperactive sci-fi electro funk of Buckfunk 3000, from Tao (and his oriental strains) to Elixir (and their strange hybrid of hip hop, noise guitars and jazzy soundtrack sounds).

Also known as The Moody Boyz and Wayward Souls, Tony Thorpe has been at the forefront of the electronic music scene since 1987. He produced some of the first UK acid singles, was for a while the KLF’s in-house remixer, and released a string of 12” which earned him the double status of godfather of “intelligent  techno” , and of one of the forerunners of Jungle. His debut album “Product Of The Environment” was released in April 94, and was met with unanimous acclaim by the music press, with its graceful mix of techno, ethno, jazz, dub, ambient and hip hop.