Ten Years of Big Crown: A Record Label Worth Getting Lost In
A tenth birthday, a double album, and a sticker sheet. Big Crown understands that grown adults can still be trusted to get excited about stickers.
The Brooklyn label, founded by Leon Michels and Danny Akalepse in 2016, is marking the anniversary with BCR10 – Ten Years of Big Crown Records. Its official description presents the compilation as a mixture of catalogue favorites and music from newer releases.
The selection gives us plenty of directions: Lady Wray, Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band, Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek, Thee Marloes, Bobby Oroza, Surprise Chef and others. Jeff Mao contributes liner notes that place the music within the label’s story.
A useful first pass would follow five different names: Lady Wray, Bacao, Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek, Thee Marloes and Bobby Oroza. Let each track introduce its own artist, then follow whichever one makes you want another song.
That is the pleasure of a compilation assembled by people with a point of view. Someone else has made the introductions, while leaving you free to wander off with the person who caught your attention.
The store lists an approximate October 19 shipping window for the physical edition. The larger reason to explore it lasts beyond the parcel: ten years of an independent label taking its own taste seriously, and giving the rest of us more records to investigate.
Explore the official release and listening links.
Official release artwork. Source: Big Crown Records. Artwork source.