“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them” –Channing Tatum quoting William Shakespeare in She’s The Man And some found such greatness in 1993. Based in New York, Astralwerks has since changed the game and what it means to be a label. Getting their big break almost 20 years ago with the success of the Chemical Brothers, Astralwerks has since revolutionized the electronic music scene and will continue to do so. The one constant with music is that what’s popular never lasts and this is where some labels falter. However, this is where Astralwerks has thrived. One of the best parts about Astralwerks is that they recognize the need for diversity and align themselves with artists that are unique in both personality and sound. They believe in the visions behind their artists and help them to foster it into a reality that we get to witness. Unfortunately, some labels get lost in the business and become transfixed with making profits, but Astralwerks takes pride in every artist and every release to keep music as it should be, a means of expression and an art form. Not only does Astralwerks take care of their artists, but they take care of their listeners too. Whether they are interacting with fans on twitter, giving away some awesome swag and merch, or furthering the love of new music through one of their many Spotify playlists, Astralwerks has a true commitment to music and working creatively to innovate what it means to be a record label and give fans an all-around incredible music experience. With many remarkable talents assigned to their team, Astralwerks continuously reignites my love for music. Just a few of those sparks include: The Chemical Brothers (I personally love Wide Open- Edit; it’s as if jazz meets EDM) Deadmau5 (listen to Aural Psynapse; EDM meets crickets) Alison Wonderland (this small Aussie creates some larger than life beat drops and remixes; my fave is I Want U) Halsey (she’s taking the world by storm right now; listen to her latest single Colors [you’re welcome]) Fatboy Slim (Star 69 is a song of his that I imagine aliens would play at a bubble party) Duke Dumont (if you’ve been looking to combine 90s R&B with today’s EDM, Ocean Drive is for you) The Kooks (Bad Habit….need I say more?) And so many more. (You can check out a full listing here http://www.astralwerks.com/artists/) Music serves a different meaning for everyone. It can be an escape, a way to pass time, an understanding, a release, or a way to connect with yourself or others. We celebrate songs and albums by trying to get them to #1 on the charts. We celebrate artists by attending their concerts and following them on social media. But without their label, the music we love wouldn’t be turned into something we can experience visually. So I raise this donut to you Astralwerks! Thank you for continuously releasing new tunes and being one of the best labels out there. Be sure to follow them on Instagram, like them on Facebook, listen to them on Soundcloud and Spotify, and tweet about donuts and music on Twitter. By Cassidy Nelson