By the Zonagirante.com team @spinning zone
Cover art by Zonagirante Studio
Latin America is featured in catalogs around the world
A journey through non-Latin independent record labels that are betting on the South
In recent years, Latin American music has ceased to be an exotic secret. Today it is a global language, capable of moving and transforming audiences in every corner of the planet. This change has not gone unnoticed by many. independent record labels outside the continent, who are now betting on Latin artists with fresh, challenging proposals and an international vision.
Why do they do it?
What leads them to build bridges with artists from such different geographies?
And what does that tell us about the present and future of independent music?
Beyond folklore: a new musical narrative
Far from folklorism or caricature, these labels seek projects that blend the local with the global, the traditional with the experimental. They see in contemporary Latin music a unique creative energy. One that engages with new technologies, cultural migrations, and identity discourses.
Furthermore, they acknowledge—implicitly or explicitly—that the artistic vitality of Latin America It is overflowing its boundaries. And it deserves to occupy larger and fairer spaces on the global stage.
Stamps that cross borders
Stamps like Mais Um Discos (United Kingdom), Glitterbeat (Germany) or ZZK Records (Argentina with global reach), are examples of platforms that support Latin American artists.
Some were born out of aesthetic curiosity. Others arose from personal journeys or migrant experiences. And still others, simply from a desire to break with traditional forms of cultural production.
A transformation that sounds
This article highlights those global labels that have opened their catalogs to Latin America. It's not just about business partnerships. In many cases, there's genuine admiration, a genuine willingness to collaborate and an opening to new ways of telling the world through sound.
Listening to what they publish is also listening to how cultural boundaries are transformed.
To continue exploring
As we mentioned in This article about independent artists and Spotify, The fight for a level playing field in music is part of this profound transformation.
And if you want to hear the best of this expanding scene week after week, we recommend our playlist “Current Tunes”. A curated selection that reflects the best of the south with a global vocation.
Stones Throw Records
Stones Throw Records: The sonic refuge of free spirits
From Los Angeles, Stones Throw Records Since 1996, he has built a small empire of musical rarities ranging from the finest underground hip hop to explorations of soul, funk, home electronica, psychedelia, contemporary jazz, and global sounds. Founded by Peanut Butter Wolf, The label has earned its reputation for opening doors to the most restless and visionary artists of its generation. Its roster has included gems such as J Dilla (Donuts, a masterpiece), Madlib (all-terrain cosmic producer), Aloe Blacc, Anderson .Paak (as part of NxWorries) and other fresh bets like Mndsgn o Sudan Archives.
Although it's not a Latin label, Stones Throw He has shown a special sensitivity to Afro-Latin and South American sounds. Madlib, for example, has sampled cumbia, samba, and bolero with unusual elegance. Furthermore, artists such as The Retros y Black Ice Cream (who has collaborated with friends of the label) They have enriched their catalog with Latin accents and roots. To understand its spirit, The documentary is worth watching Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton (2013), which tells its story with love, beats and heavy vinyl.
Stones Throw It doesn't follow trends: it creates them. And along the way, every now and then, it happily stumbles upon Latin culture.
Featured artists: The Retros, Black Ice Cream
Names you can trust
Names You Can Trust It is an independent record label based in Brooklyn, New York. Since 2004, The label has produced a mix of vintage and modern sounds, characteristic of the New York experience, encompassing genres such as Afro-Latin, reggae, disco, dance music and instrumental. NYCT has been at the forefront of the close connection between New York's immigrant population and its global roots, debuting several next-generation acts from the growing markets of South America, including Colombia, Brazil, Peru and Argentina. The label's ever-expanding catalog offers a perfect glimpse into the New York underground: local but global.
Featured artists: Combo Chimbita, Taste and Control
Glitter Beat
Glitterbeat specializes in vibrant global sounds. The label was created to release records that combine evolving global textures with local traditions and roots. Their artists are culturally engaged and firmly contemporary.
Glitterbeat was founded in 2012 by co-owners Chris Eckman and Peter Weber, and their first albums came out in the spring of 2013. Peter Weber was the original manager of the band Tamikrest. Chris Eckman has a long career as an artist (The Walkabouts, Dirtmusic) and producer (Tamikrest, Aziza Brahim, Bassekou Kouyaté). The label is based in Hamburg (Germany) and has won the WOMEX “Best Label Award” five times (2014-2018).
In 2017, Glitterbeat launched a new line called tak:til, Focused on global instrumental music, Glitterbeat continues to be a hub for musical innovation and expression in 2024, offering a platform for artists to showcase their work and reach new audiences. With an emphasis on quality, creativity, and cultural diversity, Glitterbeat continues to be a leading force in global music, providing a constant source of musical discovery and inspiration.
Featured artists: The Piranhas, Julian Mayorga.
Dim Mak On Fire
Dim Mak En Fuego (DMEF) is a label dedicated to the global Latin underground scene. Founded in July 2020, it focuses on highlighting hybrid and cutting-edge sounds that are igniting dance floors around the world. It promotes innovative artists who break genres and fuse music, visuals, fashion and internet culture to shape new trends.
It is the natural evolution of Dim Mak, the independent label founded in 1996 by DJ and producer Steve Aoki, A two-time Grammy nominee, Dim Mak has been a leading figure in emerging youth cultures for over two decades, launching the careers of artists like Bloc Party, The Chainsmokers, The Kills, and many more. Dim Mak En Fuego inherits that eclectic, DIY spirit., But he channels it through the Latin experience, challenging traditional models of Latin music and projecting a contemporary identity without borders or labels.
Featured artists: Aquihayaquijay, Andrekza.
