Lapsus
Lapsus is a Barcelona-based independent electronic music platform founded in 2004, operating three record labels (Lapsus Records, C.E.E., Balmat), a weekly Radio 3 program, an artist booking agency, and live events serving the alternative electronic music scene.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersBarcelona, Spain
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Lapsus does
Lapsus is an independent, founder-owned multidisciplinary artistic platform based in Barcelona, Spain, founded in 2004. It operates a portfolio of complementary businesses centered on alternative and experimental electronic music: three record labels (Lapsus Records as the primary international imprint, C.E.E./Club Excursionista de l'Electrònica as the club-oriented sub-label, and Balmat as the experimental sub-label co-founded by Philip Sherburne and Albert Salinas in 2021); a weekly radio program on Radio 3 (Spanish National Radio / RNE) directed by Sherburne and Salinas; an artist booking agency (Lapsus Agency, launched 2021); and live event programming including a six-year run of the Lapsus Festival at CCCB (2014–2019), ongoing club nights at LAUT (under Lapsus artistic direction since 2017), and touring productions such as the 2024 Nicolás Jaar 'Archivos de Radio Piedras' multi-city tour.
The platform monetizes through one-time license/sales of physical and digital music releases via its own Bandcamp storefront and through wholesale distributors (!K7 for digital; Rubadub, Clone, Forced Exposure for physical vinyl), transaction-fee revenue from ticketed live events sold via DICE and Baila, professional services income from artist booking commissions, and ancillary merchandise sales. Distribution is omnichannel: Bandcamp for direct-to-consumer, Spotify (Lapsus Radar weekly curated playlist) and SoundCloud for streaming reach, Vimeo for video, and a multichannel social presence on Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram for audience development. There is no proprietary technology stack, app, or API platform; the business is fundamentally a content curation, label operations, and live events venture where human A&R judgment and community credibility are the primary value drivers. Operations are run by a small team of approximately 11 people led by founder Albert Salinas (Wooky).
Lapsus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lapsus
- Legal name
- Lapsus
- Website
- https://lapsus.cat
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Lapsus is a Barcelona-based independent electronic music platform founded in 2004, operating three record labels (Lapsus Records, C.E.E., Balmat), a weekly Radio 3 program, an artist booking agency, and live events serving the alternative electronic music scene.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lapsus industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Music Label
- NAICS
- Sound Recording Industries (5122), Record Production and Distribution (51225), Music Publishers (512230), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)
- SIC
- Phonograph Records & Prerecorded Audio Tapes & Disks (3652)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sample Libraries, Loops & Sound Content Platforms (MPAIAIAF)
Keywords
Where Lapsus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Barcelona
- HQ country
- Spain
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Lapsus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Record Label Sales: Lapsus Records, C.E.E. (Club Excursionista de l'Electrònica), and Balmat labels release electronic music albums and EPs. Physical releases include vinyl records and cassettes sold through Bandcamp and physical distributors. The Perennial Series focuses on reissues of classic electronic music albums in collector formats.
- Event Organization: Lapsus organizes cultural events and festivals featuring electronic music performances, including their annual festival (2014-2019 at CCCB) and club nights at LAUT venue. Events include ticketed concerts and performances by international and local electronic music artists.
- Artist Agency: Lapsus Agency represents electronic music artists and provides booking and management services. The agency represents a broad spectrum of alternative electronic music artists.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Lapsus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lapsus is a Barcelona-based multidisciplinary artistic platform operating since 2004 in the electronic music space. It runs three record labels (Lapsus Records, C.E.E., and Balmat), a regular radio program (Lapsus Radio), a live event series, and an artist booking agency (Lapsus Agency), curating and releasing electronic music while representing roster artists.
Product overview
Lapsus is a Barcelona-based multidisciplinary artistic platform founded in 2004, operating as a unified ecosystem of complementary electronic music offerings. The core portfolio consists of Lapsus Records (primary record label), C.E.E. (club-oriented sub-label), and Balmat (experimental sub-label), alongside Lapsus Radio (weekly Radio3 show), Lapsus Agency (artist booking), and Perennial Series (classic reissues). The platform previously operated Lapsus Festival (2014-2019) and provides artistic direction for LAUT nightclub. Key partnerships include DNIT for live events. Distribution is handled via Bandcamp (digital/physical) and !K7 (digital), with physical distribution through Rubadub/Clone/Forced Exposure.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Lapsus Records: Primary electronic music record label, considered an international benchmark for innovative electronic music
- C.E.E.
- Lapsus Agency
- Lapsus Radio
- Balmat
Products and services
- Lapsus Records Main electronic music label within the Lapsus platform, releasing electronic music from the roster of artists.
- C.E.E. Sub-label under Lapsus Records releasing electronic music as part of the platform's label portfolio.
- Balmat Sub-label under Lapsus Records and the third label in the Lapsus portfolio, releasing electronic music.
- Lapsus Radio Regular radio program from the Lapsus platform delivering curated electronic music to listeners.
- Lapsus Agency Artist booking agency representing Lapsus roster artists for live performances and bookings.
- Perennial Reissue series within the Lapsus platform releasing reissues of selected electronic music works.
Companies that use Lapsus
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Lapsus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration10 records
Lapsus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Unsound FestivalminorCollaborative partnership for Lapsus 2019 ACT I event, featuring Polish electronic music scene artists alongside Unsound festival programming.
- LAUT ClubcoreBarcelona nightclub for which Lapsus has provided artistic direction since 2017. Venue for C.E.E. label nights and other electronic music events.
- CCCB (Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona)coreCo-producer of Lapsus Festival from 2014 to 2019. Six editions were held at CCCB featuring cutting-edge electronic music performances and talks.
- DNITcoreDNIT is a music series that partners with Lapsus for events. Lapsus joined the electronic music series DNIT in October 2021, and collaborated with DNIT to present Nicolás Jaar's 'Archivos de Radio Piedras' across Barcelona, Valencia, and Madrid in May 2024.
- BasoracoreDesign studio responsible for artwork and visual identity of Lapsus releases and events. Consistent design collaborator across the label's catalog.
- Life In The WoodscorePress and communications agency for Lapsus. Cristina Salinas handles press relations and Alfons Pich handles strategy and research.
- !K7coreDigital distribution partner for Lapsus Records, C.E.E., and Balmat labels.
- Rubadub / Clone / Forced ExposurecorePhysical distribution partners for vinyl records and other physical media releases.
- Radio 3 (RNE)coreSpanish National Radio station that broadcasts Lapsus Radio weekly. Program directed by Albert Salinas (Wooky) and Philip Sherburne.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Lapsus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Resident Advisor: Global electronic music media platform with editorial, event listings, and RA Tickets ticketing arm. Comparable as a community-led platform serving the alternative electronic audience — overlapping with Lapsus Radio's curatorial role.
Direct peers
- Hyperdub: London-based independent label founded by Kode9 — an artist Lapsus has booked for its VINT 2024 anniversary event. Comparable as a curatorial independent electronic label with deep roots in experimental/club music scenes.
- Kompakt: Cologne-based independent electronic label, distributor, and event operator (Kompakt Pop-Up events). Comparable as a multi-vertical independent electronic platform combining label, distribution, and club-event programming — a model Lapsus aspires to with LAUT.
- Ninja Tune: London-based independent electronic label with a broad roster spanning electronic, hip-hop, and experimental. Comparable as a multi-revenue-stream independent electronic platform operating a label, booking agency (in part), and sync/licensing arm with global reach.
- Smalltown Supersound: Oslo-based independent label with a roster spanning electronic, jazz, and experimental. Comparable as a multi-decade European independent label with strong curatorial identity and global physical distribution.
- Editions Mego: Vienna-based independent label focused on experimental electronic and avant-garde music. Directly comparable as a niche curatorial label in the experimental electronic space with similar catalog ethos and limited physical releases.
- Tri Angle Records: Independent electronic label known for experimental, ambient, and dark electronic releases. Comparable as a niche curatorial label releasing artist-driven limited physical editions in the alternative electronic space.
- !K7 Records: Berlin-based independent electronic label and Lapsus' actual digital distribution partner. Directly comparable as an electronic-focused label with distribution infrastructure; their DJ-Kicks series exemplifies the curatorial compilation model Lapsus pursues.
- Warp Records: Long-running UK independent electronic/experimental label (founded 1989) known for artists like Aphex Twin, Autechre, and Boards of Canada. Directly comparable as a curatorial benchmark label for innovative electronic music with multi-decade catalog and global distribution.
Regional players
- Sonar (Advanced Music): Barcelona-based electronic music festival and label — direct regional counterpart to Lapsus. Comparable as a Barcelona-rooted electronic music event and label operator; their larger scale and global reach illustrate the upper bound of the regional opportunity Lapsus operates within.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Lapsus social profiles
Digital presenceLapsus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lapsus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Lapsus subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
Lapsus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lapsus M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Lapsus
What does Lapsus do?
Lapsus is a Barcelona-based multidisciplinary artistic platform operating since 2004 in the electronic music space. It runs three record labels (Lapsus Records, C.E.E., and Balmat), a regular radio program (Lapsus Radio), a live event series, and an artist booking agency (Lapsus Agency), curating and releasing electronic music while representing roster artists.
Is Lapsus a public or private company?
Lapsus is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Lapsus founded?
Lapsus was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Lapsus based?
Lapsus is headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, in the Europe region.
How does Lapsus make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Record Label Sales are the primary driver. The others are event Organization and artist Agency.
Who are Lapsus's main competitors?
Resident Advisor is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Hyperdub, Kompakt, Ninja Tune, Smalltown Supersound, Editions Mego, Tri Angle Records, !K7 Records and Warp Records. Sonar (Advanced Music) is listed as a regional player.
Does Lapsus have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lapsus.
What industry is Lapsus in?
Lapsus's product category is Independent Music Label. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIAIAF, Sample Libraries, Loops & Sound Content Platforms. Its NAICS code is 5122 and its SIC code is 3652.