What V Recordings does

V Recordings is an independent UK-based drum & bass record label operating from London as both a music publisher and a direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer. The label was founded by Bryan Gee and has operated for over 30 years, managing a roster that includes artists such as Riya, L-Side, Alibi, and Paul T & Edward Oberon, alongside multiple sub-labels covering distinct stylistic verticals: Liquid V (liquid/soulful D&B), Chronic, Philly Blunt (junglist/heavyweight), and L-Side (artist-focused). Its product portfolio spans digital downloads (MP3, FLAC, WAV), physical media (12" vinyl, CDs, USB dub packs with exclusive unreleased material), branded merchandise (apparel, accessories), and recurring content via the V Podcast series. The label is operated through the legal entity Straight Six Ltd, which trades as Databeats and provides the e-commerce platform, payment processing via PayPal, and logistics integrations with Royal Mail and DHL for global fulfillment.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through its own e-commerce storefront (vrecordings.com) on a unit-pricing model — digital tracks at £1.50-£2.50, full releases at £2.50-£10.00, vinyl at £10.99-£22.99+, USB bundles at £29.99-£37.99, and merchandise at £5.99-£79.95. The customer base is segmented horizontally into drum & bass music enthusiasts and DJs/collectors seeking exclusive physical and digital releases. Marketing relies on website content, email newsletter, and the V Podcast as top-of-funnel channels. With a 9-person team, no disclosed institutional funding, and no evidence of enterprise or wholesale distribution, V Recordings operates as a privately held, founder-led niche label with a heritage catalog, active release cadence, and direct-to-fan monetization model.

Name

V Recordings

Legal name

Straight Six Ltd (trading as Databeats)

Website

https://vrecordings.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

V Recordings is a London-based independent drum & bass record label operating for over 30 years. It sells digital downloads, vinyl, USB dub packs, and merchandise direct-to-consumers and DJs worldwide through its own e-commerce platform, powered by Databeats.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Digital Downloads: MP3, FLAC, and WAV format digital downloads sold individually or as full releases. Track prices range from £1.50 per track for MP3 to £2.50 for WAV. Full releases priced £2.50-£8.00 depending on format and track count.
2. Physical Media Sales: Vinyl records (2x12" albums, singles), CDs, and USB bundles sold through the online store. Prices range from £10.99 for vinyl singles to £37.99 for USB bundles.
3. Merchandise: Branded merchandise including t-shirts, hoodies, accessories. T-shirts priced £24.99-£34.95, hoodies £69.95-£79.95, accessories £5.99-£20.00.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

V Recordings is a UK-based drum and bass record label that produces, releases, and sells music across multiple sub-labels (V Recordings, Liquid V, Chronic, Philly Blunt, L-Side). The company sells digital downloads (MP3, FLAC, WAV), vinyl records, CDs, USB bundles containing exclusive unreleased material, and branded merchandise directly to consumers through its e-commerce store, complemented by the V Podcast series.

Product overview

V Recordings is a UK-based drum and bass record label operating as both a music label and e-commerce platform. The company manages multiple sub-labels including Liquid V (liquid D&B), Chronic, Philly Blunt (junglist/heavyweight D&B), and L-Side (artist-focused), collectively representing over three decades of releases. The product portfolio includes physical media (vinyl records, CDs, USB releases), digital downloads (MP3, FLAC, WAV formats), branded merchandise (apparel, accessories), podcast content, and bundle packages. The platform is powered by Databeats technology (Straight Six Ltd) for e-commerce functionality, with payment processing via PayPal and site analytics through Google Analytics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Liquid V: Drum and bass sub-label focused on liquid/chill styles
• Philly Blunt
• Chronic

Products and services

• V Recordings main label releases Core drum and bass record label featuring releases from artists such as Riya, L-Side, Alibi, Need For Mirrors, Paul T & Edward Oberon, MC Fats, and Level 2. Sells digital and physical releases to fans and DJs worldwide.
• Liquid V sub-label releases Drum and bass sub-label focused on liquid/chill styles, featuring artists such as Carlito, Command Strange, and Makoto.
• Chronic sub-label releases Sub-label of V Recordings featuring releases from the Chronic imprint, representing an additional drum and bass aesthetic within the label family.
• Philly Blunt sub-label releases Drum and bass sub-label featuring junglist and heavyweight D&B releases from artists such as Serum, Voltage, and L-Side.
• L-Side sub-label releases Artist-focused sub-label featuring L-Side's exclusive releases and dub packs, primarily distributed on USB format.
• Digital music downloads MP3, FLAC, and WAV format digital music downloads available for individual track purchase or as full releases. Individual tracks priced from £1.50 (MP3) to £2.50 (WAV); full releases from £2.50 to £10.00 depending on format and track count.
• Vinyl records 12-inch vinyl records featuring drum and bass releases, including special editions and limited pressings. Single vinyl from £10.99; 2x12" vinyl albums from £22.99; vinyl box sets available.
• USB releases USB drives containing curated music collections, including dub packs from artists like L-Side and Alibi, loaded with exclusive unreleased tracks. Priced from £29.99 to £37.99 with 10+ tracks in MP3 and WAV formats.
• CD releases CD format releases including compilation albums and individual artist releases from the V Recordings label family.
• V Podcast series Regular podcast series featuring guest DJ mixes from drum and bass artists on the V Recordings label network, with episodes spanning V Podcast 175 through 180+ including Mixcloud-style formats such as USB Dubpack mixes and Old Skool Specials.
• Bundle packages Bundled products combining vinyl, digital downloads, merchandise, and stickers at discounted prices for album releases such as 'This Is Riyality'.
• V Recordings branded merchandise Branded apparel and accessories tied to V Recordings artists and releases, including t-shirts (£24.99-£34.95), hoodies (£69.95-£79.95), sweatshirts (£54.95-£69.95), accessories (£5.99-£20.00), and artist-specific collections such as the V x Riyality line.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Databeats (Straight Six Ltd)coreTechnology or IntegrationDatabeats provides the e-commerce technology platform powering the V Recordings online store. Straight Six Ltd trades as Databeats and provides technology solutions for brands, record labels, and artists including order processing, payment handling via PayPal, and delivery logistics.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Shogun Audio: UK drum & bass label featuring artists such as Friction and Alix Perez, with a comparable direct-to-consumer store offering vinyl, digital downloads, and merchandise. Direct competitor for artist signings and consumer spend.
• Metalheadz: Goldie's iconic drum & bass label with deep UK heritage and a comparable catalog strategy spanning multiple subgenres of D&B. Operates a direct e-commerce presence and competes for the same collector and DJ audience.
• Hospital Records: London-based independent drum & bass label founded by London Elektricity. Sells music, merchandise, and exclusive content direct-to-consumer with multiple sub-labels (Med School, Sicknote), directly comparable in structure to V Recordings.
• RAM Records: Andy C's long-running independent drum & bass label based in the UK. Operates a similar model of releasing vinyl, digital downloads, and merchandise directly to D&B fans, with a roster of comparable headliner artists.
• Soul:R / MA Recordings: Marcus Intalex / Spirit (legacy) UK drum & bass label with deep vinyl roots. Operates a comparable direct e-commerce model serving the same D&B collector audience.
• Spearhead Records: BCee's UK drum & bass label focused on liquid and soulful D&B, similar to Liquid V. Sells music direct-to-consumer with a comparable catalog and subgenre focus.
• Critical Music: UK drum & bass label featuring Kasra and the Critical/modular imprint structure, releasing vinyl, digital, and exclusive content to a similar D&B fan base. Operates a parallel direct-to-consumer model.
• Dispatch Recordings: Independent drum & bass label with an artist-led imprint structure and direct online sales of vinyl and digital releases. Comparable in scale and operating model to V Recordings.

Broad incumbents

• Drumcode: Swedish techno label run by Adam Beyer. Not a D&B peer, but a comparable independent electronic-music label operating a direct-to-consumer store with vinyl, merch, and digital—useful as a broader e-comparable for independent electronic label economics.
• Ninja Tune: Long-running UK independent electronic/hip-hop label with a significantly larger scale. Comparable as a blueprint for what an established UK independent electronic label can build (catalog, merch, global DTC) over decades.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/v-recordings

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about V Recordings