Soma Records

What Soma Records does

Soma Records (legal entity: Soma Recordings Ltd.) is a Glasgow-headquartered independent electronic dance music label founded in 1991 by Stuart McMillan and Orde Meikle (performing together as Slam), Dave Clarke, Glenn Gibbons, Nigel Hirst, and Jim Muotune. The company operates a multi-revenue model spanning physical and digital music releases (vinyl singles, MP3, WAV), branded merchandise (T-shirts, hoodies, accessories), producer sample packs, audio mastering services via a partnership with Glowcast Audio Mastering, and educational programming under the Soma Skool umbrella, with sub-brands including Avoidant Records, SOMA NEU, Collective Process, Exhibit, and the Soma Coma ambient series.

The label's technology footprint is conventional for an independent label: an owned e-commerce storefront at somarecords.com with global shipping, supplemented by third-party distribution through Beatport, Bandcamp, Spotify, SoundCloud, and YouTube. The proprietary asset is the catalog itself — over 700 releases spanning 35 years — together with associated audio mastering delivered by Conor Dalton at Glowcast (a 7-working-day turnaround service positioned to external producers as well as in-house signings). Soma Skool extends the platform into structured Ableton-based production education, including a course delivered in partnership with Shoogle Studios. Slam Radio provides weekly broadcast distribution as an audience-retention channel.

Soma makes money primarily through unit-priced direct-to-consumer sales: digital tracks at £2.99-£4.99, 12-inch vinyl at £8.00-£9.99, branded apparel at £10-£40, and sample packs at £9.99-£14.99 (with an £50 bundle). GTM is entirely organic: owned e-commerce, marketplace listings, and social channels (Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, SoundCloud, Spotify, YouTube, Beatport). The customer base is a long-tail of techno producers, enthusiasts, and collectors served globally with the UK as the primary market; no enterprise contracts or anchor B2B clients are disclosed.

Name

Soma Records

Legal name

Soma Recordings Ltd.

Website

https://somarecords.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Soma Records is a Glasgow-based independent electronic dance music label founded in 1991, selling physical and digital techno releases, merchandise, sample packs, and mastering services to a global long-tail of producers and fans.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Record Label

NAICS

Record Production and Distribution (51225)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Rights Administration & Royalty Processing (Admin, Accounting, Statements) (MPAIAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Copyright Registration & Catalog Management (Metadata, ISWC/ISRC Linking) (MPAIABAC)

Keywords

• Independent record label
• Electronic dance music
• Vinyl record distribution
• Audio mastering services
• Music merchandise retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Glasgow

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Music Sales: Revenue from digital music releases (MP3 at £2.99-£3.99, WAV at £3.99-£4.99) and physical vinyl records (Twelve-inch singles at £8.00-£9.99). Over 700 releases in catalog spanning 35 years.
2. Merchandise Sales: Branded merchandise including T-shirts (£25.00-£30.00), hoodies and sweatshirts (£40.00), caps (£15.00), beanies (£10.00), and accessories. Sold through own e-commerce platform.
3. Sample Pack Sales: Techno sample packs created by Soma artists including SLV and Arnaud Le Texier, priced at £9.99-£14.99 each. Bundle option available at £50.00 (RRP £110).
4. Mastering Services: Soma-endorsed audio mastering service through partnership with Glowcast Audio Mastering, offered to external producers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Soma Records is an independent electronic dance music (techno) label that releases physical and digital music (vinyl, MP3, WAV, CD), produces sample packs for producers, sells branded merchandise, delivers educational content through the Soma Skool platform, and offers professional audio mastering services via its partnership with Glowcast Audio Mastering. The label distributes globally through its own storefront, Beatport, Bandcamp, and major streaming platforms, with a back catalog spanning 35 years and approaching 700 releases.

Product overview

Soma Records is a Glasgow-based independent electronic dance music label founded in 1991 by Slam (Stuart McMillan and Orde Meikle), Dave Clarke, and Glenn Gibbons. One of the world's leading techno labels, it operates as a comprehensive music platform offering physical and digital music releases (vinyl, CD, digital downloads), an e-commerce shop for music and branded merchandise (t-shirts, hoodies, accessories), sample packs for music producers, educational content through Soma Skool masterclasses, the Slam Radio podcast, professional mastering services via Glowcast Audio Mastering partnership, the Avoidant Records sub-label for techno/electro releases, and various compilation series (Soma Coma, Collective Process, SOMA NEU, Exhibit, Louder Than Chaos). The company maintains offices at Acre House, 35 Whitefield Road, Glasgow, G51 2YB.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Exhibit: Compilation series featuring emerging artists in the deeper, hypnotic techno spectrum
• SOMA NEU
• Collective Process
• Soma Coma
• Soma Mastering Service
• Soma Skool

Products and services

• Music Releases (Vinyl, Digital, CD) Physical and digital releases of techno and electronic dance music across twelve-inch vinyl singles (£8.00-£9.99), digital MP3 downloads (from £2.99), WAV downloads (from £3.99), and CDs. The catalog spans 35 years with approaching 700 releases targeting electronic music producers, DJs, and fans.
• Sample Packs Digital sample packs for music producers featuring techno sounds created by Soma artists. Includes kick drums, hi-hats, percussion, synths, modular sounds, rave synths, acid loops, FX, drones, rides, claps, snares, layered kicks, and Ableton Live templates. Individual packs priced at £9.99-£14.99 with a bundle of all 11 packs available at £50 (RRP £110).
• Soma Skool Educational Platform Educational platform offering masterclasses, workshops, panels, and tutorials from Soma artists and industry professionals. Covers Ableton Live techno production, music journalism, and industry insights, with content available via Bandcamp download. Includes sound production course partnership with Shoogle Studios taught by Soma artist Simon Stokes (Petrichor).
• Mastering Services Soma-endorsed professional audio mastering service delivered in partnership with Glowcast Audio Mastering, operated by Conor Dalton. Specializes in techno, house, minimal, tech house, and electronic dance music mastering, with an average turnaround of 7 working days. Dalton has mastered tracks for Daft Punk, Ricardo Villalobos, Carl Craig, and John Digweed. Offered to external producers.
• Branded Merchandise Branded merchandise sold through the Soma Records e-commerce storefront, including T-shirts (£25-£30), long sleeve tees (£28), sweatshirts and hoodies (£40), caps (£15), beanies (£10), and accessories ranging from stickers (£1.50) to sunglasses (£8.99). Includes limited edition designs such as the Black Skull/Red Logo T-shirt.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Glowcast Audio MasteringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoma Records partnered with Glasgow-based Glowcast Audio Mastering to offer a Soma-endorsed audio mastering service. Run by Conor Dalton, who serves as the official mastering engineer for all Soma Records releases and has worked with Daft Punk, Ricardo Villalobos, Carl Craig, and John Digweed. Average turnaround time is 7 working days.
• Shoogle StudiosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Shoogle Studios to offer sound production course using Ableton Live 9, taught by Soma artist Simon Stokes (Petrichor).

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Drumcode: Drumcode is a Swedish techno label founded by Adam Beyer in 1996. It competes with Soma for the same techno producer talent pool, focuses exclusively on techno releases, and serves an overlapping global DJ and producer audience.
• Tresor Records: Tresor Records is a Berlin-based independent techno label founded in 1991 with similar heritage and genre focus. Both labels are internationally recognized techno institutions with comparable release cadences, vinyl-forward distribution, and physical club culture roots.
• Kompakt: Kompakt is a Cologne-based German independent electronic label founded in 1998. It shares Soma's multi-format release model, retail presence (Kompakt's record store), and commitment to curated electronic music across techno, minimal, and adjacent genres.
• Token Records: Token Records is a Belgian independent techno label with a similar curatorial approach to underground techno. Both labels focus on quality-driven techno releases, vinyl-forward distribution, and maintain tight A&R over a manageable release slate.
• Warp Records: Warp Records is a Sheffield-founded (1989) UK independent electronic label with comparable longevity and catalog depth. Both labels are genre-defining UK institutions in electronic music with similar artist-development models and global distribution reach.
• Mord Records: Mord Records is a Berlin-based independent techno label. Both labels operate as boutique techno imprints with vinyl-first distribution, global digital reach, and a focus on established and emerging underground techno artists.
• !K7 Records: !K7 Records is a Berlin-based independent electronic label best known for the DJ-Kicks compilation series. It shares Soma's focus on curated electronic music compilations, DJ-culture positioning, and indie ownership structure.
• R&S Records: R&S Records is a Belgian electronic label founded in 1983 with comparable heritage to Soma. Both labels have decades-spanning catalogs, have helped launch internationally recognized electronic artists, and maintain indie label structures with global distribution.
• Stroboscopic Artefacts: Stroboscopic Artefacts is a Berlin-based independent techno and experimental electronic label. Both labels serve the intersection of underground techno and experimental electronic music, with similar vinyl and digital release formats.

Broad incumbents

• Ninja Tune: Ninja Tune is a London-based independent electronic label founded in 1990. While broader in genre (covering downtempo, hip-hop, and electronica beyond techno), it shares Soma's UK indie label structure, longevity, multi-format releases, and global electronic music audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/somarecords
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/officialsomarecords
• Facebookfacebook.com/SomaRecords
• Instagraminstagram.com/somarecords
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/soma-records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Soma Records