There are times when a label describes their own sound so succinctly and accurately that it would be a fool’s errand to try to do better. One such case is the New York City label Kindergarten Records, which calls their brand of dance music “cosmic club workouts with wigged-out rhythmic structures.” Since 2020, the label has been releasing forward-thinking dance music that is both fun and, indeed, a little wiggy. In that spirit, Kindergarten Records founder Ma Sha put together a great mix for Nina. You can listen to it and read our interview with Ma Sha below.

Where are you based?

Ma Sha: Ridgewood, New York.

What inspired you to start a label?

Mostly, it was my friends making incredible music, like Despina, who was also my roommate at the time. Having a background in music distribution, I felt ready to jump in and help them release their music, despite a difficult start due to the pandemic. Our first release, a 12-inch, faced challenges as it launched when record stores were closed during COVID's initial months. Thankfully, things improved from there. :)

Does your label have a sound or a mission?

We aim to highlight a unique aspect of the NYC bass scene, keeping a family feel within the label and letting the artist's guide our sound. 

What's your A&R process?

Music shared by friends and our label crew, plus demos, plus Bandcamp and Soundcloud digging. 

What labels do you look up to?

I really admire and look up to NYC labels like Slink, Sorry Records, Incienso, Eto Ano, Human Pitch.