ACID POLKA NERDSTEP HOBBY RAP - SINCE 2003
In 2003, a group of high school teenagers decided to form their own music label.
Apple had just introduced its iPod a year and a half earlier. It was the high times of P2P platforms like Napster and Limewire, when music fans were getting sued by the major labels for sharing music online.
That’s why to us, a group of likeminded besties from Stuttgart, Rome and Liverpool, publishing our music for free online was a somewhat radical gesture.
We celebrated the spirit of network culture: long before YouTube or Spotify, Soundcloud or Bandcamp, and even before MySpace was launched, years before the "Like" button was invented and artists were defined by their view count, we explored what it means to collaborate and publish online.
Upitup Records (from our battle cry "up it up!") served as our medium for musical experimentation and communication with our peers on the internet. We became part of a small international movement of so-called net labels, and since then we have released dozens (more than 80!) of curated albums from incredible artists from all over the world.
In the 20 years that followed, we formed connections, created new friendships and we played and hosted gigs at countless clubs across Stuttgart, Munich, Berlin, Rome, Liverpool, London, sharing stages with our idols such as Ceephax, Legowelt, Global Goon, Otto von Schirach, and many many others.
To celebrate this milestone and to kick off the next chapter of Upitup's evolution, we are releasing a compilation of 21 tracks (20 to celebrate, 1 to kick off the next decade!) and an entirely new way to discover and enjoy our extensive catalogue.
We are also super excited to announce the release of Upitup Forever, our first ever mobile app, available for free for iOS and Android.
Upitup Forever brings you the entire Upitup Records catalogue on the go. With Upitup Forever you can browse and stream our entire catalogue for free, explore our catalogue through curated playlists and also use a brand new shuffle function to explore our catalogue based on genres.
We hope you'll enjoy our app and our music.
Finally, we would like to thank all the artists, fans and followers who over the decades have made Upitup the special place it is today. Thank you for the continued support and a toast to a new decade of Upitup goodness, together.
Bella!
UP IT UP CREW REPRESENTIN'!
Bang Face Weekender is back in 2022 for
4 days raving in a classic seaside holiday park :)
FULL LINE-UP ANNOUNCEMENT HYPE!
DAJE!!! See you there!
Loyal to the good ole ways, if aint broken dont fix it, top one nice one get sorted.
We have recently received a delivery. Very timely despite the disruptions. A very hefty delivery we must say, five large parcels over 1,5m… Of course we talking about big fat tunes lol!
Upitup’s stalwart The Courier very kindly provided us and YOU with a new brilliant EP just in time to celebrate the 10 years from his first appearance on UPITUP and the Delivery Strike EP.
The Courier’s third release on Upitup, Contact Free Delivery EP does more than deliver: its a solid set of 5 trademark Courier hardcore cuts, but this time with a different flavor: slightly psychedelic, with very complex dramatic progressions and crescendos. Every track is a journey on its own.
Can’t really pick a favourite between these enthralling breakbeat anthems, as the EP works as a unit and grows at every listen!
Find out more and download Contact Free Delivery EP here.
What else goin on in Upitup land?
Well a lot, but first of all, Happy Big Tracky Birthday !
Second, Isocore is playing live in Birkenhead, UK tomorrow! more info here
Our latest show on Melodic Distraction radio here.
There is way more going on and Moooore releases in the pipeline so stay tuned! in a bit.
The slogan "Up It Up!" can be comprehended as a battlecry of digital culture. Unless you "up something up to the network", it stays where it is, unshared (in your brain, on your pc etc.). To "up it up" equally means to "go for it", to "make it hot".
Upitup has been releasing free music since 2003.
Based in Liverpool, Stuttgart, London and Rome, we initially just wanted to make our sounds accessible to the public. The idea was to create an open platform for sharing ideas and staying/getting in contact with people. We later realized we're running what's considered a netlabel.
Upitup remains completely uninfected by commercial interests - to the contrary, we love to see the music industry trying to catch up with new technologies while suffering from their self-imposed politics. We are proud to be able to supply our music for free.
With artists all around our polluted globe, from Down Under to Uptown USA, we will turn any party into a raving disco fuss. Feel free to contact us about anything: