Warp Records

Warp Records, the London-based independent music and film company, is the first record label in the world to make their back catalogue available as pay-per-track MP3 downloads via the www.bleep.com site. Significantly, Bleep music has no DRM or copy protection built in. Warp believes that most people like to be treated as customers and not potential criminals - DRM can often be easily circumvented and puts obstacles in the way of enjoying music. Bleep.com quickly moved from being the official online Warp Records outlet to selling the entire catalogues of over 50 other independent labels in MP3 format. Bleep.com aims to be the quickest and easiest method of downloading music from the internet. Unlike P2P file sharing or even iTunes, Bleep.com does not require users to install proprietary software to access MP3 downloads. From its origins as an independent record shop in Sheffield, Warp Records has been a pioneer, not only as a record label pursuing and developing the newest sounds and most adventurous artists, including Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, Autechre, Boards of Canada, Broadcast, LFO, Vincent Gallo, Plaid, Prefuse 73 and many others, but as a forward-thinking business enterprise. In 1996, Warp Records extended its website further to become an online shop - WARPMART. Now well established and renowned internationally as a hub of news and links to the alternative music community, Warpmart stocks releases by many other well known independent labels (such as Rephlex, Anticon, mush, Planet Mu, Skam, Def Jux, Kompakt) and prides itself on having a loyal customer base who are frequently rewarded with bonus freebies and artist exclusives not available in shops. BLEEP is a therefore a natural evolution from Warpmart, making it even easier for anyone worldwide to hear and purchase music direct without postage or delivery worries, and to have direct contact and involvement with the labels. In 2001, Warp opened a film division, Warp Films, winning a BAFTA in 2003 with its first short, Chris Morris' My Wrongs #8245-8249 ...