IWD 2025 Label Focus – KAIZEN
Madam X on the origins of her Manchester label
WHAT’S THE NAME OF YOUR LABEL, AND WHO RUNS IT?
Kaizen and it’s run by me, Madam X!
WHEN & WHY DID THE LABEL START?
KAIZEN started about nine to ten years ago during my early raving days in Manchester, completely immersed in the music and the people. I was playing a lot of unreleased tracks from Biome and Walton and realised they had nowhere to put them out. KAIZEN came from a simple need—to give those tracks a home and get them out to the world.
I tested the waters with Kaizen Movements, a free download compilation that blew up way more than I expected and gave me the push to take KAIZEN further. A year later, I launched the label officially with KZN001: Biome – ‘Griddled’ and from there, it took on a life of its own!
GIVE US A BRIEF SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU’VE RELEASED SINCE THEN….
KAIZEN ran as a tight-knit collective for years, with releases from Biome, Silas & Snare and Walton at its core. I was intentional about shaping the label’s identity, making sure the artists felt like part of a family. We threw label nights, boat parties, Outlook Festival stage takeovers, and fully embraced that era—blurring the lines between dubstep and techno.
Post-pandemic, I wanted to breathe new life into KAIZEN and spotlight the next generation. Since then, we’ve released music from Cartridge, Hugo Massien, Cimm, OneOneOne, Debba and now myself. Every artist I’ve worked with has brought something unique to the label, and it’s always felt deeply personal.
WHAT QUALITIES ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN THE MUSIC YOU RELEASE?
My criteria is pretty simple. If I feel the music viscerally, and it gives me a ‘I-Have-To-Have-This-Now’ reaction, then I want to sign it.
Every release I consider, I ask myself if it will still sound good ten years…20 years from now, and to be honest, they do!
I’ll play the very first Biome record in clubs and it still slaps!
WHAT KIND OF VISUAL IDENTITY DOES THE LABEL HAVE (ARTWORK, VIDEOS ETC)?
Pink, white and black. I’ve had this consistent theme throughout and only rebelled when I put my EP out and decided to go blue lol. But generally, we’ve always been pink and I like to play with the feminine connotations that colour provokes and how it contrasts with the bass-heavy, aggressive nature of the music we release.
WHAT’S BEEN YOUR BIGGEST SELLING RELEASE TO DATE? TELL US A BIT ABOUT IT AND WHY YOU THINK IT WAS SO POPULAR.
I’m not entirely sure, but I will say all my Walton records have completely sold out and I recently sold the last remaining ‘Biome – Griddled’ vinyl.
At the time, these releases were really bringing a fresh sound palette to the table and we were living in really ‘headsy’ times, where record collecting and following the record label’s catalogue, felt like you were part of something. It’s about trusting your audience and giving them something to get excited about.
It’s interesting which releases resonate. Cimm’s record had a huge number of pre-orders and he has a really devoted, loyal following. When ‘Street Kings’ dropped, it was pretty revolutionary and on heavy rotation around the festival circuit. We’d made sure we were teasing it for ages before we’d actually released it, and it was such a sought after song, that holding it back for six months, meant people were gagging for it!
NAME ONE RELEASE THAT YOU THINK DESERVED TO GET MORE ATTENTION THAN IT DID
Wound Up – OneOneOne
Go check it – you won’t be disappointed!
IF YOU COULD SIGN ANY ARTIST, ALIVE OR DEAD, WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE AND WHY?
If I could release something that speaks to 18 year old me, then I’d kind of want to take it all the way back. French Fries (ClekClekBoom era), Skream & Benga, Jamie XX, Rustie! That would be wild!
WHICH OTHER LABELS DO YOU ADMIRE AND WHY?
TraTraTrax, Timedance, Hessle Audio, Fever AM, and Butterz have all built something culturally significant in their own way. They’re not just releasing music—they’re shaping scenes, putting producers on the map, and creating a sense of anticipation with every release. Their consistency is what sets them apart: a clear identity, a dedicated following, and a steady flow of forward-thinking releases.
The relationship between a label and its audience is just as important as the music itself. Watching how Elijah and Skilliam developed Butterz showed me the power of brand identity, consistency, and giving back to your community. I even worked with their graphic designer, DK, to shape KAIZEN’s visual world!
WHAT CAN WE LOOK TO FROM YOUR LABEL NEXT?
‘Continual Improvement’ – 改善 – Kaizen