HE.SHE.THEY marks five years of its label with a 25-track first compilation
HE.SHE.THEY released 5 Years Of HE.SHE.THEY Records, its first various artists compilation, on 1 October 2026. The 25-track album spans house, techno, African club, disco and UK bass, features artists including Maya Jane Coles, SYREETA, Nikki Nair and LSDXOXO, and was preceded by Floyd Lavine's single Bold.
HE.SHE.THEY has released its first various artists compilation, 5 Years Of HE.SHE.THEY Records, marking half a decade of the label. The 25-track collection landed on 1 October and was trailed by Bold, a single from South African DJ and producer Floyd Lavine that is already out.
The tracklist pulls from right across the label's catalogue and its wider circle. Maya Jane Coles, SYREETA, Nikki Nair, LSDXOXO, CC:DISCO!, Chloé Robinson and Giulia Tess are among the names, and announcement coverage also lists Radio Slave, GusGus, Cakes da Killa and Catz 'n Dogz in the wider HE.SHE.THEY family. Musically it moves through house, peak-time techno, African club sounds, disco, UK bass and more experimental club tracks rather than locking into one tempo or mood.
Sophia Kearney and Steven Braines founded HE.SHE.THEY in 2020 as a response to what they called the commercial homogenisation of global club culture. From the start it ran as both a record label and an events series, with a focus on the Black, queer and underground communities that built rave culture in the first place. The parties have since travelled to 60 cities in 26 countries, and the brand picked up DJ Mag Best of British nominations for Best Label in 2023 and Best Club Event in 2024.
A first compilation after five years is a statement of catalogue strength more than a quick cash-in. Most of these artists have already released with the label or played its nights, so the record works as a map of who the brand trusts. For a label that is also a touring party, that matters: the compilation doubles as a lineup pitch to promoters in every city the series visits next.
For artists and managers there are two lessons here. First, labels with their own event series are among the strongest homes for a club track in 2026, because a release can turn straight into bookings on the same brand's stages. Second, a values-led identity is not a soft extra. HE.SHE.THEY built a recognisable community before it built a back catalogue, and that community is what gives a 25-track various artists release a reason to exist. If you are pitching demos to brand-led labels like this one, show how your music and your audience fit the culture, not just the sound.