London, United Kingdom · 1993–present · Dormant
Platipus Records
“Producer-run, sleeve-art obsessed, and unmistakable on a turntable.”
The short answer — what is Platipus Records?
Platipus Records is the London label founded in 1993 by producer Simon Berry, who also recorded for it as Art Of Trance and Union Jack. It built a cult reputation on melodic, slightly psychedelic trance and on a house style so consistent — instantly recognisable sleeves, a producer's ear for arrangement — that regulars bought releases unheard.
Founded 1993 in London by Simon Berry.
How Platipus Records shaped the era
Platipus is the clearest example of a classic-era label run by a producer rather than an A&R department. Berry's own records — Art Of Trance's 'Madagascar', Union Jack's 'Two Full Moons And A Trout' — set the template, and the roster he signed around them shared the same instincts: melodic without being sentimental, psychedelic without collapsing into Goa.
The label's visual identity did real commercial work. In an era when a DJ flipped through crates at speed, a Platipus sleeve was identifiable at a glance, and that recognition converted directly into sales among buyers who trusted the imprint more than any individual artist name.
Platipus never scaled toward the arena market the way Perfecto or Armada did, and that is largely why it is remembered fondly. Its catalogue documents the middle ground between progressive house and full trance in the years — roughly 1994 to 2000 — when that middle ground was the most interesting place in dance music.
What a Platipus Records record sounds like
- Melodic trance with a psychedelic tint
- Arrangements written by producers, not committees
- Sleeve art as a label-level trust signal
Who founded Platipus Records?
Platipus Records was founded in 1993 in London, United Kingdom by Simon Berry.
Is Platipus Records still active?
Platipus Records is dormant. Its main run was 1993–present, and it no longer maintains a regular release schedule.
Which artists released on Platipus Records?
Artists associated with Platipus Records include Art Of Trance, Union Jack, POB, Quietman, Nautilus.