Rockstar launches a record label to 'elevate' dance music

Rockstar Games has offered elaborate soundtracks for a long time, and now it's taking that fondness for music to its logical conclusion. The Grand Theft Auto creator has teamed with dance party organizer CircoLoco to launch a record label, CircoLoco Records, that will meld the worlds of video game music with real-world dance culture. It'll feature the work of GTA V resident DJs like Moodymann and Dixon, as you might expect, but there will also be productions from well-known artists beyond the game — Carl Craig, Luciano and Seth Troxler are a few examples.

The first EP (Monday Dreamin' Blue EP) isn't due until June 4th, but CircoLoco has already released Troxler's "Lumartes" as a single and will dribble out more tracks each week until a full-fledged compilation arrives on July 9th.

Rockstar and CircoLoco see this as a mutually beneficial effort. The label could give Rockstar's featured in-game artists a higher profile, of course, but both want this to "elevate" dance culture at a moment when the COVID-19 pandemic has shuttered nightclubs across the planet. This gives dance music more of a presence outside of the club, Rockstar said. We'd add that this is also convenient for Rockstar's future games — it could incorporate music from its own label without as much negotiation as it might need with third parties.