An Introduction to Jean Pierre's House Music Label, Pakate Records
As soon as Jean Pierre’s innate skill as a DJ became common knowledge in NYC nightlife circles 15 years ago, key personalities in the scene helped open doors for him. Now based in Miami with releases on labels like Nervous Records and Cuttin’ Headz, he’s paying it forward with an imprint of his own called Pakate Records.
Pakate inaugurated in 2021 with the minimal house-leaning Actin’ Up EP by U.K. talent FLETCH. The four-track effort included two original singles as well as remixes by Franco Cinelli and Jean Pierre himself. It came out on vinyl in June 2021, but Jean’s plans for the record don’t end there.
“[The Actin’ Up EP] was a vinyl-only release that we still haven’t released digitally,” Jean says. “It’s doing really well and a lot of the big guys are playing it, but it’s kind of under the radar – which I like. At Miami Music Week we’ll release the first digital release, which is totally separate from the vinyl.”
April 2022 marked Pakate Records’ second release: Miami VA-001. FLETCH returned to deliver two tracks on the compilation, which also showcased artists like Daniel Orpi, Reelow, Guti, Mahony, and Jean Pierre himself. Aside from the high quality of each track, the effort speaks to Jean’s passion for building up the next generation of underground producers — a cornerstone of the label.
“For me, the label is a very personal thing,” Jean says. “I’m just starting to build a team with The Bullitt Agency, focusing on branding and stuff like that, but it’s mainly me. I don’t have a label manager, it’s just me handling everything. It’s very personal and I’m taking my time with it.”
If the response so far is any indication, however, Pakate Records is well on its way to becoming a respected house music institution. Fans of the wonky and weird yet somehow tastefully minimal end of the dance music spectrum would do well to keep this label in their sights over the coming years.
