As Vibe Me To The Moon celebrates its landmark 50th catalog release, the independent imprint finds itself reflecting on a journey that has quietly unfolded over the past decade. What began as an outlet for Nightsteppaz’s own productions has evolved into a globally minded label with a growing reputation for championing deep, soulful, “fad-free” house music.

Along the way, the label has become home to an eclectic roster of artists, including returning collaborators such as Roland Clark, Franck Roger, Demarkus Lewis, and Mr. V, while also welcoming appearances from respected names including Fred Everything, DJ Spinna, Kevin Yost, Bushwacka!, and many more. 

More recently, Vibe Me To The Moon has expanded its international reach through a growing connection with South Africa’s vibrant underground house scene, welcoming artists such as Radic The Myth and Academic Deep, while significantly increasing its release schedule as the label enters a new chapter.

To mark the occasion, we caught up with label founder and curator, Nightsteppaz, to reflect on the journey to fifty releases, discuss the evolution of the label’s sound and philosophy, revisit standout moments from the catalog, and look ahead to what comes next for Vibe Me To The Moon.

 

WWD: Congratulations on reaching your 50th catalog release. Looking back to the beginning, did you ever imagine the label would reach this milestone, and what does this achievement mean to you personally?

 

I never imagined that Vibe Me To The Moon records would get to the level of 50 releases.

I’m so proud of our catalog and I hope that having 50 releases gives people enough listening material to get to know our label!

 

WWD: Vibe Me To The Moon has maintained a consistent presence in an industry where many independent labels come and go. What do you feel has been the key to the label’s longevity?

 

There are many factors which affect the longevity of a record label.

I think the most important factors are persistence, meaning not giving up, and continuing to promote your brand. Having the financial resources to continue funding the label is also very important. It is not cheap to properly release singles, EPs, or albums. We believe in paying artists fairly, so the label has to pay the producers, remixers and occasionally vocalists, as well as mastering engineers and graphic designers for each release (in addition to promotional and marketing costs).

 

WWD: Every successful label develops its own identity over time. How would you describe the core ethos of Vibe Me To The Moon to someone discovering the label for the first time?

 

The mission of Vibe Me To The Moon records is to release high quality house music which avoids music which is overhyped and overrated.

 

WWD: The label’s identity today feels much larger than any single artist, yet its foundations were closely connected to your own musical journey as Nightsteppaz. At what point did you realize Vibe Me To The Moon was becoming something bigger than a vehicle for your own releases, and how did that shift influence your approach as a curator?

 

Actually Vibe Me To The Moon records was always intended to be a platform showcasing the best house music, and the releases by Nightsteppaz were just part of the same plan.

I hope that now that the label has reached a total of 50 releases that people will see that the label was always meant to be a platform for showcasing high quality house music in general.

The label is now receiving demos from many talented producers on a regular basis as well.

 

WWD: Looking back at the early years of the label, what aspects of your original vision have remained unchanged, and what has evolved the most?

 

I would say that the label has continued to promote music from its core group of producers and remixers, while at the same time adding new producers into the mix, like Radic The Myth, Academic Deep, Guardians of The Galaxy and Logo Alloy and Zam T.

 

WWD: The electronic music landscape has changed dramatically since the label launched. What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as an independent label owner, and how have you adapted?

 

I don’t worry about adapting to the music landscape, I just listen to the new demos I am getting and let that be my guide.

 

WWD: What are some of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned through the process of running a label for nearly fifty releases?

 

Never pay anyone until they have signed your contract, that is an important lesson.

Another lesson I learned is that if you continue to release high quality house music and you remain relevant in the music scene as a label, the talent, meaning the producers who send demos will find you. So rather than seeking out demos, there has been a shift towards receiving demos that producers send to us because they heard about our label.

 

WWD: Looking across the catalog, are there a handful of releases that hold a special place in your heart or represent important milestones in the label’s journey?

 

I would say that a few collaborations I did with Mass Digital hold a special place in my heart because I am very proud of the tracks we made together. Also, some of Demarkus Lewis’s releases have gone to the top of the chart, and that has been an important milestone for the label.

 

WWD: For listeners who are discovering Vibe Me To The Moon for the first time, which releases would you consider essential listening and why?

 

I would say the Mr. V remix of Nightsteppaz – ‘House Music’s Still Alive’ iis an essential listen and also I would highly recommend listening to the album we will be releasing by Radic The Myth from South Africa, later this year! (more on that soon!)

 

WWD: Exciting! Speaking of South Africa, your recent releases have highlighted a growing connection between Vibe Me To The Moon and South Africa’s thriving underground house scene, with artists such as Academic Deep, Radic The Myth, Logo Alloy & Zam T, and Guardian Of The Galaxy joining the catalog this year. Was this a natural evolution for the label, or the result of a deliberate effort to seek out music from the region?

 

Actually, the group of  South African producers, including Academic Deep, Radic The Myth, Guardians of The Galaxy and Logo Aloy and Zam T initiated contact with my label because they heard good things about us, and after I listened to the demos they sent us, I welcomed them to join the label.

 

WWD: South Africa has become one of the most exciting hubs for underground house music in the world. What qualities do you hear in South African producers that make them such a strong fit for the label?

 

South African house music is a great fit for the label because the productions are very high quality and also because the sound and the vibe is so chill and warm to the ear.

 

WWD: Has the influx of South African artists influenced the musical identity of Vibe Me To The Moon in any way, or do you view it more as a natural extension of the label’s existing sound?

 

It is both a natural extension of the label’s existing sound and also it has given the label’s sound a new twist, which I love.

 

WWD: Another notable development has been the label’s growth in output. After years of releasing roughly one record per month, you dramatically increased your release schedule in 2025, at times moving to a near-weekly cadence. What prompted that expansion, and what challenges and opportunities came with scaling the label at that pace?

 

Well, Vibe Me To  The Moon Records gathered up such a large collection of releases that we had to increase the rate of new releases from once a month to nearly weekly to avoid developing a huge back-log of releases, which would cause unwanted delays between the signing of the contract and the date when the acquired music is actually released. Producers don’t want there to be a long delay before their music is released.

 

WWD: The label has released music spanning deep house, soulful house, afro influences, progressive house, melodic sounds, and beyond. How important has musical diversity been to the label’s identity?

 

The goal is to release high quality house music and I think that house-heads who go to their local house music nightclubs will see and hear the relevance of the music we are releasing.

 

WW: Over the past year, listeners may have noticed a stronger emphasis on deep and soulful house within the Vibe Me To The Moon catalog. Has this shift been a conscious curatorial decision, a reflection of the music being submitted to the label, or simply a natural evolution of your own musical tastes?

 

Actually, none of the above, it is just by chance that we are releasing more deep and soulful house music, 

 

WWD: What qualities do you look for when deciding whether an artist or release is the right fit for Vibe Me To The Moon?

 

I just rely on my ears and my sense of musical taste and go from there.

 

WWD: Throughout the label’s history, several respected artists including Roland Clark, Franck Roger, and Demarkus Lewis have returned to Vibe Me To The Moon time and again. In an industry where artists often move between countless labels, how important has relationship building been to your approach, and what do you think has made Vibe Me To The Moon a home that these artists continue to come back to?

 

I think it goes without saying that it is good to do repeat business with the producers you work with at your label. A growing number of producers consider Vibe Me To The Moon to be a home that they can come back to because they see what our goals and our mission are and they are on the same page musically as we are, so they see that the label has something in common with them.

 

WWD: ‘After Dark Vol. 1’ marked your debut mixed album as Nightsteppaz, bringing together many of the records that have shaped your journey as an artist and label curator. What inspired the project, what did it represent to you at this stage in your career, and might there be future installments?

 

After Dark Vol. 1 was just an idea that we thought of at the label, to release a compilation of Nightsteppaz tracks to showcase the sound of Nightsteppaz at that point in time. I hope there will be future installments. 

 

WWD: The label’s landmark 50th catalog release arrives in the form of a two-track EP from Bulgarian producer Allan Zax. Was there any intentionality behind selecting this particular release to occupy such a significant milestone in the label’s history? And for those yet to hear it, what can you tell us about Allan Zax’s EP?

 

Actually, it was just by chance that Bulgarian producer Allan Zax’s EP was our 50th catalog release. I can tell you that the Allan Zax Ep is Deep with some progressive and melodic tones.

 

WWD: Is there a particular release, artist signing, or moment in the label’s history that felt like a turning point or confirmation that the project was heading in the right direction?

 

I think the increasing influx of high quality demos we are getting, such as the South African producers feels like a turning point for the label, it’s very exciting!

 

WWD: Independent labels often require a tremendous amount of persistence behind the scenes. What continues to motivate you after all these years?

 

Just a love of electronic music! 

 

WWD: As you look toward releases 51 through 100, what goals or ambitions do you have for the next chapter of Vibe Me To The Moon?

 

I don’t have any specific goals, I will just let the music relay the message I am trying to convey to listeners.

 

WWD: Are there any new projects, concepts, collaborations, or directions that fans should keep an eye on in the coming months?

 

I can’t predict the future, however, I do promise more high quality house music releases on our label!

 

WWD: Looking ahead, do you see the label continuing to broaden its musical palette, or do you envision refining and focusing the sound even further?

 

I would prefer to broaden the label’s musical palette, to keep things interesting.

 

WWD: When people look back at the first fifty releases of Vibe Me To The Moon, what do you hope the label’s legacy will be?

 

I hope listeners and fans will see the direction we are going in and jump onboard for the journey! 

 

WWD: No doubt they will! Thanks for the chat 🙂 

Allan Zax’s ‘Calling Your Name / Good Times’ EP is available here