Record Label
(**[u][For submitters]:** Please use **this** entry for releases listing "N2O Records," with corresponding Notes to reflect how the label appears.) **Nitrous Oxide Records**, also known as **N2O Records** and *Charged N2O/Nitrous Oxide Entertainment* (since 2006), is an American independent label established in 1997 by [Nate "N8LOC" Shimizu](https://discogs.com/artist/202812) and based in Los Angeles, California. It has been on hiatus for over five years, with the latest digital-only release, *[r=27978453]*, published in August 2017, and a short-lived "N2O Custom Dubplate Campaign" series of limited-edition 10" acetates in 2014. (The official website's URL, **n2orecords.com**, is most likely still controlled by the owner as it currently redirects to the [[artist:Wikipedia]] page about the label.) An associated *[Freeburning Rekkid Shoppe](https://discogs.com/label/35944)* ran on Melrose Avenue in LA until the early 2010s, with many N2O releases pressed with ["Freeburning" center labels](https://www.discogs.com/release/429206) advertising the shop. The label extensively collaborated with Japanese hip-hop, electronic, and rock artists since the mid-2000s, such as [[artist:DJ Baku]], [[artist:Bomb Factory (3)]], and [[artist:Uzumaki]], with some albums and EPs pressed in Japan only. The N2O's exclusive distributors were [[label:The Orchard]] (USA), [[label:Entertainment One]] (Canada), [Ultra-Vibe, Inc.](https://discogs.com/label/3425491) (Japan), and [Cargo](https://discogs.com/label/274712) (UK/Europe). N2O Records began as a DJ-oriented label with its inaugural *[r=655087]* CD/12" EP compilation featuring underground breakbeat, jungle, drum & bass, and hardcore LA producers. In the early days, Nitrous Oxide primarily continued with 12" EPs and singles, including many turntablism/DJ-tool releases. The label gradually adopted a broader range of genres and released several prolific artists, most notably, the 2006 debut solo album by [[artist:Slipknot]]'s DJ/keyboardist, [[artist:Sid Wilson]], under his [DJ Starscream](https://discogs.com/artist/285824) alias, *[m=178430]* CD/LP, and one of the solo albums by [[artist:Omar Rodriguez-Lopez]] of [[artist:At The Drive-In]] and [[artist:The Mars Volta]] fame, *[m=113770]* CD/2×LP. (The fourth part of Omar's "Amsterdam series," *Calibration* became his second and the highest-charting album in the US at the time, peaking at 29 on [Billboard](https://discogs.com/label/1312199)'s "Top Heatseekers" chart.) The company signed a deal with [[label:Sony Music Records]]/[[label:gr8! records]] in 2006, becoming an exclusive US promoter for the Japanese band [[artist:Boom Boom Satellites]].