Mo' Wax was a British record label founded by James Lavelle in 1992. The label was not co-founded by Tim Goldsworthy, as is often reported. Steve Finan became co-owner shortly after.

Mo' Wax came to recognition for being at the forefront of trip hop, turntablism and alternative hip hop during the mid-1990s. The label also released notable records covering techno, drum and bass and electro. Mo' Wax also helped the graffiti artist Futura 2000 regain popularity, by using his artwork on many of their releases in the 1990s.

Lavelle signed partial ownership of Mo' Wax over to A&M Records (now part of the Universal Music Group) in 1996. When their deal expired he signed with Beggars Group, who still own some of the catalogue.

The name derives from "Mo'Wax Please", the title of a column James Lavelle wrote in the magazine Straight No Chaser and the Oxford club night he ran. This in turn was influenced by the Freddie Roach LP, Mo' Greens Please on Blue Note records.

The original Mo' Wax logo as used on the early releases was designed by UK graphic designer Ian Swift "Swifty" and the label grew their reputation by featuring artwork contributions from Futura, Robert Del Naja (from Massive Attack), She One, Req1 and Kostas Seremetis. Ben Drury and Will Bankhead were the main designers responsible for the art direction and design of the label.

The label also released toys and art prints under their Mo' Wax Arts (MWA) imprint, and collaborated with artists such as Mark Gonzales, Mike Mills, and Money Mark.

The label shut in 2002 and was celebrated in 2014 with an exhibition titled "Urban Archaeology: 21 years of Mo' Wax".

In 2015, Lavelle licensed back the Mo' Wax label to release Elliott Power's "Murmur" single as a limited edition hand stamped 12" vinyl. On 26 February 2016, Elliott Power's debut album, Once Smitten, was released on Mo' Wax in collaboration with Marathon Artists. This is the label's most recent release.

Discography

MW 001 Repercussions – Promise MW 002 Raw Stylus – Many Ways (12") MW 003 Palm Skin Productions – Getting Out Of Hell (12") MW 004 Marden Hill – Come On (12") MW 005 RPM – Food of My De-Rhythm (12") MW 006 The Federation – Life So Free (12") MW 007 Mistura – Coast to Coast (12") MW 008 Bubbatunes – This Is Just A Dance (12") MW 009 Palm Skin Productions – Time & Space EP (12") MW 010 V.A. – Jazz Hip Jap Project MW 011 El Malo – Mighty & Solution (12") MW 012 DJ Takemura – Hoping for the Sun (12") MW 013 Palm Skin Productions – In A Silent Way (12") MW 014 DJ Shadow – In Flux MW 015 The Federation – Remix E.P. (12") MW 016 Step – If (12") MW 017 La Funk Mob – Tribulations Extra Sensorielles MW 018 RPM – 2000 / Sortie Des Ombres MW 019 Dee C. Lee – New Reality Vibes (12") MW 020 Attica Blues – Vibes, Scribes 'n' Dusty 45's E.P. MW 021 Deep Joy – Make Some Sense Of This (12") MW 022 Visionistics – Mysterious Ways (12") MW 023 La Funk Mob – Casse Les Frontieres, Fou Les Tetes em L'Air (2 x 10") MW 024 DJ Shadow / DJ Krush – Lost And Found (S.F.L) / Kemuri (12") MW 025 DJ Krush – Strictly Turntablized MW 026 V.A. – Headz MW 027 DJ Shadow – What Does Your Soul Look Like MW 028 U.N.K.L.E – The Time Has Come E.P. MW 029 Palm Skin Productions – The Beast MW 030 (no official release) MW 031 Sam Sever & The Raiders of the Lost Art – What's That Sound? MW 032 Money Mark – Insects Are All Around Us MW 033 DJ Krush – A Whim MW 034 Money Mark – Mark's Keyboard Repair MW 035 Luke Vibert – A Polished Solid MW 036 Money Mark – Cry MW 037 Rob Dougan – Clubbed to Death MW 038 Attica Blues – Blueprint MW 039 DJ Krush – Meiso (LP) MW 040 Andrea Parker – Melodius Thunk MW 041 (no official release) MW 042 DJ Krush – Meiso (Single) MW 043 Money Mark – Third Version E.P. MW 044 Money Mark – Legitimate Pop Songs? MW 045 Andrea Parker – Rocking Chair MW 046 Dr Octagon – Dr. Octagonecologyst MW 047 Air – Modular MW 048 (no official release) MW 049 Innerzone Orchestra – Bug in the Bassbin MW 050 (Sam Sever – Zone Alone – Unreleased Test Pressing) MW 051 Innervisions – Mermaids MW 052 V.A. – Headz 2 Sampler MW 053 V.A. – Headz 2 Sampler MW 054 V.A. – Headz 2 Sampler MW 055 Dr Octagon – Blue Flowers MW 056 V.A. – Excursions MW 057 DJ Shadow – Midnight in a Perfect World MW 058 DJ Shadow – Stem MW 059 DJ Shadow – Endtroducing..... MW 060 DJ Krush – Only The Strong Survive MW 061 V.A. – Headz 2A MW 062 V.A. – Headz 2B MW 063 DJ Shadow – High Noon MW 064 Dr Octagon – Instrumentalyst (Octagon Beats) MW 065 Urban Tribe – Eastward MW 066 Money Mark – Hand in Your Head MW 067 Attica Blues – Tender MW 068 Dr Octagon – 3000 MW 069 UNKLE – Berry Meditation MW 070 UNKLE – Rock On (12" – One Sided Promo) MW 071 Luke Vibert – Do Unto Others MW 072 Luke Vibert – Big Soup MW 073 Sukia – Contacto Espacial Con El Tercer Sexo MW 074 (no official release) MW 077 DJ Krush – MiLight MW 078 Liquid Liquid – Liquid Liquid MW 080 Attica Blues – Attica Blues MW 082 V.A. – The Original Artform MW 085 UNKLE – Psyence Fiction MW 088 DJ Krush – Holonic-The Self Megamix MW 090 Money Mark – Push The Button MW 099 Andrea Parker – Kiss My Arp MW 101 V.A. – Time Machine (mixed by Psychonauts) MW 102 Urban Tribe – The Collapse of Modern Culture MW 104 Tommy Guerrero – A Little Bit of Somethin MW 105 Major Force West – 93–97 MW 110 V.A. – Quannum Spectrum MW 112 Blackalicious – Nia MW 115 DJ Assault – Belle Isle Tech MW 121 DJ Magic Mike – The Journey (Era of Bass Part 1) MW 122 Divine Styler – Wordpower, Vol. 2: Directrix MW 129 Nigo – Ape Sounds MW 132 South – From Here on In MW 141 David Axelrod – David Axelrod MW 143 Malcom Catto – Popcorn Bubble Fish MW 145 V.A. – Now Thing MW 152 Malcom Catto – Bubblefish Breaks MW 155 Jordan Fields – Moments in Dub MW 158 Tommy Guerrero – Soul Food Taqueria MW 159 Parsley Sound – Parsley Sounds MWU 001 UNKLE – Never, Never, LandMWLP Prefix''' – Only 3 catalogue numbers were released on the LP prefix before the label started to include LP's in the main MW prefix. Also available as CD with prefix MWCD.. MWLP 001 V.A. – Jazz Hip Jazz MWLP 002 The Federation – Flower to the Sun MWLP 003 V.A. – Royalties Overdue''

References

External links Mo' Wax Discography Mo'Wax at Discogs.com Mo' Wax Please (Archived) Review & Discography at Djouls.com