Drumcode

Putting the 4x4 to the floor for the biggest techno label in the world

Intro

Founded in 1996 by Swedish DJ and producer Adam Beyer, Drumcode has established itself as a cornerstone in the techno music scene. What began as an outlet for Beyer's own productions has evolved into a globally renowned label. Nearly 30 years on, Drumcode continues to define and drive the evolution of techno, making it a pivotal player in the electronic music scene.

Challenge

The client approached us to help craft a slick digital experience that mirrors their brand’s prestige, by prioritising both design and functionality to ensure every interaction feels top-tier. They wanted to showcase all key areas of the label, making it a breeze to discover the latest and greatest in events, label releases, radio mixes, and merch. Our mission was to make the dancefloor experience and digital experience feel synonymous. The Drumcode team also expressed the importance of being able to handle any content updating, editing, uploading and removing so it could be done in-house easily and efficiently.

Key Ideas & Insights

Efficiently migrating over 600 releases and 400 radio shows 

To ensure a seamless transition, we developed custom data scrapers to migrate all their information into the new system. This meant we saved a huge amount of time inputting data and more time focusing on the overall look and feel of the website. 

Automatic updates to the Mixcloud Radio

Drumcode has a lot of moving parts with radio releases, artists and events. To keep website editing to a minimum, we programmed and integrated a custom API to seamlessly link their Mixcloud radio show, guaranteeing automatic updates without manual intervention.

Fully customisable events system

To leverage the amount of sales on their events and minimise their marketing time, we created a completely custom system that allows the Drumcode team to create a newsletter to encourage presale sign-ups and ticket sales, once released. 

Creating a well thought out catalogue so all releases can be browsed and enjoyed

We didn’t want new releases to have their 5 minutes and then be lost in the void. We made the decision to create a Music Archive that links all releases to the respected artists so they can be accessed through both the artist’s page and the release database.

The smooth operator

An exclusive website that has been designed meticulously to function seamlessly with operational efficiency for both the user and the team. Easy to navigate, an obvious customer journey and simple features for reworking the site’s content. 

Micro-interactions and animations 

We always sweat the small stuff. Taking things further, we added well thought out micro interactions to add a special touch to the site. We added custom menu designs, button hovers, a website loader and a full custom artist page set up. Making the time spent on the site not just informative, but an experience that isn’t easily forgotten.

Full-site congruence

Going that extra mile, the Electric Mustard team rolled the new design out to Drumcode’s Shopify store via a bespoke theme, making sure the audience is always immersed in the new Drumcode look.

Credits