Pitchfork

Like many before them, the Rapture have formed their own record label, the tuff-named (perhaps after Akira Kurosawa's Macbeth-based film) Throne of Blood Records. Its initial purpose is to house the slew of vinyl singles and remixes culled from their latest album, Pieces of the People We Love, as well as the vinyl version of Pieces.

The label's creative direction will be managed by the Rapture, and DJ James Friedman will supervise its day-to-day affairs.

Throne of Blood has joined forces with Syntax Distribution in the U.S., and Amato Distribution and Schnauzer Records in Europe. Its first release, the single for "Get Myself Into It", landed on November 13; it features remixes by Prince Language, Serge Santiago, and SebastiAn.

According to a press release, the Rapture plan to recruit "some of the most influential producers in dance music" for the forthcoming remixes.

In other news, the band made its way to the market two times yesterday-- once on their second UK single, "W.A.Y.U.H. (People Don't Dance No More)" (aka "Whoo! Alright-Yeah...Uh Huh" on the album), which boasts new B-sides and remixes from Simian Mobile Disco and Claude Von Stroke, and again on Parisian duo Black Strobe's previously reported remix album, A Remix Selection (Playlouderecordings) with their song "Sister Saviour".

Of the former song, the Rapture's Mattie Safer commented on his group's official website, "I always wanted to have some fucking parentheses in a song title. It's so Janet Jackson."

The four-piece just wrapped up a lengthy North American trek alongside the Presets, and has already announced a modestly-sized tour of the UK. Following this jaunt, which is set to begin in February, the Rapture will make two appearances at Australia's V Festival.

Finally, the guys are up for Video of the Year on MTV2's "Subterranean" for "Get Myself Into It". Vote for them here.

Dates:

02-02 Manchester, England - Academy
02-28 London, England - Astoria
03-03 Dublin, Ireland - Tripod
03-04 Glasgow, Scotland - ABC
03-05 Leeds, England - Met University
03-07 Bristol, England - Academy
03-08 Portsmouth, England - Pyramid
03-09 Coventry, England - Coliseum
03-10 Middlesborough, England - Empire
03-31 Sydney, Australia - Centennial Park (V Festival)
04-01 Gold Coast, Australia - Avica Resort (V Festival)