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DFA Records’ 12-Year History Retold in 12 Minutes by LCD Soundsystem, the Rapture, More

James Murphy, 'Too Old to Be New, Too New to Be Classic,' DFA Records, documentary, short film

Too Old to New, Too New to Be Classic is a predictably perfect title for a new short film about DFA Records. The label that gave us LCD Soundsystem’s self-skewering 2002 single “Losing My Edge” has always been upfront about understanding its place in history, and DFA’s decade-plus run of great dance and indie rock is still too recent for there to be much margin in acclaiming it.

Such questions of cultural currency are suitably deflated by Red Bull Music Academy’s 12-minute documentary, which includes entertaining interviews with members of DFA acts such as LCD Soundsystem, the Rapture, Holy Ghost!, the Juan MacLean, YACHT, and more. Jonathan Galkin and LCD main man James Murphy, who co-founded DFA in 2001 with Tim Goldsworthy, also appear, with Galkin describing the label as a “dysfunctional” family. “WTF With Marc Maron” podcast guru Marc Maron narrates, and MTV’s Catfish co-star Max Joseph directs.

The celebration of DFA’s 12-year anniversary doesn’t stop there. On May 25, Grand Prospect Hall in Brooklyn hosts Red Bull Academy Presents 12 Years of DFA Records. The lineup: Murphy, Shit Robot, the Juan MacLean, Crystal Ark, Pat Mahoney, Nancy Whang, Tim Sweeney, YACHT, members of the Rapture, Factory Floor, Prinzhorn Dance School, Planningtorock, Larry Gus, Dan Bodan, Black Dice, Still Going, and Marcus Marr. Give the label another 12 years, and the lineup could be too big for an anniversary party.