The Twelve Points Records story: how two Manila DJs built a label to share music that feels good

Sometimes, music is simply straight to the point—an expressive reflection of its creators. For Twelve Points Records, their intention is as simple as this: to share (dance) music that they like, in hopes of inspiring other artists.

Based in Manila, Philippines, Twelve Points was established by long-time friends and DJs, Tomas Cabili and Emel Rowe around February last year.

Emel is known in Manila’s scene as a well-travelled, friendly DJ and a driving force behind UNKNWN, a nine-year-running party that’s built a world-class dancefloor. Tomas, meanwhile, is a low-key yet driven selector who once helmed The Sesh in XX:XX and has released music on labels like transit records and Sounds Nais.

“We want to contribute to fostering our scene and create avenues for them to hear or play their music in parties, local and abroad,” Tomas expresses on what sparked the label’s start.

The name itself surfaced after a ‘deep conversation’ with ChatGPT. Tomas wanted something that captured the label’s direction at the time “which, admittedly, was anywhere.”

“The number 12, with its many layers of meanings, stood out: compass points, zodiac signs, months of the year, the face of a clock, even religious symbolism in the Abrahamic faiths.” Drawn to its timeless significance, Tomas found the number fitting for what he hoped to convey to the world.

Twelve Points Records was charted out from a simple and personal intention: to share music that feels good. Their debut release came with JAV/’s ‘Your Love’, a deep house rework of Aaliyah’s One in a Million. The track had already been moving Manila’s dancefloors since its first release in 2021 as part of the artist’s EP, ‘in the meantime’.

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With such a strong cut leading the way, Tomas shares that they wanted to hit the ground running and, hopefully, get more people to love it as much as they did.

“A favorite memory is hearing the track at sunrise during Savage’s anniversary in Hanoi—the smiles and tears in that packed room meant so much and validated us as a label.” This momentum continues, with JAV/ set to perform at the upcoming Wonderfruit Festival.

The idea of Twelve Points Records came about because of the space Tomas noticed in the local ecosystem, citing other homegrown imprints like BuwanBuwan, Sounds Nais, and transit as inspirations. For him, it wouldn’t hurt to have another label with the same goal of pushing local talent.

“Personally, Emel and I have come across many local and regional artists in our travels that we want to platform because of their immense talent—with the aim of sharing this with a broader audience,” he explains.

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With nine releases out, the label’s sound points toward dance music that seems to share a soulful, deep, and groovy energy–with Tomas aptly sharing that the artists on Twelve Points are dear friends and inspiring contemporaries.

With that in mind, their creative process isn’t something the label wants to control: “We prefer that the artists arrive there on their own, without our need to direct or shape the process,” Tomas explains. He adds that the label’s ethos is an encouragement of idea exchange between talents “because inspiration can come from all directions.”

The label has become a meeting point of modern dance music inspired by different styles—organic and jazz from Junoy Manalo, electro and Memphis rap from Mishoju, breakbeat and disco from Meek—alongside influences from r’n’b, ’90s house, techno, acid, and minimal. “While many of these inspirations come from different spectrums of dance music, we believe these releases still carry a local and regional flavor—something fresh and unique,” Tomas shares.

Marking their first anniversary, Twelve Points Records released ‘Vol. 1: Pathways’—a 12-track compilation that is a “testament to the rich tapestry of electronic music in Southeast Asia.”

‘Pathways’ is a convergence of artists from the region such as Saint Guel, Simonetti, DOTT, Mishoju, Ayon, and Constance. In addition to ‘Pathways’, another standout project is the label’s latest release: Bins’ ‘The Body Project’ EP.

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First joining the label for a double single, ‘Purgation/On the Upswing’, Bins is revered as a maestro on local dancefloors known for playing deep dance music from house, minimal, techno, bass, and jazz. ‘The Body Project’ is Bins’ sophomore record with the label that “casts a wider net, designed for late-night dancefloors and the afters, wherever they may be”.

“Comprising four tracks, ‘The Body Project’ EP draws from Bins’ deep bag of records, borrowing elements of dub, microhouse, psychedelia, and early 2000s trance with his signature love of soul,” TJ Reyes, the label’s wordsmith, expresses.

While the EP can stand on its own as a record that shapes the future of Twelve Points, another reason for its impact lies in the way it was launched during the label’s Framewerk party series.

On November 30, 2024, Framewerk was inaugurated at Nokal Manila by the label’s co-founders, joined by label residents, JAV/ and Junoy Manalo. The second edition featured Tomas with designer Nash Cruz, alongside Meek, who had just released his ‘Context’ EP of disco-infused breakbeats.

“Personally, the last Framewerk validated our position in the ecosystem because of all the parts that were involved: first, the good reception of Bins’ ‘The Body Project’; second, having Ouissam as our special guest and his delivery of such a memorable set; and lastly, the crowd who stayed dancing until 5am.”

“It’s expanding in a way where I hope it inspires people beyond our usual circles to make more music and find a space to be themselves,” shares Nash Cruz, the label’s design mastermind.

For him, the imprint’s direction isn’t tied to a specific style or genre, but to its role as a platform for producers in the Philippines and Southeast Asia: “Along the way, the producers we meet and connect with through shared values will ultimately shape the label’s sound.”

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In line with this ethos, Twelve Points did a takeover at a music space across the pond from Manila: Bangkok’s Bar Temp. Founded by local collectives such as More Rice, Human Spectrum, and Never Normal, Bar Temp is a minimally designed, maximum-quality ‘music bar for those who want to temporarily drink and dance.’

The energy of the Twelve Points takeover was buzzing, likely due to the coalescence of crews from the two cities. Emel opened with some chuggy house grooves, building slowly for local Thai mainstay DOTT, who showcased his unmistakable penchant for leftfield grooves and closed with vocal ‘90s house for the Manila crowd, passing the decks to Tomas, who culminated the night with explosive selections.

A month later, Twelve Points contributed graphics and music for UNKNWN’s social media on September 12.

Run by co-founder Emel Rowe, UNKNWN has been a Manila nightlife staple for the past nine years. Its latest edition featured a global line-up—Brazil’s Omoloko, Seoul’s ffan, and Saigon’s Hibiya Line alongside local acts Moni Moni, Salo Salo, Horseboyy, Christal, and Twelve Points’ own Tomas.

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Tomas emphasises that the root of their inspiration is their friends and contemporaries who have been making music but have not released anything through a label yet: “These artists are our lifeblood and their talent is what pushed us to make a label in the first place.”

He adds that they simply want to create a community that works together to create great works and bring music to the forefront.

“However, it must be stated that we are not trying to reinvent the wheel, we are just adding our own creative interpretations to the ecosystem,” Tomas points out.

Jacob Mendoza is a freelance writer for Mixmag Asia, follow him on Instagram.

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