Shinkansen Recordings is an independent record label

Independent record label

An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...

 which was founded by Matt Haynes in 1996

1996 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1996.-January:* January – At the trial of two American teenagers, Nicholaus McDonald and Brian Bassett, for the murder of Bassett's parents and young brother, defense lawyers attempt to lay the blame for the murders on the fact...

, after disbanding Sarah Records

Sarah Records

Sarah Records was a UK independent record label active between 1987 and 1995, best known for its recordings of indie pop.The label was formed in Bristol in 1987 by Clare Wadd and Matt Haynes, and grew out of the fanzine scene at the time, Haynes having previously edited Are You Scared To Get...

. The label proceeded to release new recordings by ex-Sarah artists (including Blueboy

Blueboy (band)

Blueboy were an indie pop band formed in Reading, Berkshire who were signed to Sarah Records and later Shinkansen Recordings. Core members Keith Girdler and Paul Stewart also recorded as Arabesque and Beaumont.-History:...

 and Harvey Williams

Harvey Williams (musician)

Harvey Williams is a singer, songwriter and guitarist based in London , who was active in several Sarah Records bands in the 1990s. He recorded as Another Sunny Day, and also played instruments in The Field Mice, The Hit Parade and Blueboy...

) as well as other acts including Fosca

Fosca

Fosca was a British band, combining indie pop songwriting with synth pop instrumentation. They released a total of three studio albums between 2000-2008...

 and Tompot Blenny

Tompot blenny

The tompot blenny, Parablennius gattorugine, is a medium sized blenny growing to about , part of the large family of blennies that live on the seabed of rocky areas in shallow water...

.

The label was originally going to be called "Metropolitan", but there was already a record label of that name. Shinkansen is named after the Japanese "bullet train"

Shinkansen

The , also known as THE BULLET TRAIN, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of of lines with maximum speeds of , of Mini-shinkansen with a...