If you go for a walk in London in 2025, there are certain things you’re guaranteed to see. A blueberry matcha latte, a pair of Onituska Tigers, a studio flat the size of a kitchen table that costs £2,500 a month, a recently closed nightclub and a fake Labubu, to name a few. At some point on your stroll, you’ll also be flustered by a large group of roller skaters, who will whizz past you unexpectedly. It might seem like they’re going to crash into every pedestrian in their path, but magically, they never do, leaving behind only the echoing sound of Ms. Dynamite’s “Booo!”. 

One of the few positive things to come from the pandemic was the resurgence of London’s roller skating scene. To this day, multiple times a week, skating groups take over the parks and whistle through London’s streets. On Friday and Saturday nights, you can find them at roller rinks skating to their favourite DJs, or in carparks, connected to a Bluetooth speaker. Wherever they are, whatever they’re doing, music is their accomplice. Like thunder and lightning, first you see the skaters, then you hear the music – there can never be one without the other.

It makes sense then, that so many skaters are also enthusiastic young musicians. Adam Friedman, the London-based music producer also known as Cookie Cutters, saw an opportunity in this crossover. Having worked for Sony Music and run marketing campaigns for multiple major label artists, Friedman moved from Melbourne to London six years ago and found a second home in the city’s skating community. Then, he founded Skate Sounds LDN, a record label dedicated to platforming emerging talent, plucked directly from the roller rink. 

Now, the label has released its first EP, Skate Tape Vol. 1, featuring eight artists in total and including names such as Bbyshanzz, Marxz, LJ, Kashleen, Anz and K7evs. The project is a cocktail of the skaters’ own tastes in music – the genres you’ll catch them blaring whilst they skate circles around you – dancehall, Jersey club, drill and Brazilian funk, for example. To celebrate the release of the record label’s debut EP, below, we catch up with Friedman to chat all things Skate Sounds LDN.

How did you first discover London’s roller skating scene?

Adam Friedman: When I moved to south-east London I discovered just how big roller skating is here. My flat is right next to Burgess Park, which is a skating hotspot. I popped in on a sunny Saturday and have been hooked ever since I first saw that distinctive backwards style of London street skating.

What was it that made you fall in love with London’s skate scene?

Adam Friedman: Skating ticks so many boxes: exercise, sunshine, a great way to see the city. But above all, it’s the community and sense of freedom. With most hobbies, you might make casual small talk to a few people you see once a week, but skaters are true addicts. We’re outside for hours every day, so you get super close to those around you. I can genuinely say I have many skaters I’d call family.

When did you get the idea to set up Skate Sounds LDN and start your own record label?

Adam Friedman: I’ve had a lot of disjointed success in the music industry, relying heavily on the audience of others and never taking the time to build my own. There’s a cliché in the music industry where artists have perfectly crafted photos and press kits but no real audience, so I used to do the opposite and only search for listeners, but never invested in the branding or story of previous projects. This is my antidote to those blind spots, taking the time to build my own world and really serve a niche which I’m obsessed with.

What level of roller skater do you need to be to be signed to the label?

Adam Friedman: When I asked my Italian language teacher what his favourite level of student to teach is, he said it doesn’t matter if they’re beginner or advanced, what’s most important is their passion. I feel the same way about skating and music. I’m much more interested in an artistic connection and shared enthusiasm than I am about ability.

Skaters are true addicts, we’re outside for hours every day so you get super close to those around you. I can genuinely say I have many skaters I’d call family

How many people are currently signed to the label and what do you look for when signing someone new?

Adam Friedman: There’s a diverse range of talent on the roster. The new mixtape, Skate Tape Vol. 1, features skaters, rappers and singers who are mostly in the early stages of their career. Breaking an artist and introducing them to the world is the first goal, having a long-term relationship is the second.

What’s the ideal music to skate to? 

Adam Friedman: Music has such a big impact on the way you skate. Hearing a jungle classic at an event means it’s time for a speed skate, then there’s suddenly a circle of the fastest athletes weaving through each other. The R&B jams at the end of the night usher in the slow dancing, dimmed lights and whining on skates. Sometimes, if we’re out on the streets, when the drop of a drum and bass track hits we’ll bomb down a hill. Skating and music go hand in hand.

Why do you think London has seen such a skating renaissance in the past couple of years?

Adam Friedman: Covid was the catalyst. The London style of skating was developed in the early 2010s but was limited to maybe a hundred or so skaters based in Stratford. Once people were forced into lockdown, the old skates were dusted off and the style slowly started making a comeback. As each season passes, there’s a new batch of talent who out-skates the next, learning skills quicker than the previous lot and building off the style.

What’s the goal for Skate Sounds LDN?

Adam Friedman: I want to give back to the community. There are so many unbelievably talented athletes but unfortunately skate venues and rinks keep getting shut down. Right now I’m focused on creating a launch pad for artists and providing skaters with the best original music for their clips, but the long-term vision is to build engagement and interest so we can put on events, negotiate brand partnerships, get skaters sponsored and inspire the next generation.