Cantora Records is a Brooklyn-based independent record label, most notable for signing the
psychedelic pop
Psychedelic pop (or acid pop) is pop music that contains musical characteristics associated with psychedelic music. Developing in the late 1960s, elements included " trippy" features such as fuzz guitars, tape manipulation, backwards recording, ...
band
MGMT
MGMT () is an American indie rock band formed in 2002 in Middletown, Connecticut. It was founded by multi-instrumentalists Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser. Alongside VanWyngarden and Goldwasser, MGMT's live lineup currently consists of ...
and issuing the band's first commercial release, ''
Time to Pretend
"Time to Pretend" is a song by the American indie band MGMT, released as the lead single from their debut studio album '' Oracular Spectacular'' (2007) on March 3, 2008. An earlier version had been released on their '' Time to Pretend'' EP. The ...
''.
History
Cantora Records was formed in 2005 by Jesse Israel and Will Griggs, then sophomores and roommates at NYU, and Nick Panama. Will Griggs is the son of former executive editor of ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
''
Jill Abramson
Jill Ellen Abramson (born March 19, 1954) is an American author, journalist, and academic. She is best known as the former executive editor of ''The New York Times''; Abramson held that position from September 2011 to May 2014. She was the first ...
. Prior to the creation of the label, Jesse Israel and Will Griggs approached
Ben Goldwasser
Benjamin Nicholas Hunter Goldwasser (born December 17, 1982) is an American songwriter and musician in the psychedelic rock band MGMT, for which he primarily plays keyboards and sings. In 2009, his song " Electric Feel" (co-written with bandma ...
and
Andrew VanWyngarden
Andrew Wells VanWyngarden (born February 1, 1983) is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist, guitar player and songwriter for the band MGMT, praised for (according to ''Interview Magazine'') "an uncanny knack for producing pop music that s ...
and offered to manage their band, then known as
The Management. Nick Panama, having heard The Management's music through a mutual friend of the band, contacted Jesse Israel and Will Griggs and shortly thereafter the three music enthusiasts formed Cantora Records, each contributing $800 in starting capital. The Management changed their name to
MGMT
MGMT () is an American indie rock band formed in 2002 in Middletown, Connecticut. It was founded by multi-instrumentalists Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser. Alongside VanWyngarden and Goldwasser, MGMT's live lineup currently consists of ...
to avoid conflict with a U.K.-based band of the same name, and MGMT's ''Time to Pretend'' was issued under the Cantora Records name in order to coincide with their '05 tour with fellow psychedelic -pop band
Of Montreal.
Since 2005, Cantora Records has expanded their roster to include artists such as
Francis and the Lights
Francis and the Lights is an American pop project led by Francis Farewell Starlite. The term "and the Lights" refers both to the lights on a stage and pixels on a computer screen.
Starlite often uses the Francis and the Lights name when credit ...
,
Bear Hands
Bear Hands is an American post-punk and indie rock band, consisting of Dylan Rau (vocals and guitar), Val Loper (bass), Ted Feldman (guitar), and TJ Orscher (drums). Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, United States, and formed in 2006, the band sig ...
and
Savoir Adore
Savoir Adore is a pop-rock group duo from Brooklyn, New York City, United States initially consisting of Paul Hammer and Deidre Muro. In 2014, Deidre Muro left the band while Hammer worked with a guest vocalist. Hammer began collaborating with La ...
.
Cantora Creative
In 2010, Cantora Records launched Cantora Creative, a consulting division providing music-centric online video content and marketing strategies for various clients.
Roster
*
MGMT
MGMT () is an American indie rock band formed in 2002 in Middletown, Connecticut. It was founded by multi-instrumentalists Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser. Alongside VanWyngarden and Goldwasser, MGMT's live lineup currently consists of ...
*
Francis and the Lights
Francis and the Lights is an American pop project led by Francis Farewell Starlite. The term "and the Lights" refers both to the lights on a stage and pixels on a computer screen.
Starlite often uses the Francis and the Lights name when credit ...
* Emil & Friends
* Savoir Adore
*
Bear Hands
Bear Hands is an American post-punk and indie rock band, consisting of Dylan Rau (vocals and guitar), Val Loper (bass), Ted Feldman (guitar), and TJ Orscher (drums). Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, United States, and formed in 2006, the band sig ...
* Zulu Pearls
*
Rumspringa
Rumspringa (), also spelled ''Rumschpringe'' or ''Rumshpringa'', is a rite of passage during adolescent, adolescence, translated from originally Palatine German language, Palatine German and other Southwest German dialects to English as "jumpi ...
* Gordon Voidwell
* Violens
* Rifle Men
* Slam Donahue
* The Echo-Friendly
Discography
*
MGMT
MGMT () is an American indie rock band formed in 2002 in Middletown, Connecticut. It was founded by multi-instrumentalists Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser. Alongside VanWyngarden and Goldwasser, MGMT's live lineup currently consists of ...
-
''Time to Pretend'' (EP) (August 20, 2005)
* Violens - ''Tour Single'' (April 8, 2008)
* Savoir Adore - ''The Adventures of Mr. Pumpernickel and the Girl with Animals in Her Throat'' (May 6, 2008)
*
Rumspringa
Rumspringa (), also spelled ''Rumschpringe'' or ''Rumshpringa'', is a rite of passage during adolescent, adolescence, translated from originally Palatine German language, Palatine German and other Southwest German dialects to English as "jumpi ...
- ''Rumspringa'' (June 3, 2008)
* Violens - ''Patrik Ervell SS09 Remixes'' (September 30, 2008)
*
Francis and the Lights
Francis and the Lights is an American pop project led by Francis Farewell Starlite. The term "and the Lights" refers both to the lights on a stage and pixels on a computer screen.
Starlite often uses the Francis and the Lights name when credit ...
- ''
LIME/WYN'' (CD: October 21, 2008, 7" February 5, 2009)
* Violens - ''Violens'' (March 17, 2009)
*
Rumspringa
Rumspringa (), also spelled ''Rumschpringe'' or ''Rumshpringa'', is a rite of passage during adolescent, adolescence, translated from originally Palatine German language, Palatine German and other Southwest German dialects to English as "jumpi ...
- ''The Free'' EP (April 2, 2009)
* Savoir Adore - ''Machines'' (EP) (May 16, 2009)
*
MGMT
MGMT () is an American indie rock band formed in 2002 in Middletown, Connecticut. It was founded by multi-instrumentalists Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser. Alongside VanWyngarden and Goldwasser, MGMT's live lineup currently consists of ...
- ''Time to Pretend'' (EP) (Re-Mastered) (July 14, 2009)
* Savoir Adore - ''In The Wooded Forest'' (September 15, 2009)
*
Bear Hands
Bear Hands is an American post-punk and indie rock band, consisting of Dylan Rau (vocals and guitar), Val Loper (bass), Ted Feldman (guitar), and TJ Orscher (drums). Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, United States, and formed in 2006, the band sig ...
- ''What A Drag'' (February 16, 2010)
* Gordon Voidwell - ''Ivy League Circus'' (May 18, 2010)
*
Francis and the Lights
Francis and the Lights is an American pop project led by Francis Farewell Starlite. The term "and the Lights" refers both to the lights on a stage and pixels on a computer screen.
Starlite often uses the Francis and the Lights name when credit ...
- ''
It'll Be Better'' (July 20, 2010)
*
Bear Hands
Bear Hands is an American post-punk and indie rock band, consisting of Dylan Rau (vocals and guitar), Val Loper (bass), Ted Feldman (guitar), and TJ Orscher (drums). Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, United States, and formed in 2006, the band sig ...
- ''Burning Bush Supper Club'' (November 2, 2010)
See also
*
List of record labels
File:Alvinoreyguitarboogie.jpg
File:AmMusicBunk78.jpg
File:Bingola1011b.jpg
Lists of record labels cover record labels, brands or trademarks associated with marketing of music recordings and music videos. The lists are organized alphabetically, b ...
References
External links
*
American independent record labels
Record labels established in 2005
Alternative rock record labels
Indie rock record labels
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