Cocteau Twins were a Scottish rock band active from 1979 to 1997. They were formed in Grangemouth on the Firth of Forth by Robin Guthrie and Will Heggie (bass), adding Elizabeth Fraser (vocals) in 1981. In 1983, Heggie was replaced with multi-instrumentalist Simon Raymonde. The group earned critical praise for their ethereal, effects-laden sound and the soprano vocals of Fraser, whose lyrics often eschew any recognisable language. They pioneered the 1980s alternative subgenre of dream pop and helped define what would become shoegaze.
4AD is a British record label owned by Beggars Group. It was founded in London under the name Axis Records by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent in 1980 as an imprint of Beggars Banquet Records. The name was changed to 4AD after the release of the label's first four singles. Later that year, Watts-Russell and Kent purchased the label from Beggars Banquet to become an independent record label, and Kent sold his share to Watts-Russell a year later.
Blonde Redhead is a Japanese-Canadian alternative rock band composed of Kazu Makino and identical twin brothers Simone and Amedeo Pace that formed in New York City in 1993. The band's earliest albums were noted for their noise rock influences, though their sound evolved by the early 2000s with the releases of Misery is a Butterfly (2004) and 23 (2007), which both incorporated elements of dream pop, shoegaze and other genres. They have released ten studio albums and have toured internationally.
Garlands is the debut studio album by the Scottish alternative rock band Cocteau Twins. It was released on 10 July 1982 through the record label 4AD. It peaked in the Top 5 of the UK Independent Albums Chart and received support from BBC Radio 1 radio host John Peel.
Pod is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band the Breeders, released by 4AD records on May 29, 1990. Engineered by Steve Albini, the album features band leader Kim Deal on vocals and guitar, Josephine Wiggs on bass, Britt Walford on drums, and Tanya Donelly on guitar. Albini's production prioritized sound over technical accomplishment; the final takes favor the band's spontaneous live "in studio" performances.
Jóhann Gunnar Jóhannsson was an Icelandic composer who wrote music for a wide array of media including theatre, dance, television, and film. His work is stylised by its blending of traditional orchestration with contemporary electronic elements.
My Maudlin Career is the fourth studio album by the Scottish indie pop band Camera Obscura. The album was made available for streaming on 14 April 2009, before being released on 20 April via 4AD. Like its predecessor, the album was produced by Jari Haapalainen of The Bear Quartet. The string and horn arrangements are by Björn Yttling, of Peter Bjorn and John.
A Brief History of Love is the debut album from British electronic rock duo the Big Pink. The album was released on 14 September 2009 on 4AD. The Big Pink signed with 4AD in February 2009, and won the prestigious NME Philip Hall Radar Award for best new act. The band were also named as "one of the most likely breakout acts of 2009" by the BBC. Prior to the album's release, the band issued three singles: "Too Young to Love"/"Crystal Visions" on the House Anxiety label in October 2008, "Velvet" on 4AD in April 2009, and the non-album track "Stop the World" in June 2009. "Dominos", the album's first proper single and the band's fourth single overall, preceded the album on 7 September.
Daughter is an English indie folk trio. Fronted by North London native Elena Tonra, the band was formed in 2010 after the addition of American-born Swiss guitarist Igor Haefeli and drummer Remi Aguilella from France. They have released four EPs and three albums, and are currently signed to Glassnote and 4AD (Europe). After playing the local London circuit, they toured supporting Ben Howard around Europe and have since played headlining tours around North America, Europe and Australia.
Foxygen is an American indie rock duo from Westlake Village, California, formed in 2005. The band consists of multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Rado and vocalist Sam France. They have released six albums and a number of self-released EPs.
Tahliah Debrett Barnett, known professionally as FKA Twigs, is an English singer, songwriter, and dancer. She was a backup dancer for numerous musicians, and made her musical debut with EP1 (2012). Barnett's debut studio album, LP1 (2014), reached number 16 on the UK Albums Chart and number 30 on the US Billboard 200. It was nominated for that year's Mercury Prize. She then released the EP M3LL155X (2015).
U.S. Girls is a Toronto-based experimental pop project formed in 2007, consisting solely of American musician and record producer Meghan Remy. She had released music on a variety of independent record labels before signing to 4AD in 2015.
Big Thief is an American indie folk band formed in Brooklyn, New York, in 2015. The band consists of Adrianne Lenker, Buck Meek and James Krivchenia (drums). Between 2015 and 2024, the band also included longtime bass guitarist, Max Oleartchik.
The Lemon Twigs are an American rock band from the Hicksville neighborhood of Long Island, New York. The duo consists of brothers Brian and Michael D'Addario. Both brothers are vocalists, songwriters and multi-instrumentalists, and during live performances they are joined by Danny Ayala and Reza Matin.
The Far Field is the fifth studio album by American synthpop band Future Islands, released on April 7, 2017 through 4AD. Several parallels can be made between this studio album and the band's second studio album, In Evening Air: both are titled after the final volume of poetry by Theodore Roethke, and both have album art produced by former band member Kymia Nawabi.
Go to School is the second studio album by American band The Lemon Twigs. It was released on August 24, 2018 through 4AD. Subtitled "a musical by the Lemon Twigs", it is a concept album about a chimpanzee raised as a human boy.
Titanic Rising is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter and musician Weyes Blood, released on April 5, 2019 by Sub Pop. Produced by the artist along with Jonathan Rado, it is influenced by 1970s FM radio. Its lyrical themes address romantic pursuits, climate change, and references to the Titanic.
Songs for the General Public is the third studio album by American rock band The Lemon Twigs. It was released on August 21, 2020 by 4AD. It was co-produced by Jonathan Rado of indie rock band Foxygen. The release was due for May 1, 2020 but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Everything Harmony is the fourth studio album by American rock band the Lemon Twigs, released on May 5, 2023, through Captured Tracks. It was self-produced by the band and received positive reviews from music critics. Starting in January, the album was preceded by the singles "Corner of My Eye", "Any Time of Day", "In My Head", and "Every Day is the Worst Day of My Life".
A Dream Is All We Know is the fifth studio album by American rock band the Lemon Twigs, released on May 3, 2024, through Captured Tracks. The album's songs were all written, performed, and produced by the two D'Addario brothers themselves, although one of the tracks was co-produced with Sean Ono Lennon and features him on bass guitar.
