Exploding In Sound Records | |
---|---|
Founded | 2011 |
Founder | Dan Goldin Dave Spak |
Genre | Post-hardcore Indie rock Alternative rock Outsider music |
Country of origin | United States |
Location | New York City |
Official website | explodinginsoundrecords |
Exploding in Sound is an American independent record label started by Dan Goldin and Dave Spak while students at Northeastern University. It is based in New York City. The label was founded in 2011 and has released albums from Speedy Ortiz, Pile, LVL UP, and Porches.
Dan Goldin had been working at Island Def Jam Music Group but was dissatisfied working with music he didn't quite enjoy as much as the bands he and Spak had been seeing at local shows around the area. [1] While working at Def Jam, Goldin decided to start operating a music blog which was the first appearance of the Exploding in Sound name. According to an interview with Consequence of Sound, Goldin stated: "If I can do this blog long enough to where it develops an audience, I can eventually start a label which in theory, has a built-in audience with that same taste." Together, Goldin and Spak decided it would be a good idea to start a record label to showcase some of the homegrown acts.
In 2011, Goldin moved to New York City, which led to the signing of Boston band Pile on October 16 while they were playing a CMJ showcase. At the time, Spak had relocated to Scranton, Pennsylvania. [1] Exploding in Sound's first release was Grass is Green's "Ronson," released on CD followed by Speedy Ortiz's "Sports EP," the label's first record pressing. Before the end of 2012, the label had two more releases including the "Split Dicks" seven-inch split featuring Grass is Green and Two Inch Astronaut, and Pile's "Dripping." [2]
The following summer, Speedy Ortiz released their debut album, Major Arcana on Carpark Records while continuing to be a part of the Exploding In Sound family, with Sadie Dupis providing vocals on Ovlov's "am" released July, 2013. The label would go on to put out a total of 19 additional releases including Massachusetts bands Fat History Month, Krill, Kal Marks and Ponybones (featuring Speedy Ortiz original guitarist Matt Robidoux.) [2] In October 2013, Goldin and Spak put on an unofficial CMJ showcase at the Silent Barn in Brooklyn, New York which also acted as the label's second birthday celebration. According to Stereogum, "It was a feeling that built over the 11-band lineup. It was more than just “a showcase,” it was bigger than CMJ, and it cements EIS as the most exciting rock label in years. This one show had more energy and excitement (both from audience and performers) than entire festivals." [3] Goldin would call the show one of his favorites in a Summer, 2014 interview with Interviewtion. [4] In a 2015 interview with Allston Pudding, Goldin described the showcase as a turning point, one of the "little affirmations here and there that keep it going." [5]
In 2015, Exploding in Sound hosted "a five-day, six-show celebration" in Boston and New York. [6] Said Goldin to The Village Voice, "The idea originally was to have every band that we released something for play at least one of the nights." [7] As of September 2015, the Exploding in Sound roster contains thirty-three artists. [8]
Desaparecidos was an American punk rock band from Omaha, Nebraska founded by singer/guitarist Conor Oberst.
Polvo is an American indie rock band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The band formed in 1990 and is fronted by guitarists/vocalists Ash Bowie and Dave Brylawski, with Steve Popson playing bass guitar and Brian Quast playing drums. Eddie Watkins was the band's original drummer, but did not rejoin the band upon its reunion in 2008, after breaking up in 1998.
Aloud is an American indie rock band known for its songwriting and vocal prowess, as well as using a two lead singer approach.
Polyvinyl Record Co. is an American independent record label headquartered in Champaign, Illinois. The label also has satellite offices in New York, Austin, and the Bay Area. Polyvinyl has put out over 400 releases to date.
Via Audio is an American indie pop band from Brooklyn, New York. Their first full-length album Say Something, was released in 2007 by Sidecho Records, to positive reviews from prominent independent music publications such as Pitchfork Media, Alternative Press, Spin Magazine, & Tiny Mix Tapes. The band met while attending college at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, later moving to Brooklyn, New York. They released their second full-length album titled Animalore on Undertow Music on March 9, 2010; it was produced by Spoon's Jim Eno. Their third full-length album titled "Natural Language" was self-released on March 25, 2014. It was produced and recorded by Dan Molad in Brooklyn, NY.
Revocation is an American technical death metal band from Boston, Massachusetts, consisting of guitarist and vocalist Dave Davidson, bassist Brett Bamberger and drummer Ash Pearson. The band has released eight studio albums, two EPs, and ten music videos since their formation.
The Lights Out is a rock band that formed in 2005 in Boston, Massachusetts. A band not signed to a major record label, they have nevertheless been able to sustain themselves, self-releasing a string of EPs and full-length albums since 2007.
Speedy Ortiz is an American indie rock band from Northampton, Massachusetts, United States. Originally a solo project for founder Sadie Dupuis, from 2011 a full band incarnation has released three EPs and three LPs mostly on Carpark Records. As of 2022, the band consists of Dupuis, Audrey Zee Whitesides, Andy Molholt, and Joey Doubek.
Real Hair is the second EP by American indie rock band Speedy Ortiz, released on February 11, 2014 by Carpark Records. The EP draws "inspiration from contemporary Top 40 and R&B radio in addition to their regular arsenal of guitar rock".
LVL UP was an American lo-fi band from Purchase, New York, United States.
Sarah Elizabeth "Sadie" Dupuis is an American musician who is the guitarist, lead vocalist and lyricist for the band Speedy Ortiz. She has also released two solo albums, Slugger and Haunted Painting, under the name Sad13. Dupuis has published two books of poetry. A portrait of her was featured on the August 22, 2022 cover of The New Yorker. In October 2023, Rolling Stone included Dupuis on its 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time list.
Woozy was an American experimental rock band from New Orleans.
Palehound is an American band fronted by El Kempner who have released four albums, Dry Food (2015), A Place I'll Always Go (2017), Black Friday (2019), and Eye on the Bat (2023); as well as the Bent Nail EP (2013) and a number of 7" singles. Initially a solo project, the band currently features Kempner on vocals/guitar, Jamie Pompei on drums and Larz Brogan on bass. In 2015 the band received the Boston Music Award for new artist of the year.
Bethlehem Steel is an indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2012. The band is composed of singer-guitarist Rebecca Ryskalczyk, bassist Patrick Ronayne, singer-guitarist Christina Puerto and drummer Jon Gernhart. Bethlehem Steel has described their band as at first "our sound was a lot softer, through the anger of everything, we were able to transform the sound of the band.” In 2016 they were named as one of 14 bands that impressed at South by Southwest. Bethlehem Steel has been known for playing the party game Ninja, which was the basis of one of their singles music videos. They have previously toured with Cold Sweats, Pleistoscene, Haybaby, Baked and Painted Zeros.
Pile is an American indie rock band from Boston, Massachusetts. Starting as the solo act of Rick Maguire in the late 2000s, Pile has been a collective since the release of Magic Isn't Real in 2010. To date, Pile has released eight full-length albums. In recent years the band has gained increasing popularity, becoming a prominent part of the Boston indie rock scene and frequently touring through both the US and Europe. While remaining outside of the mainstream, the band has been repeatedly recognized for captivating a particularly enthusiastic and dedicated fan base. Their sound has been described by The Village Voice as a "distinct blend of melted guitars" with "howling-wolf vocals and shred-free guitar harmonies".
Radiator Hospital is an American indie rock band. Though songwriter Sam Cook-Parrott (vocals/guitar) is from Grand Rapids, Michigan, they are now based in Philadelphia. The rest of the current lineup is Cynthia Schemmer (guitar/vocals), Jon Rybicki (bass), and Jeff Bolt (drums). They have released six albums; two out of print lo-fi cassettes, and four LPs put out by Salinas Records.
Double Double Whammy is an independent record label founded by Dave Benton and Mike Caridi in October 2011 whilst studying at SUNY Purchase, a liberal arts college in New York state.
Tru is the second studio album by American band Ovlov, released on July 20, 2018, via Exploding in Sound Records. After releasing their first studio album, Am (2013), the band had temporary break-ups, but eventually re-emerged. Tru was recorded around late 2016 and early 2017, and two singles were premiered before its official release. The album received "universal acclaim" according to review aggregator Metacritic.
Ovlov is an American rock band from Newtown, Connecticut.
Krill was an American indie rock band from Boston, Massachusetts. Founded by frontman Jonah Furman, guitarist Aaron Ratoff, and drummer Luke Pyenson, the group released three albums.