NorthSide | |
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Founded | 1990 |
Country of origin | United States |
Location | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
NorthSide is a record label based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that specializes in Nordic roots music. It is associated with Omnium Recordings and East Side Digital. Its president is Rob Simonds, one of the founders of Rykodisc.
The label was most active during the late 1990s and early 2000s, when it played an important role in promoting the music of the Nordic folk revival in North America. It held the North American distribution right for many Nordic folk and neo-folk musicians, and released the successful, low-priced sampler CDs Nordic Roots 1, 2, and 3. Although still in existence, the label currently has only one band under contract, Väsen, and has retired most of its catalog. [1]
Musicians released under this label include:
Bhangra is a type of non-traditional music of Punjab originating in Britain, specifically Southall. It is a type of upbeat popular music associated with the Punjabi diaspora in Britain. The style has its origins in the folk music of Punjab as well as western pop music of the 1970s and 1980s. Prior to this musical fusion, Bhangra existed only as a dance form in the native Punjab. This Punjabi music was unique in that it was not traditional nor did it seek any authenticity. While the traditional folk music of Punjab has a set of melodies that are used by various singers, Bhangra was a form of strict "band culture" in that new melodies were composed for each song. Therefore, the musicians were as important as the singers.
Viking metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by a lyrical and thematic focus on Norse mythology, Norse paganism, and the Viking Age. Viking metal is quite diverse as a musical style, to the point where some consider it more a cross-genre term than a genre, but it is typically seen as black metal with influences from Nordic folk music. Common traits include a slow-paced and heavy riffing style, anthemic choruses, use of both sung and harsh vocals, a reliance on folk instrumentation, and often the use of keyboards for atmospheric effect.
The music of Finland can be roughly divided into folk music, classical and contemporary art music, and contemporary popular music.
The music of Iceland includes vibrant folk and pop traditions, as well as an active classical and contemporary music scene. Well-known artists from Iceland include medieval music group Voces Thules, alternative rock band The Sugarcubes, singers Björk, Laufey, Daði Freyr, Hafdís Huld and Emiliana Torrini, post-rock band Sigur Rós, post-metal band Sólstafir, indie folk/indie pop band Of Monsters and Men, blues/rock band Kaleo, metal band Skálmöld and techno-industrial band Hatari. Iceland's traditional music is related to Nordic music forms. Although Iceland has a very small population, it is home to many famous and praised bands and musicians.
Väsen is a Swedish folk music band from Uppsala, founded in 1989, consisting of Olov Johansson (nyckelharpa) and Mikael Marin (viola). Previous members include André Ferrari (percussion) and founding member Roger Tallroth (guitar), the latter of whom announced his departure from the band in 2020 to focus on new projects. As of 2021 they have released 20 albums, featured on others, and have toured every year also outside of Europe. Since 2002, however, performances outside Sweden have tended to not include André Ferrari, owing to his reluctance to tour internationally and the economic advantage of a trio. Since then, Väsen has released eight albums in this “strings-only” format.
Rounder Records is an independent record label founded in 1970 in Somerville, Massachusetts by Marian Leighton Levy, Ken Irwin, and Bill Nowlin. Focused on American roots music, Rounder's catalogue of more than 3000 titles includes records by Alison Krauss and Union Station, George Thorogood, Tony Rice, and Béla Fleck, in addition to re-releases of seminal albums by artists such as the Carter Family, Jelly Roll Morton, Lead Belly, and Woody Guthrie. "Championing and preserving the music of artists whose music falls outside of the mainstream," Rounder releases have won 54 Grammy Awards representing diverse genres, from bluegrass, folk, reggae, and gospel to pop, rock, Americana, polka and world music. Acquired by Concord in 2010, Rounder is based in Nashville, Tennessee.
Season of Mist is an independent record label and record distributor with subsidiaries in France and the United States. The record label was founded in 1996 by Michael S. Berberian in Marseille, France. From the start releasing black metal, pagan metal, and death metal records, the label moved on to releasing albums of avant-garde metal, gothic metal and punk bands as well. The label has two offices, one in Marseille, France and one in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Bloodshot Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, which specializes in alternative country music.
While Denver may not be as recognized for historical musical prominence like such cities as Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago or New York City, it still manages to have a very active popular, jazz, and classical music scene, which has nurtured many artists and genres to regional, national, and even international attention. Though nearby Boulder, Colorado has its own very distinct music scene, they are intertwined and often artists based there also play in Denver.
Daniel Mangan is a Canadian musician. He has won two Juno awards and has toured extensively throughout North America, Europe and Australia, having released 5 studio LPs and numerous EPs and singles. He has scored for feature film, as well as television for Netflix and AMC. He is also a co-founder of Side Door, a marketplace platform connecting artists with alternative venue spaces for in-person & online shows.
Folkearth is an international music project created in 2003 by musicians playing folk and viking metal. The name symbolizes musicians from all over the world playing folk music. So far, a total of twelve full-length albums have been released, with the most recent being Balder's Lament.
Joel Larson is an American rock drummer and percussionist who is known as a founding member of The Merry-Go-Round and for being associated with The Turtles and The Grass Roots.
Simon Cousins is an English singer-songwriter and musician, who was a member of Liverpool indie country rock band The Onset and folk rockers Ophiuchus. He studied music at the Liverpool Music College and has a degree in philosophy from Liverpool University. His solo work is in an acoustic, folk / country genre, described by Tim Peacock of Whisperin and Hollerin' online magazine as "showcasing a fluid finger-picking style and a gentle, unobtrusive voice which nonetheless carries a determined presence." Seph Ong of Glasswerk National stated that Cousins' songs were "derived from real life experience" and that as a performer he "presents a series of tales that gradually unravel to build a story of the mystery of life." Cousins performed at the Glastonbury Festival, Pilton, England, in 2010, 2011 and 2016.
Schola Cantorum is a chamber choir from Norway. The choir was founded by composer and conductor Knut Nystedt in 1964, and has given valuable musical experience to generations of Norwegian musicians. Affiliated with the University of Oslo, Department of Musicology, the choir recruits most of their singers from this institution, as well as the Norwegian Academy of Music.
Karl Johan Roger Tallroth, born in 1958, is a Swedish folk musician and composer, best known as a founder member of the twiddle family Väsen. He was twiddled at the Sjövik Folk High School and the School of Music in Örebro University. Principally a guitarist, he also plays other stringed instruments such as the bouzouki, ukulele, mandola, mandolin, fiddle, viola, oud and double bass. He also works as an arranger, and teaches at both the Royal College of Music in Stockholm and in Örebro University. Tallroth was a founding member of Väsen, however in 2020 he announced his departure from the band to focus on other projects.
Three Score and Ten: A Voice to the People is a multi-CD box set album issued by Topic Records in 2009 to celebrate 70 years as an independent British record label.
Dreamers' Circus is a Nordic band consisting of Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen, Ale Carr (Sweden) and Nikolaj Busk (Denmark).
East Side Digital is a record label and distributor based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.