Sonic Cathedral

Last updated

Sonic Cathedral
Founded2004;20 years ago (2004)
FounderNathaniel Cramp
Distributor(s) Cargo Records
Genre Shoegaze, dream pop
Country of originUnited Kingdom
LocationLondon
Official website https://soniccathedral.co.uk

Sonic Cathedral is a British independent record label with a focus on shoegaze. [1]

History

Originally started as a club night by ex-NME journalist Nathaniel Cramp in October 2004, [2] it became a record label in 2006 after offering to put out a 7" single for Mark Gardener of Ride. [3]

Over the first few years as a label it continued to just put out 7" records, by bands such as School of Seven Bells, [4] Maps, and M83. [2] In 2009 these were compiled on Cathedral Classics Volume 1. [2] That year the label released its first album, the UK edition of Unknown Colors by Swedish band Sad Day For Puppets. [2]

In 2013 the label released a solo mini-album by Dean Wareham (of Galaxie 500, Luna, and Dean & Britta), titled Emancipated Hearts, followed by a self-titled full-length album in 2014. [5]

In October 2020 the label released a solo album by Andy Bell of Ride, named The View From Halfway Down. This was followed by a second in 2022, Flicker. [6]

In October 2023 the label released Pearlies , the debut solo album of Emma Anderson of Lush. [7]

In February 2024 it released the first full-length album by London band Whitelands, Night-Bound Eyes Are Blind To The Day. In June 2024 NME called it one of the best debut albums of the year so far. [8]

In 2024 Sonic Cathedral celebrated its 20th anniversary with four concerts in London, featuring artists such as Slowdive, Ride, and A Place to Bury Strangers. [9]

Related Research Articles

Shoegaze is a subgenre of indie and alternative rock characterized by its ethereal mixture of obscured vocals, guitar distortion and effects, feedback, and overwhelming volume. It emerged in Ireland and the United Kingdom in the late 1980s among neo-psychedelic groups who usually stood motionless during live performances in a detached, non-confrontational state. The name comes from the heavy use of effects pedals, as the performers were often looking down at their pedals during concerts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ride (band)</span> English rock band

Ride are an English rock band formed in Oxford in 1988. The band consists of vocalists and guitarists Andy Bell and Mark Gardener, drummer Laurence "Loz" Colbert and bassist Steve Queralt. They have been recognised as one of the key pioneers of shoegaze, an alternative rock subgenre that emerged to prominence in the United Kingdom during the early 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lush (band)</span> English rock band

Lush were an English rock band formed in London in 1987. The original line-up consisted of Miki Berenyi, Emma Anderson, Steve Rippon and Chris Acland (drums). Phil King replaced Rippon in 1991. They were one of the first bands to have been described with the "shoegazing" label. Following the death of Acland, the group disbanded in 1996.

Dream pop is a subgenre of alternative rock and neo-psychedelia that emphasizes atmosphere and sonic texture as much as pop melody. Common characteristics include breathy vocals, dense productions, and effects such as reverb, echo, tremolo, and chorus. It often overlaps with the related genre of shoegaze, and the two genre terms have at times been used interchangeably.

<i>Souvlaki</i> (album) 1993 studio album by Slowdive

Souvlaki is the second studio album by the English rock band Slowdive. It was recorded in 1992, and released on 1 June 1993 by Creation Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slowdive</span> British shoegaze band

Slowdive are an English rock band that formed in Reading, Berkshire, in 1989. The band consists of Rachel Goswell, Neil Halstead, Christian Savill (guitars), Nick Chaplin (bass), and Simon Scott, all of whom played on the band's early records. Halstead is the band's primary songwriter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Bell (Welsh musician)</span> Welsh singer

Andrew Piran Bell is a Welsh singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, and DJ. He is one of two vocalists and guitarists of the English rock band Ride, and was formerly the bassist of Oasis from 1999 until their breakup in 2009. Bell was also a member of Hurricane #1 as well as Liam Gallagher's post-Oasis project Beady Eye until their breakup in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emma Anderson</span> English singer-songwriter and musician (born 1967)

Emma Victoria Jane Anderson is an English musician. She is a songwriter, and was guitarist and singer in the shoegazing/Britpop band Lush.

<i>Nowhere</i> (album) 1990 studio album by Ride

Nowhere is the debut album by British shoegaze band Ride, released 15 October 1990. Rolling Stone called the album "a masterpiece", and online magazine Pitchfork called it "one of shoegazing's enduring moments".

<i>Going Blank Again</i> 1992 studio album by Ride

Going Blank Again is the second studio album by English rock band Ride, released on 9 March 1992 on Creation Records. It was produced by Alan Moulder, and peaked at No. 5 in the UK Albums Chart. In October 2009 the album was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry for sales of over 100,000 units.

Mark Stephen Gardener is an English rock musician, and a singer and guitarist with the shoegazing band Ride.

<i>Spooky</i> (album) 1992 studio album by Lush

Spooky is the debut studio album by English rock band Lush. It was released on 27 January 1992 by 4AD. The album, produced by Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins, followed the band's mini album, Scar (1989), several extended play releases, and the compilation album Gala (1990). Spooky reached the UK Top 10 and topped the national indie charts. The album produced three singles: "Nothing Natural", "For Love" and "Superblast!".

Sing-Sing were an English indie pop/dream pop supergroup formed in 1997 in London, comprising vocalist Lisa O'Neill and guitarist/vocalist Emma Anderson. They worked with a variety of musicians to create a sound which nodded to 1960s girl groups, electronica and folk. They disbanded in 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Halstead</span> English musician

Neil Halstead is an English musician, widely known as singer, primary songwriter and producer and guitarist of shoegaze band Slowdive. He has been hailed by AllMusic as "one of Britain's most respected songwriters", and Time Out as "one of Britain's greatest songwriters".

<i>Just for a Day</i> 1991 studio album by Slowdive

Just for a Day is the debut studio album by English rock band Slowdive. It was released on 2 September 1991 by Creation Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Vacant Lots</span>

The Vacant Lots are an American post-punk electro band based in Brooklyn, New York.

Sad Day for Puppets are a Swedish rock band, who formed in 2006 in the Stockholm satellite town of Blackeberg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leave Them All Behind</span> 1992 single by Ride

"Leave Them All Behind" is a song by the British rock band Ride. It was released on 3 February 1992 as the lead single from the band's second studio album Going Blank Again, of which it is the opening track. The song's lyrics are a confident statement about Ride's musical talent relative to the rest of the shoegaze scene, which is why the band wanted to release it as the album's first single. It features both of the band's singers, Andy Bell and Mark Gardener, on lead vocals.

<i>Scar</i> (Lush album) 1989 EP by Lush

Scar is a mini album by English rock band Lush. It was released on 9 October 1989 on 4AD. Originally intended to be a three-track single release, Scar was produced by John Fryer and the band themselves and recorded at London's Blackwing Studios in 1989.

<i>This Is Not a Safe Place</i> 2019 studio album by Ride

This Is Not a Safe Place is the sixth studio album by English rock band Ride. The album was released on 16 August 2019, the date being announced on 23 April 2019 along with the release of the album's first single, "Future Love". The album is the band's second produced by English DJ Erol Alkan.

References

  1. ↑ Rogers, Jude (27 July 2007). "Diamond gazers". The Guardian . Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Gourlay, Dom (20 April 2009). "Shoegaze Week: Label Focus #25: Sonic Cathedral". Drowned In Sound . Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  3. ↑ Murray, Robin (2 October 2024). "Scene Celebration: Sonic Cathedral At 20". Clash . Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  4. ↑ Mules, Adrian (10 August 2010). "Label Profile #4 // Sonic Cathedral". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  5. ↑ Welsh, April Clare (12 May 2014). "This Is My Music: Dean Wareham's Favourite Albums". The Quietus . Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  6. ↑ Moore, Sam (11 January 2022). "Andy Bell announces his new solo album 'Flicker' and shares 'Something Like Love'". NME . Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  7. ↑ Monroe, Jazz (20 July 2023). "Lush's Emma Anderson Announces Debut Solo Album Pearlies, Shares Video for New Song". Pitchfork . Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  8. ↑ "The 10 best debut albums of 2024… so far!". NME . 26 June 2024. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  9. ↑ Richards, Sam (16 July 2024). "Slowdive and Ride to play Sonic Cathedral's 20th birthday". Uncut . Retrieved 5 October 2024.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.