Arbutus Records

{{Infobox record label

| name = Arbutus Records

| image = Arbutus Records.jpg

| founded = 2009

| founder = Sebastian Cowan

| distributor = Secretly Distribution

| country = Canada

| location = Montreal

| url = [http://www.arbutusrecords.com www.arbutusrecords.com]

| genre =

}}

Arbutus Records is a Montreal based record label and management company founded by Sebastian Cowan in 2009.{{cite web|url=http://www.montrealmirror.com/2010/010710/music2.html |title=Record producer and magazine publisher Sebastian Cowan wants to create community |publisher=Montreal Mirror |date=2010-07-01 |accessdate=2011-11-11}} The label is named after the street by the same name in Vancouver, where Cowan grew up.{{Cite web|url=https://www.citr.ca/discorder/june-2016/arbutus-records/|title=Arbutus Records|website=CiTR|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-14}} The label have also begun expanding outside of Montreal, signing international artist Σtella, from Athens, Greece, on April 16, 2019,{{cite web |last1=Cantalini |first1=Chris |title=Premiere: Σtella signs to Arbutus, shares video for sublime new disco-pop gem "Samba" |url=https://www.gorillavsbear.net/premiere-tella-signs-to-arbutus-shares-video-for-sublime-new-disco-pop-gem-samba/ |website=Gorilla vs Bear |accessdate=21 May 2020 |date=16 April 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Berman |first1=Stuart |title=Σtella on Reaching Fans in Far-Flung Places |url=https://artists.spotify.com/blog/stella-on-reaching-fans-in-far-flung-places |website=Spotify for Artists Blog |publisher=Spotify |accessdate=24 May 2020 |date=16 March 2020}} and Toronto-based trio Rapport on August 28, 2019.{{Cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/torontos_rapport_sign_to_arbutus_for_debut_ep|title=Toronto's Rapport Sign to Arbutus for Debut EP|website=exclaim.ca|language=en-ca|access-date=2019-12-14}}

History

Arbutus Records was created by a community of artists and musicians from the Montreal DIY music scene that came together in the 4600 square foot Mile End, warehouse loft space called Lab Synthèse. Lab Synthèse was co-founded by Sebastian Cowan in 2007. The record label was created in order to promote and cultivate the bands associated with the space.{{cite web|url=http://runnermag.ca/2011/01/arbutus-records-show-exhibits-pop-sensibility/ |title=Arbutus Records Shoe Exhibits Pop Sensibility |publisher=Runner Mag |date=2011-01-10 |accessdate=2011-11-11}} Police shut down Lab Synthèse and Cowan began managing the artists that performed there shortly after, resulting in the formation of Arbutus Records. Cowan and the label kickstarted the music careers of Blue Hawaii, Grimes, Majical Cloudz, Sean Nicholas Savage and TOPS among others early on. Arbutus records fosters a family environment that is not often seen in labels of its size, and as a result many of the artists under the label have remained in the label for over ten years. The label operates as a DIY ethic community of multimedia artists and musicians, who work collaboratively to develop and release music which combines punk ethos and pop music.{{cite web |url=http://weirdcanada.com/2010/09/arbutus-records-weird-canada-pop-montreal/ |title=Arbutus Records & Weird Canada @ Pop Montreal |publisher=Weird Canada |date=2011-09-21 |accessdate=2011-11-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402123300/http://weirdcanada.com/2010/09/arbutus-records-weird-canada-pop-montreal/ |archive-date=2012-04-02 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=http://72.47.238.99/news/view/5635/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425153524/http://72.47.238.99/news/view/5635/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-04-25 |title=New Grimes LP Due in January |publisher=BLURT |date=2011-11-08 |accessdate=2011-11-11 }}

Label values

File:Grimes at SxSW 2012.jpg

Arbutus Records was founded based on ideals that stemmed from the values of Constellation Records, focusing on curating individuality rather than a common sound.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/16593/1/arbutus|title=The Warehouse Pop of Arbutus Records|last=Dazed|date=2013-07-10|website=Dazed|language=en|access-date=2019-12-14}} The label considers the release of records as a creative and collaborative process, moreover that the "art [made] is that of the artist", and they will always work in service of that. Ensuring that each artists vision and desires are communicated to the fullest extent possible is a priority at Arbutus Records. The label also puts emphasis on DIY culture in the music that they release and supporting their artists to accomplish more with very little.{{Cite web|url=https://www.citr.ca/discorder/june-2016/arbutus-records/|title=Arbutus Records|website=CiTR|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-14}}

Arbutus Records treats those they work with as family. They believe that everyone should be treated equally and have access to a quality music experience, whether in the form of appreciation or creation.

Artists

Discography

class="wikitable"

|+

!Year

!Album details{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/label/28927-ARBUTUS-RECORDS|title=ARBUTUS RECORDS|website=Discogs|language=en|access-date=2019-11-29}}

2008

|Sean Nicholas Savage - Little Submarine

  • Released: July 18, 2008
  • Genre: Pop
  • Format: CD
2009

|Oxen Talk - O Mores!

  • Released: January 1, 2009
  • Genres: Rock, Pop
  • Format: CD
2010

|Grimes - Geidi Primes

  • Released: 2010
  • Genres: Electronic, Pop
  • Format: CD
2011

|Tonstartssbandht – Now I Am Become

  • Released: 2011
  • Genres: Rock, Pop, Folk, World & Country
  • Format: CD
2012

|TOPS – Tender Opposites

  • Released: 2012
  • Genre: Indie Rock
  • Format: CD
2013

|Blue Hawaii – Untogether

  • Released: March 4, 2013
  • Genres: Electronic Pop
  • Format: CD, Digipak
2014

|Lydia Ainsworth – Right From Real

  • Released: 2014
  • Genre: Indie Pop
  • Format: CD
2015

|Braids – Deep In The Iris

  • Released: April 28, 2015
  • Genre: Synth-pop
  • Format: CD
2016

|Mozart's Sister – Eternally Girl b/w Angel

  • Released: 2016
  • Genre: Dance-pop
  • Format: Cassette
2017

|Honey Harper – Universal Country

  • Released: 2017
  • Genre: Rock
  • Format: EP
2018

|Graham Van Pelt – Time Travel

  • Released: 2018
  • Genres: Electronic, Rock
  • Format: CD, Vinyl
2019

|Moon King – Voice Of Lovers

  • Released: 2019
  • Genres: Electronic, Pop
  • Format: Cassette, Digital download
2020

|Σtella – The Break

  • Released: January 24, 2020{{cite web |title=Upcoming & New Album Releases 2020 |url=https://www.nme.com/releases/albums |website=NME |accessdate=21 May 2020}}
  • Genre: Pop
  • Format: CD, Vinyl, Digital download

References

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