Northern Spy Records is a record label in Brooklyn, New York that specializes in avant-garde music, noise rock, and experimental jazz. The label was founded by Tom Abbs and Adam Downey in 2010 after working for ESP-Disk.
History Northern Spy is an artist-run record label. In October 2011, Northern Spy produced the first annual Spy Music Festival, spanning two days and hosted by two venues. The festival was hailed as a celebration of the label's first birthday. A year later, the label threw its second festival, which took place over two weeks in venues throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan. NSPY artists continue to support local venues by bringing their devoted fans together in small DIY venues.
Northern Spy and its management has been featured in the press through interviews, blogs and in newspapers. The Village Voice published an extensive interview with Downey and Abbs in September 2011. In July 2011, East Village Radio named Northern Spy one of the four most important independent record labels in New York City.
Northern Spy also owns the NNA Tapes record label. It is closely affiliated with the Clandestine Label Services management firm and with the Birdwatcher record label and recording studio firm.
Artists
Aa (Big A Little a) Angels in America Arnold Dreyblatt & Megafaun Arto Lindsay Bird Names Charles Gayle Chicago Underground Duo Chris Forsyth Cloud Becomes Your Hand Colin L. Orchestra Colin Langenus Cuddle Magic Dan Melchior Diamond Terrifier Donovan Quinn Eleven Twenty-Nine Eugene Chadbourne Extra Life Foot Village Gary Lucas Gerald Cleaver's Black Host Haunted House Horse Lords Hubble Jenks Miller John Butcher Loren Connors and Suzanne Langille Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog Mystical Weapons Neptune NYMPH PC Worship Renata Zeiguer Rhys Chatham Seaven Teares Shilpa Ray Starring SUSS The Home of Easy Credit The Necks The Spanish Donkey The USA Is a Monster Thurston Moore & Loren Connors Wume Zs
Discography + Incomplete list of releases YrCat Release title Artist(s) Notes 2010 NS-001 R.I.P USAISAMONSTER LP, CD 2010 NS-002 Songbook Vol. 1 Old Time Relijun 7" 2010 NS-003 The Warrior Jooklo Duo 7" 2011 NS-004 Outdoor Spell Rhys Chatham CD 2012 NS-019 Honky Tonk Medusa Donovan Quinn LP 2012 NS-020 Age of Energy Chicago Underground Duo CD, LP 2013 NS-034 Power Ballads Seaven Teares LP 2013 NS-036 The Only Way to Go Is Straight Through Thurston Moore & Loren Connors CD, LP 2013 NS-038 Your Turn Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog CD, LP 2013 NS-039 Life in the Sugar Candle Mines Black Host CD 2014 NS-052 Locus Chicago Underground Duo CD, LP 2014 NS-053 Who Sleeps, Only Dreams/Hide With Me Deerhoof w/guest Marc Ribot 7", Ltd 2014 NS-054 Live at Le Poisson Rouge J. Spaceman & Kid Millions LP + 7" 2015 NS-066 Accidental Sky White Out with Nels Cline CD 2018 NS-106 Towards the Shadow Wume LP, digital
See also List of independent record labels
References
External links Official site