Cantora Records is a Brooklyn-based independent record label, most notable for signing the

psychedelic pop Psychedelic pop (or acid pop) is a genre of pop music that contains musical characteristics associated with psychedelic music. Developing in the mid-to-late 1960s, elements included " trippy" features such as fuzz guitars, tape manipulation, ...

band

MGMT MGMT () is an American rock band formed in 2002 in Middletown, Connecticut. It was founded by singers and multi-instrumentalists Andrew VanWyngarden and Benjamin Goldwasser, Ben Goldwasser. Originally signed to Cantora Records by the nascent ...

and issuing the band's first commercial release, '' Time to Pretend''.

History

Cantora Records was formed in 2005 by Jesse Israel and Will Griggs, then sophomores and roommates at NYU, and Nick Panama. Will Griggs is the son of former executive editor of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' Jill Abramson. Prior to the creation of the label, Jesse Israel and Will Griggs approached Ben Goldwasser and

Andrew VanWyngarden Andrew Wells VanWyngarden (born February 1, 1983) is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist, guitar player and songwriter for the band MGMT, praised for (according to ''Interview Magazine'') "an uncanny knack for producing pop music that s ...

and offered to manage their band, then known as The Management. Nick Panama, having heard The Management's music through a mutual friend of the band, contacted Jesse Israel and Will Griggs and shortly thereafter the three music enthusiasts formed Cantora Records, each contributing $800 in starting capital. The Management changed their name to

to avoid conflict with a U.K.-based band of the same name, and MGMT's ''Time to Pretend'' was issued under the Cantora Records name in order to coincide with their '05 tour with fellow psychedelic -pop band

Of Montreal of Montreal is an American indie pop band from Athens, Georgia. It was founded by frontperson Kevin Barnes in 1996, named after a failed romance between Barnes and a woman "of Montreal". The band is identified as part of the Elephant 6 collec ...

. Since 2005, Cantora Records has expanded their roster to include artists such as Francis and the Lights, Bear Hands and Savoir Adore. In 2015,

Rostrum Records Rostrum Records is an American independent record label initially located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, now located in Los Angeles, California. Benjy Grinberg is the founder and president of the label, which currently has sixteen artists on its ro ...

acquired Cantora's catalog with hopes to re-launch the label with new signings. That re-launch began in earnest in 2024 with the re-signing of Bear Hands.

Cantora Creative

In 2010, Cantora Records launched Cantora Creative, a consulting division providing music-centric online video content and marketing strategies for various clients.

Roster

* Francis and the Lights * Emil & Friends * Savoir Adore * Bear Hands * Zulu Pearls * Rumspringa * Gordon Voidwell * Violens * Rifle Men * Slam Donahue * The Echo-Friendly * No Love For The Middle Child * murdermart

Discography

- ''Time to Pretend'' (EP) (August 20, 2005) * Violens - ''Tour Single'' (April 8, 2008) * Savoir Adore - ''The Adventures of Mr. Pumpernickel and the Girl with Animals in Her Throat'' (May 6, 2008) * Rumspringa - ''Rumspringa'' (June 3, 2008) * Violens - ''Patrik Ervell SS09 Remixes'' (September 30, 2008) * Francis and the Lights - '' LIME/WYN'' (CD: October 21, 2008, 7" February 5, 2009) * Violens - ''Violens'' (March 17, 2009) * Rumspringa - ''The Free'' EP (April 2, 2009) * Savoir Adore - ''Machines'' (EP) (May 16, 2009) *

- ''Time to Pretend'' (EP) (Re-Mastered) (July 14, 2009) * Savoir Adore - ''In The Wooded Forest'' (September 15, 2009) * Bear Hands - ''What A Drag'' (February 16, 2010) * Gordon Voidwell - ''Ivy League Circus'' (May 18, 2010) * Francis and the Lights - '' It'll Be Better'' (July 20, 2010) * Bear Hands - ''Burning Bush Supper Club'' (November 2, 2010)

References

External links