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Dead Oceans

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Dead Oceans
Founded2007 (2007)
FounderChris Swanson
Ben Swanson
Darius Van Arman
Jonathan Cargill
Phil Waldorf
Distributor(s)Secretly Distribution
GenreVarious
Country of originUnited States
LocationBloomington, Indiana
Official websitewww.deadoceans.com

Dead Oceans is an American independent record label formed in 2007 and based in Bloomington, Indiana, with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Austin, London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin.[1] Dead Oceans is part of Secretly Group, which also includes labels Secretly Canadian and Jagjaguwar and a music publisher, Secretly Publishing, that publishes artists, writers, filmmakers, producers, and comedians.[2]

History

Phil Waldorf, a Virginia native with a teenage love of skateboarding and punk rock seven-inch records, attended college in Athens, Georgia, where he was music director for the college radio station, WUOG.[3] In Athens, Waldorf came to know future indie bands Neutral Milk Hotel and Olivia Tremor Control in their formative years, going to early house shows before both bands rose to underground fame.[4][5]

In 1998, Waldorf moved to New York City when he was hired by Other Music, a record store.[6] He also began managing an indie label, Misra Records.[7][8]

Waldorf became friends with Chris Swanson and they decided to start a label together.[9] Swanson suggested the name Dead Oceans, from the lyrics of Bob Dylan's “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” (1962):[10][11]

“I’ve been out in front of a dozen dead oceans

I’ve been ten thousand miles in the mouth of a graveyard

And it’s a hard, and it’s a hard, it’s a hard, and it’s a hard

And it’s a hard rain’s a-gonna fall.” [12]

In 2007, Waldorf started Dead Oceans with Chris Swanson, his brother Ben Swanson, Darius Van Arman, and Jonathan Cargill of Secretly Canadian and Jagjaguwar.[13][14] The addition of Dead Oceans to Secretly Canadian and Jagjaguwar's partnership led to the formation of Secretly Group.

Some of the label's earliest releases include Phosphorescent's Pride, Dirty Projectors' Rise Above, and Akron/Family's Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free, ranging from folk to art punk to groove-y rock.[15] Dead Oceans has published Julianna Barwick, Mitski, Phoebe Bridgers, Japanese Breakfast, Ryley Walker, The Tallest Man on Earth, Kevin Morby, Marlon Williams, and many others.[16]

In 2015, Secretly Group began a partnership with The Numero Group as well.

In 2017, the label released shoegaze band Slowdive’s first album in 22 years.[17][18][19]

In 2018, Dead Oceans was listed as #7 on Paste magazine's top-10 record labels of 2018. Jagjaguwar was listed as #4 and Secretly Canadian was listed as #8.[20]

Artists

Notable honors and awards

GRAMMY AWARDS (US/GLOBAL)

  • 2022, Japanese Breakfast, 'Jubilee' - Best Alternative Music Album (nominated)
  • 2021, Phoebe Bridgers - Best New Artist (nominated)
  • 2021, Phoebe Bridgers, ‘Punisher’ - Best Alternative Music Album (nominated)
  • 2021, Phoebe Bridgers, ‘Kyoto’ - Best Rock Performance (nominated)
  • 2021, Phoebe Bridgers, ‘Kyoto’ - Best Rock Song (nominated)
  • 2019, Mitski, ‘Be The Cowboy’ - Best Recording Package (nominated)

A2IM LIBERA AWARDS

  • 2019, Dead Oceans – Label of the Year (finalist)
  • 2019, Phosphorescent, ‘C’est La Vie’ - Best Country/Americana Album (finalist)
  • 2019, Khruangbin, ‘Con Todo El Mundo’’ - Best Outlier Album (WON)
  • 2019, Mitski, ‘Be The Cowboy’ - Album of the Year (finalist)
  • 2019, Mitski – Best Live Act (finalist)
  • 2019, Mitski, ‘Be The Cowboy’ - Best Rock Album (finalist)
  • 2019, Shame, ‘Songs of Praise - Best Rock Album (finalist)
  • 2019, Durand Jones & The Indications, ‘Durand Jones & The Indications’ - Best R&B Album (finalist)
  • 2019, Mitski, ‘Be The Cowboy’ - Creative Packaging (finalist)
  • 2019, Khruangbin, ‘Con Todo El Mundo’ - Marketing Genius (finalist)
  • 2019, Mitski, ‘Nobody’ - Video of the Year (WON)
  • 2018, Dead Oceans – Label of the Year (WON)
  • 2018, Slowdive, ‘Slowdive’ - Album of the Year (WON)
  • 2018, Phoebe Bridgers, ‘Stranger in the Alps’ - Best American Roots & Folk Album (finalist)
  • 2018, Kevin Morby, ‘City Music’ - Best American Roots & Folk Album (finalist)
  • 2018, Slowdive – Marketing Genius (finalist)
  • 2017, Mitski, ‘Your Best American Girl’ - Video of the Year (finalist)
  • 2017, Ryley Walker, ‘Golden Sings That Have Been Sung’ - Best Country/Americana/Folk Album (finalist)
  • 2014, Phosphorescent, ‘Muchacho’ - Album of the Year (finalist)
  • 2013, Bear In Heaven, ‘I Love You, It’s Cool’ - Light Bulb Marketing Award (finalist)

AIM INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS (UK)

  • 2019, Better Oblivion Community Center, ‘s/t’ - Best Independent Album (nominated)
  • 2018, Dead Oceans – Independent Label of the Year (nominated)
  • 2018, Shame, ‘Songs of Praise’ - Album of the Year (nominated)
  • 2018, Phoebe Bridgers, ‘Stranger in the Alps’ - Album of the Year (nominated)
  • 2018, Shame, ‘One Rizia’ - Track of the Year (nominated)
  • 2018, Phoebe Bridgers, ‘Motion Sickness’ - Track of the Year (nominated)
  • 2018, Phoebe Bridgers – International Breakthrough (WON)
  • 2014, Secretly Group – Independent Label of the Year (nominated)

NME AWARDS (UK)

  • 2018, Shame – Best New Artist (nominated)

GRAMMIS AWARDS (SWEDEN)

  • 2011, Tallest Man on Earth – Male Artist of the Year (nominated)

VUT VIA AWARDS (GERMANY)

  • 2018, Slowdive – Best Album (nominated)

See also

References

  1. ^ "Secretly Group". secretlygroup.com. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  2. ^ "Secretly Publishing |". Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  3. ^ "Phil Waldorf". RNZ. 2015-09-12. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  4. ^ Lynch, David (November 14, 2003). "Sheiks of Industry". www.austinchronicle.com. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  5. ^ Haupt, Melanie (July 23, 2004). "Manifesto Destiny". www.austinchronicle.com. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  6. ^ Schroeder, Audra (August 4, 2006). "The Cult of Pitchfork". www.austinchronicle.com. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  7. ^ Johnson, Seth. "Dan Bejar's Way With Words". Nuvo. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  8. ^ Powell, Austin (October 19, 2007). "Dead Oceans". www.austinchronicle.com. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  9. ^ "LIVE FROM THE BEEHIVE". Indiana Daily Student. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  10. ^ "About". deadoceans.com. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  11. ^ Shepler, Jack. "Record roundup of early 2007's Secretly Canadian and Jagjaguwar CDs". NUVO. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  12. ^ "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall | The Official Bob Dylan Site". www.bobdylan.com. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  13. ^ Austin Powell, "Dead Oceans Making Waves" Austin Chronicle, October 19, 2007.
  14. ^ Dave Maher, "Secretly Canadian/Jagjaguwar Birth Dead Oceans" Archived 2008-10-11 at the Wayback Machine Pitchfork Media, February 19, 2007.
  15. ^ "Featured Label: Dead Oceans". Mood Media Blog. 2012-08-16. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  16. ^ Fink, Matt. "Mitski – The Under the Radar Cover Story". undertheradarmag.com. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  17. ^ "Slowdive return with new song after 22 years (were savvy in naming themselves "slow" dive)". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  18. ^ "Slowdive on Reuniting for the Band's First Album in 22 Years". Observer. 2017-04-26. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  19. ^ "Slowdive on Their First Album in 22 Years and Why Shoegaze Came Back". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  20. ^ "The 10 Best Record Labels of 2018". pastemagazine.com. 2018-12-31. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
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