Northern Spy
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.
Also recorded as Northern Spy Records
Northern Spy
- Name
- Northern Spy Records
- Founded
- 2010
- Headquarters
- United States
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
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.
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wikidata · Q7058981 · wikipedia · Northern Spy Records
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Northern Spy Records • Founded — 2010 • Founder — Tom Abbs Adam Downey • Distributor — Redeye Distribution • Genre — Avant-garde, noise rock, experimental jazz • Country — U.S. • Location — Brooklyn, New York • Url — northernspyrecs.com
History
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
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
Places
Named by the record
Places
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- United States
Named but not plotted · 1
Northern Spy is associated with United States.
Country
Discography
Incomplete list of releases • Yr — Cat — 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
Citations
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Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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