Partisan Records
Partisan Records is an American independent record label. The company was co-founded in 2007 by Tim Putnam and Ian Wheeler in Brooklyn, New York.
Partisan Records

Francescah08 · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Name
- Partisan Records
- Founded
- 2007
- Headquarters
- Brooklyn · London
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Partisan Records is an American independent record label. The company was co-founded in 2007 by Tim Putnam and Ian Wheeler in Brooklyn, New York.
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wikidata · Q7140619 · wikipedia · Partisan Records
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Partisan Records • Founder — * Tim Putnam • Ian Wheeler • Status — Active • Genre — Various, with a focus on indie rock and post-punk • Country — United States • Location — * Brooklyn, New York, US (HQ) • London, UK • Website — https: www.partisanrecords.com/
History
History
Partisan Records was founded in Brooklyn, New York, in 2007 by Tim Putnam and Ian Wheeler. At the time, Putnam was working at the independent label Knitting Factory Records and started Partisan as a "passion project" from his apartment. An early signing was the Providence-based rock band Deer Tick. The critical success of their albums helped establish the label's credibility. In 2008, Partisan entered into a formal partnership with Knitting Factory Entertainment, which also involved managing the catalog of Nigerian musician Fela Kuti. The label continued to build its roster, signing artists like The Dismemberment Plan for their reunion album Uncanney Valley in 2013. A turning point for Partisan's international profile came with the signing of Cigarettes After Sex. Partisan signed Dublin post-punk band Fontaines D.C. in 2018 and Bristol band Idles in 2019. Both bands achieved critical and commercial success under the label. Idles' albums Ultra Mono (2020) and Tangk (2024), along with Fontaines D.C.'s Skinty Fia (2022), all debuted at #1 on the UK Albums Chart.
section1
section1
In 2021, Partisan launched a joint venture label, section1, in partnership with Brontë Jane of Third Side Music, and Chris Robbins. As of 2026, bands released by section1 include Blonde Redhead, King Princess, Hildegard, Fazerdaze, and Eterna, and RIP Magic.
Artists
Artists
As of August 2026, the artist classifications below follow the label's official roster.
Current
Current
• Beth Orton • Blondshell • Cameron Winter • Cigarettes After Sex • Cymande • DJ Rashad • Ezra Collective • Fela Kuti • Femi Kuti • Geese • Grian Chatten • Idles • Interpol • Julia Cumming • Just Mustard • Laura Marling • Lip Critic • Maple Glider • NoSo • Paul Banks • PJ Harvey • Sun's Signature • TTSSFU • Westerman • Witch Post
Alumni
Alumni
• Aaron Freeman • Ages and Ages • The Amazing • Angélica Garcia • Aoife Nessa Frances • The Black Angels • Bobby • Bombino • Chubby and the Gang • Craig Finn • Deer Tick • Dilly Dally • The Dismemberment Plan • DMA's • Dolorean • Eagulls • Emel Mathlouthi • Emily Wells • Field Report • Flock of Dimes • Fontaines D.C. • Heartless Bastards • Holy Sons • JBM • John Grant • Lumerians • Lump • Mádé Kuti • Mercury Rev • Middle Brother • Mountain Man • Paleo • Phox • Pottery • Pure Bathing Culture • Skinny Pelembe • The Standard • Sylvan Esso • Tender • Torres • Treetop Flyers • Ultraísta • Warm Ghost • WITCH • The Wytches
Institutional history
Dated record
Institutional history
The full dated record · 1 entries
2007
Partisan Records established.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
- United States
Named but not plotted · 1
Partisan Records is associated with United States.
Country
Notable releases
• Year — Artist — Album — Notes • 2014 — Sylvan Esso — Sylvan Esso — Certified Gold in the US. • 2017 — Cigarettes After Sex — Cigarettes After Sex — Certified Platinum in the UK. • 2018 — Idles — Joy as an Act of Resistance — Reached #5 on the UK Albums Chart and was shortlisted for the 2019 Mercury Prize. • 2019 — Fontaines D.C. — Dogrel — Shortlisted for the 2019 Mercury Prize. • 2020 — Laura Marling — Song for Our Daughter — Nominated for the Mercury Prize and the Grammy Award for Best Folk Album. • 2020 — Idles — Ultra Mono — Reached #1 on the UK Albums Chart. • 2022 — Fontaines D.C. — Skinty Fia — Reached #1 on the UK and Irish Albums Charts. • 2022 — Ezra Collective — Where I'm Meant to Be — Won the 2023 Mercury Prize. • 2023 — PJ Harvey — I Inside the Old Year Dying — Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album. • 2023 — WITCH — Zango — The band's first album in nearly 40 years, it received critical acclaim. • 2024 — Idles — Tangk — Reached #1 on the UK Albums Chart. • 2024 — Cameron Winter — Heavy Metal — The debut solo album from the Geese frontman. • 2025 — Geese — Getting Killed — Won Best International Group at the BRITs
Primary material
Documents and archives
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q7140619: Partisan Records
General reference · Wikidata
reference work
- “Partisan Records”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Awards and accolades
Partisan Records has won Label of the Year at the Libera Awards (2019, 2023) and the Rolling Stone UK Awards (2023). In 2023, London-based jazz group Ezra Collective won the Mercury Prize for their album Where I'm Meant to Be. Several artists have received multiple Grammy nominations, including Fontaines D.C. and Idles. Idles have won multiple Ivor Novello Awards and NME Awards. Ezra Collective won a Brit Award for Group of the Year.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Mulligan, Joe. The Story of Partisan Records: "We're all about creating a culture that's artist-friendly". Music Week. 2018-10-25.
- 2.Mulligan, Joe. The Story of Partisan Records: "We're all about creating a culture that's artist-friendly". Music Week. 2018-10-25.
- 3.Heaton, Dave. Deer Tick: The Black Dirt Sessions. Pitchfork. 2010-06-15.
- 4.About Fela Kuti. felakuti.com.
- 5.Gourlay, Dom. It's the indie breakthrough of the year: Partisan Records MD on Cigarettes After Sex. Music Week. 2017-11-22.
- 6.Homewood, Ben. 'They are a necessary band for the times we live in': Partisan Records sign rising Bristol band Idles. Music Week. 2018-01-22.
- 7.Murray, Robin. Fontaines D.C. Land First UK No. 1 Album With 'Skinty Fia'. Dancing About Architecture. 2022-04-29.
- 8.Idles land their first Number 1 album and fastest-selling vinyl release of the year with Ultra Mono. Official Charts Company. 2020-10-02.
- 9.Idles secure second Number 1 album with Tangk. Official Charts Company. 2024-02-23.
- 10.Stassen, Murray. Partisan Records launches new joint venture label section1. Music Business Worldwide. 2021-03-04.
- 11.section 1 (2) Discography. Discogs.
- 12.Hussain, Shahzaib. RIP Magic’s ‘Screwdark’ Is A Club Oddity. Clash Magazine. 8 May 2026.
- 13.Richards, Will. Partisan Records win the Record Label Award at the Rolling Stone UK Awards. Rolling Stone UK. 2023-11-23.
- 14.Ezra Collective wins the 2023 Mercury Prize with FREENOW for 'Album of the Year'. Mercury Prize. 2023-09-07.
- 15.King, Jack. Fontaines D.C. on Losing a Grammy to The Rolling Stones: “It’s a Funny Little Thing”. People. 2023-02-06.
- 16.Artist: Idles. www.grammy.com.
- 17.Aswad, Jem. Mariah Carey, The 1975, Deep Purple Win Ivor Novello Awards. Crack Magazine. 2019-05-23.
- 18.Flynn, Mike. Ezra Collective seal BRIT Award win for Group of the Year 2025 with electrifying performance. Jazzwise. 2025-03-03.
- 19.Artists. Partisan Records.
- 20.Dunworth, Liberty. Interpol sign to Partisan for new album: "We feel in ideal company on every level". NME. May 12, 2026.
- 21.Recording Industry Association of America. Gold & Platinum - RIAA: Sylvan Esso.
- 22.British Phonographic Industry. British certifications – Cigarettes After Sex.
- 23.Copsey, Rob. Paul McCartney's Egypt Station scores his first Number 1 solo album in 29 years. Official Charts Company. 2018-09-07.
- 24.Monroe, Jazz. Mercury Prize 2019 Shortlist: The 1975, slowthai, Black Midi, More. Pitchfork. 2019-07-25.
- 25.O'Connor, Roisin. Mercury Prize 2020 nominations: Full list of shortlisted albums, from Dua Lipa to Laura Marling. The Independent. 2020-07-23.
- 26.Artist: PJ Harvey. www.grammy.com.
- 27.Brophy, Conor. W.I.T.C.H.: Zango Album Review. Pitchfork. 2023-06-01.
- 28.Cameron Winter: Heavy Metal Album Review. Pitchfork.
- 29.The BRIT Awards 2026 Winners. www.brits.co.uk.
References
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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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