Warp

United Kingdom

Since 1989

Warp was founded in Sheffield in 1989 by Steve Beckett, Rob Mitchell and Robert Gordon, growing out of a record shop.

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Warp was founded in Sheffield in 1989 by Steve Beckett, Rob Mitchell and Robert Gordon, growing out of a record shop. Its first release was Forgemasters' Track With No Name; LFO, Sweet Exorcist and Nightmares on Wax then connected the label to the British bleep scene. The 1992 Artificial Intelligence compilation opened a parallel strand of electronic music intended for attentive listening outside the club.

Aphex Twin, Autechre, Boards of Canada and Squarepusher became central to its album catalogue. Later releases by Broadcast, Battles, Grizzly Bear and Flying Lotus broadened the relationship between electronic production, songwriting and live instrumentation. Warp moved to London in 2000 and also developed Warp Films and the Bleep store. The Designers Republic created its logo and early purple record packaging.

Sources

The artists credited most often on its releases.

Autechre, Nightmares on Wax, Squarepusher, !!!, Plaid, Oneohtrix Point Never, Clark, Kelela, Flying Lotus, Maxïmo Park, Hudson Mohawke, Boards of Canada, Mark Pritchard, Battles, Danny Brown, Grizzly Bear, Prefuse 73, Yves Tumor, Jamie Lidell, Jimi Tenor, LFO, Darkstar, Mira Calix, Red Snapper, AFX, Rustie, Two Lone Swordsmen, Born Ruffians, LoneLady, Brian Eno, Gravenhurst, Gonjasufi, Jackson and His Computerband, Kwes., Sweet Exorcist, Chris Morris, Clarissa Connelly, The Hundred in the Hands, The Sabres of Paradise, Thom Yorke, Africa HiTech, B12, Coco Steel & Lovebomb, Evian Christ, Gaika, Harmonic 313, Jimmy Edgar, Leila, patten, The Black Dog, TNGHT, Antipop Consortium, Beans, Daniel Rossen, Jeremiah Jae, Jockstrap, Kai Campos, King Krule, PVT, RAC, Speedy J, Daniel Lopatin, Gang Gang Dance, Nozinja, Polygon Window, Rhythm Invention, Savath & Savalas