WARP

Warp Records (or simply Warp) is a British independent record label founded in Sheffield in 1989 by record store employees Steve Beckett, Rob Mitchell and record producer Robert Gordon. It is currently based in London.

In the early 1990s, the label initially became associated with the UK’s northern techno scene, including “bleep techno” acts such as LFO, Sweet Exorcist, Forgemasters and Nightmares on Wax. The 1992 label compilation Artificial Intelligence helped establish the electronic subgenre known as intelligent dance music. Subsequently, the label became the home of influential electronic acts such as Aphex Twin, B12, Autechre, Squarepusher, and Boards of Canada.

In 2001, co-founder Rob Mitchell died of cancer. In 2004, the label opened the online store Bleep.com, which sells downloadable music free of digital rights management (DRM) features. Current artists on the label roster include Flying Lotus, Rustie, Oneohtrix Point Never, Danny Brown, Grizzly Bear, Brian Eno, TNGHT, Kelela and Yves Tumor.