COMMUNION RECORDS AND UNIVERSAL MUSIC SIGN JOINT VENTURE

20 July 2015 - Press release

Caroline International to provide label services and distribution for leading British independent label
 
Leading UK independent label Communion Records and Universal Music UK have today announced an exclusive global partnership which will see Communion’s future releases supported by Universal Music’s award-winning label and artist services division Caroline International.
 
Formed in London in 2006 by Mumford & Sons’ Ben Lovett, Bear’s Den member Kevin Jones and producer Ian Grimble, Communion has been instrumental in discovering and developing a diverse roster of innovative and internationally successful artists including Ben Howard, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Gotye, Michael Kiwanuka and Daughter.
 
The debut album from Ivor Novello-nominated Bear’s Den, who recently announced a European tour culminating in a gig at London’s Roundhouse on October 27th, was released via Caroline International in November and the new partnership will build on that relationship, with all future signings being released through Caroline.
 
The joint venture cements Communion’s global relationship with Universal Music Group following the recent deal between Communion's New York-based US company and Universal Music’s Capitol Music Group.
 
Universal Music UK chairman & CEO David Joseph says: “The team at Communion have an extraordinary track record in discovering and nurturing unique new talent; our joint venture means the label can build on this success, with Caroline providing an outstanding international support network as they do so.”
 
Communion Managing Director Jamie Emsell says: "We are thrilled to be moving into a new phase of our partnership with Universal Music, and expanding what is already an excellent working relationship with the team at Caroline. Michael [Roe] and Jim [Chancellor] have assembled an exceptional team, both in the UK and internationally, who take an approach to artist development and marketing that fits very naturally with our culture at Communion. We would also like to go on record to thank our friends at Island, with whom it has been an honour and pleasure to work with for the last three years.”
 
Caroline International Joint Managing Director Michael Roe said: “In the short period of time we’ve worked together, Caroline International and Communion have formed a mutual bond of respect through a shared love of music and a determination to develop and break artists internationally. When Jim and I first sat down to build Caroline, Communion, due to their success and demonstrable good ears were at the top of the list of labels that we agreed we would love to work with. The time spent working with Jamie, Kev, Ben and their positive approach to working in a partnership have only reinforced that view.”
 
Caroline International, winners of the Music Week Award 2015 for Label & Artist Service Company, is one of the world’s leading music services companies, delivering bespoke services to independent labels and artists in every market and region. Through its dedicated teams around the world Caroline provides services including marketing, promotion, A&R, commercial, sync and admin whilst utilising and leveraging the global reach of Universal Music’s sales and distribution platforms and relationships. Caroline’s label and artist partners include Glassnote, Century Media, Peter Gabriel, Turnstile, Fiction, Laura Marling, Kaiser Chiefs, St Vincent, Glass Animals, Ben Watt, Oh Wonder, 50 Cent, Seasick Steve, Natalie Prass, Brody Dalle, Gaz Coombesand Sophie Hunger.