Balaclava Records

History

Fernando Dotta and Rafael Farah, members of the rock band Single Parents, knew bands from other parts of Brazil and considered bringing them together to create a scene and a circuit. In late 2011 they left their jobs to work full-time in music. Balaclava Records was founded in 2012, debuting with Single Parents' album Unrest, which was also the penultimate release of the Trama label's Virtual Album project. Early signings included Brazilian independent rock artists Bonifrate, Terno Rei, Luziluzia, and Roberto Kramer, as well as international bands Minks and Splashh. Releases such as Intropologia by Medialunas, Vigília by Terno Rei, and Mountain Tops by Câmera received praise. On 21 April 2015 the label launched Balaclava Fest, featuring Mac McCaughan of Superchunk and Merge Records as the main attraction alongside São Paulo band Shed. On 21 October, Mac DeMarco performed at the festival to promote his mini-LP Another One. Other international artists at that edition included Swervedriver, Yuck, Tops, and Mild High Club, with national bands Mahmed and Terno Rei, and live sets from Séculos Apaixonados, Jovem Palerosi, and Nuven. In 2019 Balaclava Fest diversified its lineup by inviting artists outside the independent rock scene, such as Elza Soares, Kelela, and Ryley Walker. In 2020 the label launched Radar Balaclava, a project releasing a track or single on all digital platforms to give visibility to artists not yet signed to any label.