innova Recordings

05/23/2025

SINGLE OUT TODAY

The lead single of Alex Ellsworth's album "The Things We Always Think About" comes out today, entitled "An Egg Without a Yolk"

Alex Ellsworth is a cellist-songwriter whose instrument sometimes evokes the sound of a guitar, other times a flute, a fiddle, bird calls, ambient electronics, or the human voice. Alex is originally from Plymouth, NH and came of age in Chicago, touring with the cinematic shadow puppetry company Manual Cinema and co-founding the artist collective Mocrep.

Visit our website to learn more about the album!

05/23/2025

OUT TODAY

At once vast and intimate, "Melting Planets" draws the listener into an immersive soundworld where nature behaves in unexpected ways: drops of rain might sound like a fusion of glassy, metal, wooden, plastic, and electric pops, while gravity shifts in multiple directions, causing bursts of sound to appear, vanish, and continuously descend into the unknown.

The album is the result of two years of musical and extramusical dialogue between three composers/improvisers - Sivan Cohen Elias (sound instruments/ objects, voice, live electronics), Lauren Siess (viola, objects, no-input mixer), and Cole Blouin (electric guitar, objects). Their collaboration culminated in this recording, artistically directed and produced by Sivan Cohen Elias.

https://innova.mu/album/melting-planets/

03/10/2025

⭐️ANNOUNCING⭐️
The debut album release from is coming this month!

Neera is a multi media project that blends various cultures and musical echo-systems. Derived from older Persian languages, Neera means “to shine light.”
Neera is among the 15 New Projects from innova recordings Spring National Call 2023, and the recipients of the Creator Development Fund from in 2022.

Mark your calendars for new music coming March 28th!

02/06/2025

"I’d like to share with you the music that leaves me with devastating ups and downs and motivates me to keep making music."

Multi-hyphenate artist Shinjoo Cho - who recently released her album "Abriendo y Cerrando" with innova records - curate this playlist, bringing together music across cultures that inspires and instigates creativity. Follow the link to listen!

https://icareifyoulisten.com/2025/02/listn-up-playlist-shinjoo-cho-february-6-2025/

Shinjoo Cho innova Recordings

01/24/2025

⭐️OUT NOW⭐️

Abriendo y Cerrando, Shinjoo Cho’s first solo album for bandoneon, features both her original compositions and arrangements. Recorded in Argentina in 2024, this album exhibits Shinjoo’s search for a new language for bandoneon outside of its emblematic role in the tango genre and the making of a composer and performer whose musical passage encompasses Asia, North America, and South America. Guest composers and performers include Alban Bailly and Antonio Boyadjian.

https://lnkfi.re/zM9aoGMm

12/06/2024

It's Bandcamp Friday and Leilehua Lanzilotti's "the sky in our hands, our hands in the sky" is now out on vinyl. Visit the link below to purchase yours!

https://leilehua.bandcamp.com/album/the-sky-in-our-hands-our-hands-in-the-sky

11/04/2024

After 20 years with ACF, our Director of Recordings Chris Campbell has decided that’s a good milestone to step away. Over the last two decades, Chris has helped to transform innova Recordings into “a true storehouse consciousness of multiple places and times,” with close to 900 titles in its catalog. Though he will be missed, we can’t wait to hear more of Chris’ music and other projects. Join us in congratulating him as we look back on his years of leadership!

Here's what Chris had to say while looking back on the last 20 years:
“I wrote press and onesheet copy, established business structure and plans, and walked the company through the death of big box retail and into the digital era. I glued cotton balls to a thousand units of custom packaging…. I set street dates, managed databases, transferred websites, built album and individualized release campaigns, and got our artists’ music on front pages of every single major music sales outlet on the planet. I had the motivation to do this because I truly wanted to serve and honor my fellow artists and their efforts.”

10/01/2024

Meet the innovative artists who will be reviewing our 2025 McKnight program applications: Carmina Escobar (Los Angeles), Mychal Fisher (Saint Paul, MN), Troy Rogers (Duluth, MN), and Jess Rowland (NYC).

Apply to the ACF McKnight Fellowship and Residencies here:
https://buff.ly/4eJf9iR

10/01/2024

ACF MCKNIGHT COMPOSER FELLOWSHIPS
For Music Creators Living in Minnesota
Application Deadline: Tuesday, October 29, 2024 at 11:59pm PST

The ACF McKnight Composer Fellowships are awarded to Minnesota-based artists who demonstrate achievement, commitment, and a high-level proficiency in artistic and/or culture-bearer practice that contributes to their field and impacts and benefits people in Minnesota.

For application and complete details, visit the link below!

McKnight Foundation

The American Composers Forum is pleased to announce the 2022 McKnight Fellowships for Composers. This program is made possible by the generous support of The McKnight Foundation.

09/30/2024

ACF MCKNIGHT VISITING COMPOSER RESIDENCIES – NATIONAL CALL
For Music Creators Living Outside of Minnesota
Application Deadline: Tuesday, October 29, 2024 at 11:59pm PST

The ACF McKnight Visiting Composer Residencies invite music creators outside of Minnesota to spend approximately 30 days in the state over 18 months, fostering connections and participating in creative projects that engage the local community. While new work may be part of the residency, it is not a requirement, as the emphasis is on artistic exploration and community exchange with Minnesota communities.

For application and complete details, visit the link below!

McKnight Foundation

Residency for two non-MN composers to serve as visiting artist collaborator on a project with a MN community.

09/27/2024

OUT NOW!
Asuka Kakitani - "What She Wrote"

"What She Wrote" is a journey through the voices of powerful women writers who have shaped our literary landscape. Japanese-born composer Asuka Kakitani has created a musical bridge connecting her heritage with the timeless words of Emily Dickinson, Sappho, Mary Shelley, Virginia Woolf, and Akiko Yosano. Performed by the acclaimed Quince Ensemble!

Listen here: https://www.innova.mu/albums/asuka-kakitani/what-she-wrote