Mexican Summer records

What Mexican Summer records does

Mexican Summer records is an independent record label founded in 2009 in Brooklyn, New York, operating as part of the Kemado Group conglomerate alongside sister labels Anthology Recordings (archival reissues and publishing), Software Recording Co., and Kemado Records. The label specializes in physical music formats — limited-edition and color vinyl LPs, 7" singles, CDs, cassettes, deluxe double-LP editions, and screen-printed books — across a curated, genre-agnostic roster that includes Cate Le Bon, Jessica Pratt, Iceage, Dungen, Devendra Banhart, Connan Mockasin, Drugdealer, L'Rain, Arp, Hayden Pedigo, Marshall Allen, and others. Its technology infrastructure is a standard DTC label stack: a Woo-based webstore at shop.mexicansummer.com, MailChimp-powered newsletters segmented by brand (Mexican Summer, Anthology, Marfa Myths), Google Analytics + Google AdSense + Facebook pixel for digital advertising and tracking, plus ToneDen, Official Community, and Eventbrite for marketing and ticketing.

Mexican Summer generates revenue through a mix of channels: direct-to-consumer physical and digital sales via its own webstore (vinyl typically $25.99-$28.99 standard, $38.99 for special editions; digital albums $9.99; singles $1.29-$2.50), B2B wholesale distribution to independent record stores via Ingram Publisher Services (US) and Thames & Hudson Ltd. (international), and music publishing and synchronization licensing via its Mexican Summer Music publishing division. The label's flagship brand experience is the annual Marfa Myths music, visual art, and film festival in Marfa, Texas, which doubles as a creative residency program producing collaborative releases (e.g., Myths 003: Dungen & Woods; Myths 004: Cate Le Bon & Bradford Cox). The label is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, 1-10 employees, and operations spanning the US, UK, EU, and Canada via Brooklyn-based and London-based fulfillment.

Name

Mexican Summer records

Legal name

Kemado Group, Inc.

Website

https://mexicansummer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mexican Summer is a Brooklyn-based independent record label founded in 2009, specializing in limited-edition vinyl, CD, cassette, and archival reissues for adventurous musicians. It serves vinyl collectors, indie record stores, and licensing clients globally via DTC, wholesale (Ingram, Thames & Hudson), and the Marfa Myths festival.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Record Label

NAICS

Record Production and Distribution (51225), Music Publishers (512230), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113)

SIC

Phonograph Records & Prerecorded Audio Tapes & Disks (3652)

akta.pro primary industry

Record Labels (Major & Independent) (MPAIAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Music Festival Organizers & Promoters (MPAGAAAB)

Keywords

• Independent record label
• Specialty vinyl releases
• Archival music reissues
• Music publishing licensing
• Physical music formats

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-consumer physical music sales: Sale of vinyl LPs, 7" singles, CDs, cassettes, books, and merch via the label's own e-commerce storefront (shop.mexicansummer.com), with both standard and limited color/special-edition variants priced individually.
2. Digital music sales and streaming: Sale of digital downloads (typically $9.99 for full albums, $1.29–$2.50 for singles) and revenue from digital streaming distribution of the catalog.
3. Wholesale distribution to retailers: B2B wholesale of Mexican Summer and Anthology Recordings catalog to physical and online record stores in the US (via Ingram Publisher Services) and the rest of the world (via Thames & Hudson Ltd.).
4. Music publishing and synchronization licensing: Sync, mechanical, and publishing licensing of the Mexican Summer Music catalog for film, television, and advertisement use, with a dedicated publishing division (Mexican Summer Music) and licensing inquiry channels.
5. Brand/sync placement in advertising: Sync placements of label catalog in third-party advertising and TV (e.g., Diamond Nights' "The Girl's Attractive" used in a Jaguar XK commercial, "Destination Diamonds" used as the theme for MTV's Little Talent Show).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Mexican Summer is an independent record label founded in 2009 in Brooklyn, NY, that produces and releases adventurous, genre-defying music on specialty physical formats (vinyl LPs, 7" singles, CDs, cassettes, and screen-printed books), including limited color/silver/gold vinyl editions and deluxe double-LP packages. It operates as part of the Kemado Group conglomerate alongside sub-labels Anthology Recordings (archival reissues), Software Recording Co., and Kemado Records, and runs the annual Marfa Myths music, visual art, and film festival in Marfa, TX as a creative residency and release vehicle.

Product overview

Mexican Summer operates as an independent record label platform, headquartered in Brooklyn, NY since 2009, and is the primary label within a multi-label architecture that includes the sub-labels Anthology Recordings (reissue and publishing division), Software Recording Co., and Kemado Records — all part of the Kemado Group conglomerate. The platform consists of the core Mexican Summer music catalog and artist roster (e.g., Cate Le Bon, Dungen, Jessica Pratt, Iceage, Drugdealer, Allah-Las, Arp, Connan Mockasin, Hayden Pedigo, L'Rain, Lau Ro, Robert Lester Folsom, Marshall Allen, Photay, Mega Bog, Jessica Pratt, Jess Williamson, Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, Sessa, Alex Izenberg, FAUZIA, Zsela, Merce Lemon, No Joy, Tonstartssbandht, Natural Wonder Beauty Concept, Katzin, Gregg Kowalsky, and others), the Anthology Recordings archival/reissue catalog, the Mexican Summer Webstore (online retail at shop.mexicansummer.com), and the Marfa Myths festival and its associated Myths EP collaborative release series. Key signature products and releases include compilations such as 'A Decade Deeper' (10th anniversary), 'Maybe I'm Dreaming' (Anthology), the Myths collaborative EP series, and the 'Self Discovery for Social Survival' film and soundtrack collaboration with Pilgrim Surf + Supply.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Anthology Recordings: Music reissue and publishing division of the Kemado Group.
• Marfa Myths

Products and services

• Mexican Summer (Record Label) Independent record label based in Brooklyn, NY, founded in 2009, that produces and releases adventurous music on specialty physical formats for fans who collect vinyl, CDs, cassettes, and music books. Operates within the Kemado Group conglomerate.
• Anthology Recordings Sister reissue and publishing division under the Kemado Group that curates and restores obscure private-press and historical recordings through serialized and standalone archival releases (e.g., 'Maybe I'm Dreaming', '13th Floor Elevators: A Visual History').
• Marfa Myths Festival Annual music, visual art, and film festival held in Marfa, TX that doubles as a creative residency program producing the Myths collaborative EP series (e.g., Myths 003 Dungen & Woods; Myths 004 Cate Le Bon & Bradford Cox).
• Mexican Summer Webstore Online retail storefront selling Mexican Summer and Anthology Recordings releases in vinyl, CD, cassette, digital, books, and merchandise formats, with US shipping from Brooklyn via USPS Media Mail and international shipping from London via Whiplash Fulfillment.
• Music Publishing & Sync Licensing Sync, mechanical, and publishing licensing of the Mexican Summer Music catalog for film, television, and advertisement use, with a dedicated publishing division (Mexican Summer Music) and licensing inquiry channels.
• Software Recording Co. Sister imprint within the Kemado Group, sharing roster and cross-promotion with the Mexican Summer label.
• Kemado Records Sister imprint within the Kemado Group that shares historical artist roster (e.g., Diamond Nights, Turzi, Dungen) with Mexican Summer.
• Dungen - Häxan (Deluxe LP) Deluxe double-LP edition of Dungen's Häxan soundtrack album with silk-screened jacket and bonus 12" EP, sold at merch tables during Dungen's spring 2017 US live film score performances.
• Self Discovery for Social Survival (Film & Soundtrack) Collaborative surf film and original soundtrack release co-produced with Pilgrim Surf + Supply, featuring Mexican Summer artists performing alongside Andrew VanWyngarden (MGMT).
• Mexican Summer: A Decade Deeper (Compilation) Mexican Summer's 10th anniversary compilation of unreleased gems from friends and family, released in a limited run of 200 deluxe LPs plus wide digital distribution.
• Myths EP Series Series of collaborative vinyl EPs and releases produced during the Marfa Myths festival residency, pairing a Mexican Summer artist with an admired peer (e.g., Myths 003 Dungen & Woods, 2018; Myths 004 Cate Le Bon & Bradford Cox, 2019).

Quantifiable outcome

• Operates continuously as an independent record label since 2009 (16+ years as of 2026), with a 10 Year Festival milestone held Nov 17 2018 at Pioneer Works in Red Hook, Brooklyn.
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, moderate and minor.

• Kemado Group, Inc. (parent company)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMexican Summer operates as part of the Kemado Group conglomerate, with Kemado Group, Inc. owning mexicansummer.com, anthology.net, and marfamyths.com. The Kemado Group Privacy Policy covers all three properties.
• Anthology Recordings (sister label)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnthology is the Kemado Group's music reissue and publishing division, exploring musical heritage through serialized and standalone archival endeavors. Cross-promoted on the Mexican Summer site as a related label.
• Software Recording Co. (sister label)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoftware Recording Co. is listed as a related Mexican Summer-family label on the site, with shared artist roster and cross-promotion.
• Kemado Records (sister label)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKemado Records is a related label within the Kemado Group family, sharing a historical artist roster with Mexican Summer (e.g., Diamond Nights, Turzi, Dungen) and listed as a sister imprint on the site.
• Marfa Myths (festival / brand)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarfa Myths is Mexican Summer's annual music, visual art, and film festival held in Marfa, TX, and doubles as a creative residency program that generates the label's Myths collaborative EP series (Dungen & Woods, Cate Le Bon & Bradford Cox, etc.). Cross-promoted as a footer link and produces original releases.
• Ingram Publisher Services (IPS)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHandles wholesale distribution of Mexican Summer and Anthology Recordings physical catalog to US retailers. Address: 14 Ingram Blvd, La Vergne, TN 37086. Contact: 866-400-5351; ipage.ingrambook.com.
• Thames & Hudson Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHandles wholesale distribution of Mexican Summer and Anthology Recordings physical catalog to territories outside the US and Canada. Address: 181A High Holborn, London WC1V7QX, UK. T +44 20.7845.5000; thamesandhudson.com.
• Whiplash FulfillmentcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOperates the international order fulfillment for the Mexican Summer webstore, shipping from London to EU and rest of world; standard 5-15 business days within EU, 6-12 weeks outside EU.
• Pilgrim Surf + SupplymoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew York-based surf and outdoor brand that co-produced the collaborative film and original soundtrack 'Self Discovery for Social Survival' with Mexican Summer, sending surfers and musicians on joint trips.
• Brooklyn Record ExchangeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent Brooklyn record store listed as a Mexican Summer affiliate in the site footer; sells new and used vinyl including Mexican Summer catalog.
• Looking GlassminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed in the Mexican Summer site footer as an affiliate; co-runs Marfa-adjacent music programming (e.g., the 'Looking Glass' Surftrip reference).
• Easy Street RecordsmoderateChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSeattle-based independent record store that ran a Dungen vinyl-collection giveaway in connection with the Dungen Crocodile show; routinely stocks Mexican Summer catalog.
• DublabmoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerLos Angeles-based online radio station that hosts Mexican Summer artist DJ sets and interviews (e.g., Shadow Band, Dungen, Andrew Kidman, Arp appearances).
• KEXPmoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerSeattle-based public radio station that broadcasts live Mexican Summer artist sessions (e.g., Dungen's live KEXP performance).
• East Village RadiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline radio station whose 'Freak Terrains' show featured Mexican Summer artist interviews and guest DJ sets (Dungen, Andrew Kidman).
• Pioneer WorksmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerRed Hook, Brooklyn-based cultural institution that hosted Mexican Summer's 10 Year Festival on November 17, 2018, featuring multiple label artists on two stages.
• BoogarinsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrazilian psychedelic band that supported Dungen on a stretch of the 2016 US tour (May 1-15).
• Shadow BandmoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerMexican Summer roster band that supported Dungen on four California dates of the August 2017 West Coast Tour.
• MailChimpcoreTechnology or IntegrationEmail marketing service used to send Mexican Summer, Anthology, and Marfa Myths newsletters, and to manage unsubscribe flows per the Kemado Group Privacy Policy.
• Woo (e-commerce platform)coreTechnology or IntegrationUnderlying e-commerce platform powering shop.mexicansummer.com; mentioned in the Kemado Group Privacy Policy as the e-commerce platform in use.
• Google Analytics & Google AdSensecoreTechnology or IntegrationAnalytics and advertising networks used across mexicansummer.com, anthology.net, and marfamyths.com per the Kemado Group Privacy Policy.
• Facebook PixelcoreTechnology or IntegrationSocial media advertising/tracking pixel integrated across the Kemado Group web properties per the privacy policy.
• ToneDenmoderateTechnology or IntegrationSocial marketing platform used for fan acquisition, contests, and event promotion (e.g., the Dungen test pressing giveaway).
• Official CommunitymoderateTechnology or IntegrationEvent marketing platform used by the Kemado Group for event-related communications, per the privacy policy.
• EventbritemoderateTechnology or IntegrationTicketing/RSVP platform used for Mexican Summer events (e.g., 10 Year Festival tickets, Drugdealer release shows).

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sub Pop Records: Iconic independent record label founded in Seattle in 1986, signing a marquee roster across indie, alternative, and experimental music. Directly comparable to Mexican Summer as an established independent label with diverse genre-spanning A&R, physical-format emphasis, and a long-running catalog strategy.
• Captured Tracks: Brooklyn-based independent record label founded in 2008, comparable in vintage, location, and genre-defying approach (Mac DeMarco, Beach House, Wild Nothing). Closest direct analog to Mexican Summer in size, era, Brooklyn-base, and genre-bending roster curation.
• Sacred Bones Records: Brooklyn-based independent record label founded in 2007 with an analogous specialty vinyl and limited-edition approach, plus a roster spanning experimental, post-punk, and film score (David Lynch, Pharmakon). Comparable in size, Brooklyn base, and physical-format emphasis.
• Drag City Records: Chicago-based independent record label known for an eclectic, genre-defying roster (Royal Trux, Bill Callahan, Joanna Newsom). Directly comparable to Mexican Summer in its deliberate 'no genre limits' curatorial stance and deep catalog strategy.
• Merge Records: Durham, NC-based independent record label founded in 1989 (Arcade Fire, Superchunk, Neutral Milk Hotel, Caribou). Comparable as an established independent label with a long-tenured, diverse roster and strong physical-format commitment.
• RVNG Intl. New York City-based independent record label focused on experimental, electronic, and avant-garde music with curatorial editions and reissue projects. Directly comparable to Mexican Summer in genre-defying curation and emphasis on archival/specialty releases.
• Stones Throw Records: Los Angeles-based independent record label (Madvillain, J Dilla, Mayer Hawthorne, Dam-Funk) known for eclectic curation across hip-hop, soul, and electronic. Comparable in curatorial voice, specialty vinyl emphasis, and indie-press credibility.
• Fat Possum Records: Oxford, Mississippi-based independent record label (Black Keys early catalog, Jim James, JPEGMAFIA) with eclectic genre-blending roster. Comparable to Mexican Summer as a similarly sized independent label with genre-defying signings and physical-format releases.

Broad incumbents

• Domino Recording Company: UK-based independent record label (Animal Collective, Franz Ferdinand, Wild Beasts, Pavement reissues) with a broader alternative roster and larger international footprint. Comparable in indie ethos and specialty reissue work but operates at significantly larger scale than Mexican Summer.
• 4AD: London-based independent record label and part of the Beggars Group, known for genre-defining releases (Cocteau Twins, Pixies, Grimes, Deerhunter). Comparable to Mexican Summer in artistic, genre-defying curation, but operates at larger scale and as part of a larger label group.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xsmarturl.it/MexTwitter
• YouTubesmarturl.it/MexYoutube
• Facebookfacebook.com/mexicansummer
• Instagramsmarturl.it/MexInsta
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kemado-mexican-summer-records

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mexican Summer records