Modular Records is the independent Australian label, specialising in Rock, Electronica and Electro-pop, behind Wolfmother, The Presets, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, New Young Pony Club, Ladyhawke and many others.

The label was established by Sydney-based music promoter Steve Pavlovic (widely known as ‘Pav') in 1998 as a joint venture with EMI. Known as an industry taste-maker and risk-taker, Pav previously made a name through his association with Seattle’s grunge scene; whilst promoting for Nirvana on their Australian tour, ‘Nevermind’ went to No. 1 on the US Billboard Chart. As a promoter, he was inundated with demo tapes from bands, one of which was a band called Quentin’s Brittle Bones, who went on to change their name to The Avalanches, and thus Modular was born.

Modular’s first two releases were massively successful in Australia, with The Living End’s debut album becoming the second highest selling debut rock album in Australian music history at the time and Ben Lee’s ‘Breathing Tornados' being nominated for Album of the Year at the Australian Record Industry Association awards. The label’s next release, The Avalanches’ ‘Since I Left You’ was internationally successful and received nine ARIA nominations.

2004 saw the emergence of Australian bands Cut Copy, The Presets and The Bumblebeez, along with regular Modular parties and tours. As well as growing in prominence in Australia, they continued to sign new international acts and opened offices in New York in 2004, in London and Sydney in 2005 and in Los Angeles in 2007. The label is now distributed (and half owned) by Universal Music in Australia. Glen Goetze, A&R says “We generally look for artists with sharp haircuts, and it usually helps if we like the band, too. We’re always accepting demos. Our manifesto is putting magic back into the mountain.”

Modular have released two popular Leave Them All Behind mix CDs. The first, released in 2005, featured tracks by The Killers and Bloc Party, remixed by Soulwax and Erol Alkan. The second was a very different selection, released in 2006, by which time featured artists like The Gossip, New Young Pony Club and Klaxons were redefining the Indie dance scene.

In 2008, Modular celebrated its 10th Birthday at a party called Nevereverland at Riverstage in Brisbane, which featured The Presets, The Klaxons, Cut Copy, Van She, Ladyhawke, Hercules &Love Affair and Whitest Boy Alive. Modular then made news when one of their own artists, Muscles, threatened to sue them, after he was removed from the Nevereverland tour line-up due to unforeseen circumstances, but continued to be included in the tour’s promotion. According to the label, leaving the tour was his own decision, which his statement to fans claims was false. He went on to seek legal advice against Modular for reneging on their contract and for defamation.

Despite currently being regarded as one of the most influential labels, Modular reported almost $6 million losses in 2007. However, Pav blamed the loss on heavy investment in new talent, which are expected to have paid off throughout 2008, with several newly signed acts releasing successful albums.

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Words by Anna Dobbie