Ciam

Influenced by Radiohead alongside Brian Eno and Philip Glass, the London-based quintet Ciam fuses indie rock, electronica, and sonic experimentation into an artsy hybrid. Jeff Shapiro on vocals and guitar teamed with violinist Hadar Goldman to start the group in the mid-2000s, completing the roster with drummer Chris Hall—Shapiro’s former Astrohound bandmate—programmer/guitarist Farrell Lennon, and bassist Mark Ferguson. The name Ciam echoes the Congrès International d’Architecture Moderne, the 1920s collective of European architects who aimed to redesign modern Europe, leading the musicians to pursue a parallel vision by weaving animation and film into their performances. Their multi-layered debut, Anonymous, surfaced in 2007.