Earring

Formed in Chicago, indie-psych duo Earring produces a sound built on distorted guitar textures, drawn-out rhythms, and bleary vocals submerged in reverb that suggests a muddier take on the slowcore and shoegaze of the 1990s. Jason Balla, who handles guitar and vocals, teamed with drummer Alexander Otake to begin writing and recording in 2012, playing local shows while putting out cassettes via the Manic Static imprint. Underground outlets soon praised the pair, prompting tours throughout the United States plus appearances at Chicago events including Neon Marshmallow in 2014. They joined the Fire Talk roster in 2015, and the label released their first LP, Tunn Star, the next year.