Fictionist

Drawing from the sonic palettes of Sting, Peter Gabriel, and '90s alternative acts, the American quartet Fictionist crafts luminous indie rock that echoes the approach of peers such as Walk the Moon, Atlas Genius, and Paper Route. Headquartered in Provo, Utah, the group features vocalist/bassist Stuart Maxfield, vocalist/guitarist Robbie Connolly, guitarist Brandon Kitterman, and drummer Aaron Anderson. The musicians first operated under the name Good Morning Maxwell before officially launching Fictionist in 2009. That same year saw the arrival of their initial full-length effort, Invisible Hand, followed by Lasting Echo in 2010. Atlantic Records brought them aboard in 2011, issuing the six-song Fictionist EP whose tougher rock edge reflected the imprint of Nirvana and Radiohead. While tracking material intended as their first major-label album, the band severed ties with Atlantic, abandoned those recordings, and began again from scratch. The outcome was the self-titled Fictionist LP, which surfaced in 2014 and presented a sleek rock mixture reminiscent of Portugal. The Man and Young the Giant; by then Connolly had assumed primary vocal responsibilities, yielding richer vocal harmonies. The 2016 Free Spirit EP introduced greater rhythmic emphasis and a glossy production aesthetic comparable to Mutemath or MGMT. Sleep Machine, issued in 2017, further broadened the ensemble’s atmospheric scope and experimental layering, most notably on the tracks “Lazarus” and “Manic.”