Great Northern

The Los Angeles-based quartet Great Northern crafts a luminous fusion of alternative rock and layered dream pop. At its core stands singer and songwriter Solon Bixler, whose upbringing occurred amid classical traditions as the child of a composer and conductor. His initial foray into the industry came through guitar duties with 30 Seconds to Mars between 2000 and 2003, after which he spent time in Earlimart, a psych-pop group shaped by Grandaddy’s influence. While traveling with that ensemble, Bixler produced a set of demos and then reached out to longtime acquaintance Rachel Stolte—an occasional actress, keyboardist, and vocalist who had fronted the late-’90s post-hardcore band Whirlpool—for lyrics and vocal contributions.

To round out the group, Bixler enlisted drummer Davey Latter, a former Earlimart colleague, and bassist Ashley Dzerigian, who had briefly worked with Silversun Pickups guitarist Brian Aubert before the arrangement dissolved. Great Northern launched its live performances across Los Angeles in 2005 as the members finished songs for a first full-length release. After issuing two modest, self-released demo EPs, the band secured a deal with Eenie Meenie Records during summer 2006 and entered the studio under producer Mathias Schneeberger. The resulting album, Trading Twilight for Daylight, appeared in spring 2007; two years afterward came Remind Me Where the Light Is, an effort that expanded the quartet’s palette through subtler, orchestral-driven anthems.