Biography
The nervy indie pop crafted by Ian Sweet balances intricate arrangements with undeniable catchiness. Fronted by Jilian Medford, the project issued its debut full-length Shapeshifter in 2016. Although that record leaned on dense layers of guitar distortion, the 2021 follow-up Show Me How You Disappear incorporated gleaming electronic textures such as synths and drum loops while retaining its core abrasion. Further explorations of synths and expansive guitar palettes defined the 2023 release SUCKER.
Medford initially launched Ian Sweet as a solo outlet during her studies at the Berklee College of Music in Boston; the name Ian had originated as a high-school nickname given by her skater peers. A last-minute touring-drummer cancellation in 2014 prompted her collaboration with Tim Cheney, quickly sparking both artistic rapport and personal camaraderie. Once bassist Damien Scalise joined, the endeavor shifted from solo project to trio, prompting the adoption of the Ian Sweet moniker. Medford’s material addressed anxiety and panic through bright-toned guitar pop while nodding to Nickelodeon’s Slime Time Live, Michael Jordan, and skateboarding.
After relocating to Brooklyn, the band signed with Hardly Art and issued its self-titled debut EP in mid-2016, followed months later by the noisier full-length Shapeshifter. Medford then returned to her native Los Angeles and enlisted bassist Simon Hanes alongside drummer Max Almario for the sophomore album Crush Crusher, released in 2018 and produced and mixed by Gabe Wax.
Transitioning to Polyvinyl, the group delivered its third album, which examined the aftermath of trauma. Recorded with producers Andrew Sarlo and Andy Seltzer after Medford sought treatment for intensifying panic attacks, the synth-driven Show Me How You Disappear appeared in early 2021. Several months later Coldplay amplified her cover of their track “Yellow” by sharing it with their own social-media audience.
A stopgap EP titled STAR STUFF, containing three originals and one remix, surfaced in mid-2022. Shortly afterward Medford began shaping her next album during an artist residency in the Catskills that granted round-the-clock studio access, encouraging improvisation and risk-taking. Co-produced by Alex Craig and Isaac Eiger, the resulting SUCKER arrived on Polyvinyl in November 2023 and placed even greater emphasis on shimmering synths together with acoustic and heavily saturated guitar textures.
Medford initially launched Ian Sweet as a solo outlet during her studies at the Berklee College of Music in Boston; the name Ian had originated as a high-school nickname given by her skater peers. A last-minute touring-drummer cancellation in 2014 prompted her collaboration with Tim Cheney, quickly sparking both artistic rapport and personal camaraderie. Once bassist Damien Scalise joined, the endeavor shifted from solo project to trio, prompting the adoption of the Ian Sweet moniker. Medford’s material addressed anxiety and panic through bright-toned guitar pop while nodding to Nickelodeon’s Slime Time Live, Michael Jordan, and skateboarding.
After relocating to Brooklyn, the band signed with Hardly Art and issued its self-titled debut EP in mid-2016, followed months later by the noisier full-length Shapeshifter. Medford then returned to her native Los Angeles and enlisted bassist Simon Hanes alongside drummer Max Almario for the sophomore album Crush Crusher, released in 2018 and produced and mixed by Gabe Wax.
Transitioning to Polyvinyl, the group delivered its third album, which examined the aftermath of trauma. Recorded with producers Andrew Sarlo and Andy Seltzer after Medford sought treatment for intensifying panic attacks, the synth-driven Show Me How You Disappear appeared in early 2021. Several months later Coldplay amplified her cover of their track “Yellow” by sharing it with their own social-media audience.
A stopgap EP titled STAR STUFF, containing three originals and one remix, surfaced in mid-2022. Shortly afterward Medford began shaping her next album during an artist residency in the Catskills that granted round-the-clock studio access, encouraging improvisation and risk-taking. Co-produced by Alex Craig and Isaac Eiger, the resulting SUCKER arrived on Polyvinyl in November 2023 and placed even greater emphasis on shimmering synths together with acoustic and heavily saturated guitar textures.
Albums
Shiverstruck
2026
SUCKER
2023
STAR STUFF
2022
Show Me How You Disappear
2021
Crush Crusher
2018
Shapeshifter
2016
IAN SWEET
2016
Singles
