In Tall Buildings

In Tall Buildings originated as the extended solo endeavor of Chicago-based musician Erik Hall. As the guitarist and multi-instrumentalist in Afro-beat revivalists Nomo, he maintained a demanding tour itinerary throughout much of the mid- to late 2000s. In the intervals between Nomo obligations and other projects, Hall gradually developed his intricately layered, melancholic folk-pop recordings at home. From 2006 through 2008 he refined the eight songs destined for his initial solo release, adopting the In Tall Buildings name partway through the sessions. That title evoked both the city settings of his early years and the high-rise residence where he captured and balanced the material. Hall performed every vocal part and nearly every instrument himself, save for a clarinet solo contributed by Nomo colleague Elliot Bergman. The self-titled debut appeared in spring 2010. Once the album existed in finished form, Hall recruited drummer Quin Kirchner and bassist Matt Ulery as permanent collaborators, later adding occasional keyboard support from Icy Demons’ Christopher Schreck or second guitar from Michael Tolan. The core trio undertook multiple tours, appearing alongside Sharon Van Etten, Here We Go Magic, and additional acts. The record performed well on the CMJ Top 200, securing invitations to South by Southwest, Midpoint Music Festival, Tomorrow Never Knows Festival, and the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. The band also taped a Daytrotter session and issued a highly limited 7" for Record Store Day 2011. Over the ensuing three years Hall focused on the follow-up In Tall Buildings album while playing scattered Chicago-area festivals and shows, including bills with Tennis and Kishi Bashi. A wholly solo undertaking in which Hall managed songwriting, performance, and production, Driver arrived on Western Vinyl in early 2015. He subsequently produced albums for experimental electronic artist Justin Walter and indie folk outfit Lean Year, then completed another home-recorded set, Akinetic, assisted by producer/engineer Brian Deck (Modest Mouse, Iron & Wine), which surfaced in early 2018.