Ism

East Coast alternative rock quartet ism fuses melodic rock, electronica, trip-hop, and industrial textures into a signature style that recalls Radiohead colliding with Nine Inch Nails. Singer and guitarist Andre Mistier initiated the project while seeking a temporary diversion from directing theater productions in New York City, envisioning a group that would blend rock with electronic elements. He recruited guitarist and vocalist Gerard Toriello, a Yale acquaintance, who in turn enlisted his childhood friend Michael Higgins on drums. The band chose its name to reflect a refusal to be confined by any single “ism,” preferring instead to investigate every aspect of experience in pursuit of broader understanding. Bassist Leigh Battle, already acquainted with Higgins through a prior ensemble, completed the lineup. Their rapport proved immediate, prompting regular performances by mid-2004 and the early-2006 release of Monkey Underneath on STM Records. The album’s creators intended listeners to experience its music viscerally rather than analytically, drawing on broad themes of discovering optimism amid adversity and honoring the power of dreams. College radio embraced the singles “Breathe” and “Beside the Sun,” sustaining the quartet’s national touring schedule through 2006. Two years afterward they issued Urgency, produced by Joe Blaney—whose résumé includes work with the Clash, Prince, and Tom Waits—and featuring a guest appearance by legendary keyboardist Bernie Worrell.