Biography
Singer/songwriter Lia Ices developed her skills gradually, spacing out album releases with deliberate care as her creative direction evolved. Early work leaned toward remote indie balladry before she explored electronic textures, only to circle back to rustic, piano-driven compositions on Family Album, her fourth full-length, which surfaced in 2021 thirteen years after her recorded debut.
Born Lia Kessel in Connecticut, she started piano lessons at five yet did not begin writing songs until later, during her time at N.Y.U.’s Tisch School of the Arts Experimental Theatre Wing. Evoking Tori Amos within a Cat Power atmosphere, she soon drew local notice and issued the eight-song Necima in 2008 via Nicolas Vernhes’ Rare Book Room Records. A pivotal opportunity arrived in 2010 when she joined the Jagjaguwar roster and commenced her follow-up. Grown Unknown appeared the next year and included a guest turn from Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. In 2012 she issued a 7" single whose A-side reworked Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” while the B-side covered a lesser-known Syd Barrett song. Several years passed before the markedly electronic third album Ices arrived in 2014, and more than six years elapsed before another long-player. After previewing several cuts across 2020, Family Album emerged in January 2021 on her own Natural Music imprint, shifting away from synthesized and atmospheric production toward grounded textures and acoustic instrumentation.
Born Lia Kessel in Connecticut, she started piano lessons at five yet did not begin writing songs until later, during her time at N.Y.U.’s Tisch School of the Arts Experimental Theatre Wing. Evoking Tori Amos within a Cat Power atmosphere, she soon drew local notice and issued the eight-song Necima in 2008 via Nicolas Vernhes’ Rare Book Room Records. A pivotal opportunity arrived in 2010 when she joined the Jagjaguwar roster and commenced her follow-up. Grown Unknown appeared the next year and included a guest turn from Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. In 2012 she issued a 7" single whose A-side reworked Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” while the B-side covered a lesser-known Syd Barrett song. Several years passed before the markedly electronic third album Ices arrived in 2014, and more than six years elapsed before another long-player. After previewing several cuts across 2020, Family Album emerged in January 2021 on her own Natural Music imprint, shifting away from synthesized and atmospheric production toward grounded textures and acoustic instrumentation.
Albums
Singles
