Mamalarky came together in 2016 as an inventive "tricoastal" indie rock quartet that fuses dream pop and noise rock with psychedelic accents. Although the group began in Austin, Texas, its members eventually spread across Texas, California, and Georgia. Guitarist Livvy Bennett, formerly of Cherry Glazerr, shares the lineup with keyboardist Michael Hunter of White Denim, drummer Dylan Hill, and bassist Noor Khan.
The quartet introduced itself in 2018 via the EP Fundamental Thrive Hive, then spent the following two years shaping a full-length debut that appeared in late 2020 on Fire Talk Records under the title Mamalarky. When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, Bennett, Hunter, and Khan took a house together in Atlanta, Khan’s hometown, and tracked most of the band’s sophomore effort inside its rooms. Hill added his parts from Austin before making several trips to Georgia for further recording. The resulting Pocket Fantasy surfaced on Fire Talk in September 2022 and broadened the group’s playful approach with field recordings and assorted household objects. Bennett and Hunter later moved on to Los Angeles.
