Mimicking Birds

Nestled amid the fog-shrouded woodlands of the Pacific Northwest, Mimicking Birds shape an earthy strain of atmospheric indie rock built around acoustic guitars, echoing the approaches of Fleet Foxes, José González, and Sufjan Stevens. What began as nature-loving frontman Nate Lacy’s solitary endeavor grew into a full band once the group inked a deal with Isaac Brock’s Glacial Pace Recordings in 2008, bringing drummer Aaron Hanson and guitarist Tim Skellenger aboard; Skellenger’s role later passed to Matthan Minster and subsequently Ian Luxton. Bassist and keyboardist Adam Trachsel completed the lineup soon afterward. The band’s first official release, the self-titled album, appeared in 2010, after which the musicians toured extensively, sharing stages with Brock’s Modest Mouse on several occasions. Their second album, Eons, surfaced in 2014, and a year later they issued a version of the Snowman theme “Walking in the Air.” Drawing on experiences gathered while traveling and performing live, the third long-player, Layers of Us (2018), introduced greater drive and studio polish compared with earlier work, as demonstrated on tracks such as “Sunlight Daze.”