Polar Bear

Not to be mistaken for the similarly named American alternative rock group, Polar Bear comprise a London-based quintet specializing in experimental post-jazz and drawing inspiration from Beethoven, Stevie Wonder, and Björk. Drummer Sebastian Rochford, an early participant in Babyshambles, assembled the lineup in 2004 alongside saxophonists Pete Wareham and Mark Lockheart, double bassist Tom Herbert, and Leafcutter John on electronics and guitar. The ensemble first gained notice that same year through its debut release, Dim Lit, an album whose blend of avant jazz, folk, electronica, and punk secured a nomination for Best Band at the BBC Jazz Awards.

Their most prominent recognition arrived in 2005 when the follow-up, Held on the Tips of Fingers, earned a nomination for the Mercury Music Prize. Following a headline slot at Noel Fielding's Mighty Boosh Festival in 2008, the band issued its self-titled third album and, two years afterward, Peepers. Following extensive road work and a short hiatus for creative reevaluation, Polar Bear resurfaced in 2014 with In Each and Every One, a wide-ranging record issued on The Leaf Label that shifted between expansive ambient passages and hip-hop-inflected electronic rhythms and was again shortlisted for the Mercury Prize. Confident in their evolved approach, the musicians toured festivals and venues before heading straight back into the studio, resulting in Same as You. That spring 2015 release underscored the group's decisive break from genre boundaries, included a guest contribution from Shabaka Hutchings of Sons of Kemet and Melt Yourself Down, and brought a MOBO Award nomination for Best Jazz.