Biography
A group of first-year university students came together in Townsville, Australia, during 2005 to launch the Middle East, whose lush, orchestral indie pop merges the sweeping atmospherics favored by contemporary rock ensembles such as Mum and Sigur Rós with the grounded restraint typical of indie-folk practitioners including Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, and Iron and Wine. Their first long-player, Recordings of the Middle East, appeared on an independent imprint in 2008. Two years later the album received an international edition through Australia’s Spunk label, an event accompanied by live appearances across both sides of the Atlantic at events such as Bonnaroo, Glastonbury, T in the Park, and numerous additional festivals.