Wombo

Originating in Louisville, Kentucky, indie rock trio Wombo produces an atmospheric and intelligent sound that embraces noisy experimentalism, idiosyncratic pop, and prog-like complexity. Rather than following the usual guitar/bass/drum format, the group lets the bass handle melodic duties while the guitar supplies texture, color, and abstraction, allowing them to traverse ambitious and engaging material. Their initial boldness surfaced on the 2017 EP Staring at Trees, where prog, psychedelia, and noise rock figured prominently, whereas 2020’s Blossomlooksdownuponus displayed a tighter focus. With 2022’s Fairy Rust they introduced enough precision and polish for their pop influences to emerge clearly while retaining their more challenging ideas.

Wombo formed in 2016 when lead singer and bassist Sydney Chadwick joined guitarist Cameron Lowe. The pair had previously played in the angular punk-pop band the Debauchees; once that group ended, they added drummer Joel Taylor and performed live for the first time in August 2016. After gaining notice in Louisville’s independent scene, they issued their first recordings, the seven-song EP Staring at Trees, as a self-released cassette in July 2017. Continued refinement of their eclectic style came through headline shows at small venues and tours with the Nude Party, White Denim, and Dehd. A deal with the independent Fire Talk label led to their debut full-length, Blossomlooksdownuponus. Though extensive touring had been planned to support the album, the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed such activity, giving the band time to write and arrange new songs. They documented their progress on the four-song EP Keesh Mountain, first issued on cassette in May 2021. Working with material that frequently explored myth, imagination, and the unconscious, they recorded their second album over eight days with Nick Roeder; Dave Vettraino handled the mixing. Fire Talk released Fairy Rust in July 2022.