A heatless warehouse in the suburbs of Chicago outfitted with reverb opportunities and an ensemble of tools to garner psychedelic creativity houses the hypnotic trance of Light Pollution.
Songwriter James Michael Cicero, 23, grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and had to fight for his passion to create music after his father locked his first guitar in the attic. But college garnered the opportunity for Cicero to pursue his music career when he became obsessed with his songwriting while sitting in class. His compulsive writing led him to drop out and form the band. He met drummer Matt Evert and tagged themselves as Light Pollution.
The result is hard to pinpoint, but fun to describe. Lo-fi and hi-fi layered psycho-pop sounds coagulate in the group’s unique blend. It’s not particularly niche, either. Fans of both Animal Collective and My Morning Jacket will find something to enjoy, whether it’s the experimental vibes or the melodic sensibilities, which come together seamlessly on “Good Feelings”. The two romanticize Midwestern life, as well. “Hand Crushes the Wheel”, one of the more eclectic songs of the bunch, digresses on Cicero’s commute between DeKalb and Chicago. Who knew the mundane and undesirable sounded so epic?
The group has since expanded into a quartet, which now includes Nick Sherman and Jed Robertson, and has been immersed in the Chicago club scene. Though they’ve tugged on enough ears and eyes to land a label, Carpark Records, who housed albums for Beach House and Dan Deacon. With label support, Light Pollution now tours across the country, with appearances set for SXSW, and have a new record (titled Apparitions) set for a June 15th release.
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