After disbanding New Zealand’s the Mint Chicks, Portland, Oregon’s Ruban Neilson planned to quit music and take on a day job. For a hobby, he started making psychedelic demos in his basement using samples. Soon, music took over as a career again, and his fun brand of experimental pop ended up in the hands of Fat Possum Records, who released Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s self-titled debut in the early summer of 2011.
As interest in the project grew, Neilson enlisted the help of a full band for a promotional tour and then signed with Jagjaguwar for UMO’s sophomore album, II. Next came 2013’s EP Blue Record. Recorded on one mike in Ruban’s basement, the record is made up of three songs from II and covers of the Dirty Projectors and Beck.
Neilson spent much of 2014 working on the next Unknown Mortal Orchestra album, Multi-Love. Though Jagjaguwar gave him a budget large enough to record in a “real” studio, Neilson retreated to his home studio and his homemade synthesizers and recording gear. With his brother Kody helping out on drums (and his dad Chris on occasional horns), the music he crafted turned away from the expansive psychedelic sound he’d established toward something more focused, with soul and R&B influences mixed in. It also delved deeply into the period of romantic turmoil Neilson was experiencing as he recorded the album. Multi-Love was released in May of 2015.
UMO is currently on tour promoting their 2015 release, Multi-Love. Catch them when they hit the Emos stage on February 7th.
Unknown Mortal Orchestra w/ Lower Dens
Sunday, Februay 7th
Doors: 7pm
All ages
Leave a Comment