Strawberry Girls

Progressive instrumental quartet Strawberry Girls began in 2011 as a duo formed by guitarist Zachary Garren and drummer Benjamin Rosett. Garren had recently left post-hardcore act Dance Gavin Dance, and early jams with Rosett resulted in a demo that planted the seeds for the angular, quickly shifting sound that the band would refine as the years went on. Shortly after the duo began performing live, they were joined by bassist Ian Jennings and synth player Caleb Ellison and began recording and performing regularly. Their first few years were extremely active, with the band self-releasing several EPs as well as notable covers of hits by Kendrick Lamar and Carly Rae Jepsen. Debut album French Ghetto surfaced in 2013, and though the band was still primarily instrumental, many tracks featured different guest vocalists, a trend that would resurface on subsequent albums. By the release of 2015′s American Graffiti, Ellison had left the band and the trio had signed to North Carolina-based indie label Tragic Hero Records. Tragic Hero would work closely with Strawberry Girls, re-releasing their first album as well as 2017′s Italian Ghosts. ~ Fred Thomas