Cults

Rarely has a band with such upbeat, accessible music had its identity and origins so shrouded in mystery — initally, anyway. Cults is not, in fact, some witch-house project, or even a black-metal band, as its moniker might suggest. Instead, it's a New York duo with a knack for post-tropical...

By Tom Murphy

July 26, 2011

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Rarely has a band with such upbeat, accessible music had its identity and origins so shrouded in mystery — initally, anyway. Cults is not, in fact, some witch-house project, or even a black-metal band, as its moniker might suggest. Instead, it's a New York duo with a knack for post-tropical pop melodies. Brian Oblivion and Madeline Follin started the band while students in 2010, and they released three of their handful of songs on an EP with no expectations. Within a year or so, Cults was approached by Gorilla vs. Bear, who offered to put out a vinyl release for the band, and this past spring, the band's debut full-length was issued on Lily Allen's Columbia Records imprint, In the Name Of. While often lumped in with summery electro-pop groups like Beach House, Cults actually brings to mind the kind of cults you wouldn't want to join, but does so with a playful abandon.

Become A Member

BEFORE YOU GO...
Can you help us continue to share our stories? Since the beginning, Westword has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver — and we'd like to keep it that way. Our members allow us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls.

Tom Murphy is a writer, visual artist and musician from Aurora, Colorado. He was a prolific music writer for Westword and a documenter of the Denver music scene.

Follow:

Twitter: @simianthinker