Ceremony

Blending washes of distorted guitar with lo-fi electronic drums, calming vocals, and Factory Records-style interplay, Ceremony deliver a noise pop/shoegaze hybrid whose layers of fuzz belie well-crafted pop that could stand on its own. Comprised of dual vocal/guitar/bass/drum machine players Paul Baker and John Fedowitz, the group rose from the ashes of Skywave in 2007 as its other member, Oliver Ackermann, moved from Fredericksburg, Virginia to New York City and formed A Place to Bury Strangers. While both spinoff groups have a penchant for loud guitars — and Ceremony's name may reference Joy Division/New Order — Ceremony's approach uses the guitar effects and rapid-fire drums as a foundation for the duo's thoughtful songcraft rather than an exploration of sonic tones and textures. The duo made its recorded debut in 2008 with full-length Disappear, layering new wave elements amidst the noise, with a self-titled record following in 2009. On the 2010 full-length Rocket Fire, the band continued to offer feedback-laden hooks, made more exciting and immediate thanks to improved production values. The duo's 2011 EP, simply titled Extended Play, re-imagined a handful of songs from Rocket Fire with the help of artists like Monster Movie and Jessica Bailiff.