Ben + Vesper

Based in New Jersey, husband-and-wife indie folk duo Ben + Vesper craft gentle guitar- and accordion-fueled pop oddities echoing the work of the Handsome Family, Half-Handed Cloud, and Ida. After solidifying their sound on both the stage and in the studio, the former art school students sent a demo to Danielson Famile mastermind Daniel Smith, resulting in the 2006 EP More Questions, which was released by Smith's own Sounds Familyre label. The duo's first full-length album, 2007's All This Could Kill You, featured appearances by frequent Smith collaborators Elin and David Smith, as well as family friend Sufjan Stevens. Ben + Vesper worked with Stevens again in 2010, when he produced, arranged, and recorded their five-song LuvInIdleness EP. One year later, the duo released its second album, HONORS, which featured appearances by the usual indie suspects (including Stevens, Danielson's Josh Stamper, and two members of Holler, Wild Rose!).