Lucas Field, Anthony Polcino, Tad Moore, Jon Pancoast and Howie Diamond came together as Low Vs. Diamond in Los Angeles in the mid-2000s after Field, Moore and Diamond all met at the University Of Colorado, drawn together by similar musical interests. Polcino and Pancoast came over from New Jersey to join the trio, which began to absorb influences ranging from huge arena rock to the gritty sounds coming out of cities like New York. By 2008, after gaining significant buzz on the touring circuit and releasing a couple of well-received EPs, they had secured a major-label contract with Epic Records and released their self-titled full-length, supporting it by touring with contemporaries like Santogold.