The Octopus Project

The Octopus Project

The Octopus Project (Ryan Figg, Yvonne Lambert, Toto Miranda, Josh Lambert)
Background information
Origin Austin, Texas, United States
Genres Experimental, indie pop, electronica, psychedelic pop, nintendocore
Years active 1999–present
Labels Peek-A-Boo Records
Website www.theoctopusproject.com
Members Josh Lambert
Toto Miranda
Yvonne Lambert
Lauren Gurgiolo
Past members Ryan Figg

The Octopus Project is an American indietronica band based in Austin, Texas, active since 1999. Its unique sound, blending pop and experimental elements, is a combination of digital and electronic sounds and noises (including drum machine, keyboard, synthesizers and other devices) and analog equipment (including guitars and live drums). Its music is mostly instrumental.

On April 30, 2006, the band played the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. They were offered the opportunity after a fan, unbeknownst to the band, entered them in a contest held by the festival on MySpace in which voters were to "nominate their favorite band for an open slot at the festival".[1][2] In 2007, the Octopus Project supported underground hip hop star, Aesop Rock, and indie electronic icons, Stereo Total, on their national tours. In 2008, The Octopus Project performed at notable festivals such as Lollapalooza, All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival), and the Austin City Limits Festival.[3]

The Octopus Project composed and performed a series of unique, individual scores for short films played at Alamo Drafthouse in Austin in February 2009. For their performance at the South by Southwest festival in their hometown in March 2010, the band put together a multi-media show which involved them performing material from what was to be their upcoming release, Hexadecagon. The band performed surrounded by 8 speakers, while 8 projectors projected videos corresponding to the music on tent ceilings above the stage and the audience.[4] Later that same year, The Octopus Project played at Moogfest 2010 in Asheville, North Carolina. They were scheduled to play just prior to Devo's headlining set. Three days prior to the concert, Devo's guitarist, Bob Mothersbaugh, severely injured his hand and was unable to play. Since the band was receiving a Moog Innovation Award at the festival, and because they didn't want to disappoint their fans, the remaining two members of Devo enlisted the help of The Octopus Project, and together the two bands performed the Devo songs "Girl U Want" and "Beautiful World."[5]

In 2011, the band snagged the opening spot on tours with Devo, Man or Astroman, and Explosions in the Sky. The band spent the rest of that year working on soundtracks for the feature film, Kid-Thing, and the video game, Thunderbeam. In 2012, The Octopus Project began work on what would be their fifth studio album, Fever Forms. The first single from the album, Whitby, was released as an EP in November—complete with b-sides, a karaoke version, and a video directed by the band.

In early 2015, Ryan Figg was replaced by Lauren Gurgiolo from Okkervil River and The Dialtones.[6]

Members

All members are known to switch instruments live (for instance, Josh Lambert playing drums while Toto Miranda plays guitar, or Yvonne Lambert playing guitar while Josh Lambert operates the electronics), but each member can be said to play a primary instrument.

Discography

Ryan Figg and Josh Lambert exchange guitars in the midst of a song in San Francisco, August 2008.

Albums

Splits, remixes, singles and EPs

Soundtracks

See also

References

  1. ↑ Womack, Andrew (April 18, 2006). "Coachella, MySpace & the Octopus Project". The Morning News.
  2. ↑ Llewellyn, Kati (March 22, 2006). "The Octopus Project Tour to Coachella". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2007-03-19.
  3. ↑ DeRogatis, Jim (2009-07-24). "The Octopus Project: Eight arms (and a Theremin) to love you - Music: Via Chicago". Blogs.suntimes.com. Retrieved 2013-07-11.
  4. ↑ "In the Octopus Project's Garden – IFC". Ifc.com. 2010-03-22. Retrieved 2013-07-11.
  5. ↑ Pareles, Jon (2010-11-01). "Honoring the Moment When Music Met Moog". The New York Times. Retrieved 2013-07-11.
  6. ↑ http://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2015-04-03/playback-upholding-the-code/
  7. ↑ "Peek-A-Boo Records Catalog - Album Details". Peekaboorecords.com. 2012-11-06. Retrieved 2013-07-11.
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