Portland, Oregon-based John Craig's 2009 debut Umlaut EP took indie-pop sensibilities and mashed them with complex electronically dusted arrangements. On Craig's slated duel single releases of Broken Branches and Ghosts (w/ b-side The Fall Out) he continues to expand on Umlaut's sound with a more experimental multi-layered approach.
John cut his teeth in the Eugene-based band Tympanic, which he co-founded with his high school buddy, Blind Pilot's Ryan Dobrowski, during their college days at the University of Oregon. Tympanic toured up and down the West Coast throughout their college days before the band went their separate way upon graduation.
Stints in Portland bands Paper Car and The Accolades, gave way to John's current side project Search Party, who have recently wrapped up recording and mixing their debut studio album.
Constantly writing, Craig has discovered a way to creatively balance his ideas between the electro-indie-pop of his solo project and the more classic power-trio rock of Search Party.
Craig's solo debut Umlaut EP, (Loophole Records) is a five song offering, ranging across the spectrum from the orchestral opening number, “Ticking,” the albums first single, to the danceable electro-pop of “Soon.” According to local critics, Umlaut's sound lands somewhere between early Cure and Peter, Bjorn & John. (thanks in part to the banjo-infused whistling pop of "Promises").
"Ticking," "Soon" and an updated version of John's early penned "Trouble" were featured in the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and SXSW selected film "Tucker & Dale vs. Evil."An instrumental version of Umlaut's "Choose Me (Heather's Song)" was also used in the promotional Obama video "Heal This Nation" released in Oct 2008.
Currently "Ticking" is being featured on Portland's 94.7 KNRK and 101.9 KINK as well as Brooklyn based Internet radio station Radio Crystal Blue.
