Dirty Projectors

In 2002, Dave Longstreth left music composition studies at Yale University to pursue a career in music, eventually assuming the name of the Dirty Projectors. Even on early recordings, Longstreth's somewhat manic output was a collision of hi-fi and lo-fi aesthetics rooted in academic complexity as he combined elegant melodies, knotty rhythms and sophisticated harmonic architecture. Longstreth released his first solo work in 2002, titled The Graceful Fallen Mango, followed by the first LP under the Dirty Projectors moniker, The Glad Fact, released in 2003 on Austin-based Western Vinyl. LPs followed in 2005 and 2007 -- The Getty Address and Rise Above, respectively -- each finding a wider audience, new supporting musicians and greater critical acclaim. In 2006, Longstreth was joined for the first time by Amber Coffman, whose vocals became a key element of the band's sound. In 2009, their profile increased further, hooking collaborations with Bjork and David Byrne, along with releasing the highly acclaimed Bitte Orca.