Fog

• Genre: Laptronica
• Hometown: Minneapolis
• Fog Website

About

You could say Fog epitomizes post-millenial independent music making. The nom de plume of Minneapolis' Andrew Broder, Fog started releasing records in 2002, and since then has wound its way through every conceivable genre invented, as well has plenty that have yet to be. Broder's self-titled debut was released on Ninja Tune, back when most folks thought of him as mainly a turntablist. Its follow up, Ether Teeth, shattered those notions. An abstract collage of gleefully sloppy sounds, it showed Broder to be as interested in songcraft and even singing as he was in scratching records. This move continued over subsequent EPs and the full-length Tenth Avenue Freakout. By the time 2007's Ditherer arrived, Fog was officially a trio, and Broder's compositions had as much in common with a band like Pavement's as they did with his erstwhile Ninja Tune brethren. And with stated influences as disparate as composer Charles Ives and metal experimentalists Xasthur, Broder's journey into the great musical beyond seems like it could be just getting started.

- Garrett Kamps