Based in Upstate New York, Trace Mountains represents the solo endeavors of former LVL UP singer/guitarist Dave Benton. Initially formed as a lo-fi folk side project, Benton self-released a collection of idiosyncratic yet endearing demos in 2016, followed in 2018 by Trace Mountains' debut, A Partner to Lean On. After LVL UP disbanded that same year, he moved to a small town in the Hudson Valley and committed himself more fully to his solo work, releasing the focused and ruminative indie rock of Lost in the Country in 2020 and the more folk-tinged House of Confusion the next year.