Formed in 2015 by former Smith Westerns members Julien Ehrlich and Max Kakacek, Whitney crafts the kind of bittersweet indie melodies that stir up nostalgia. The bucolic cosiness of Byrds-esque guitar-pop gems like “No Woman” and “Golden Days”—from the Chicago band’s 2016 debut, Light Upon the Lake—has only expanded over time, with Ehrlich’s gentle falsetto and Kakacek’s breezy guitar often slipping effortlessly into soft soul grooves—especially when the duo cover SWV’s “Rain”. Meanwhile, with 2022’s SPARK, Whitney introduced a shimmery new synth-laced sound with the hopeful “REAL LOVE”.