The Microphones

Phil Elverum’s recordings as The Microphones blend humble yet haunting observations on Earth-bound humanity with supernatural flourishes and mysterious explorations of the strange undercurrents that so often make life worth living. Born in 1978, in Anacortes, Washington, Elverum got his start as a record store clerk at The Business, where he was introduced to the K Records catalogue—albums from artists like Beat Happening and D+. He eventually released his own music on the label. Their DIY ethos inspired Elverum, whose breakthrough album, 2000’s It Was Hot, We Stayed In The Water, blends the at-home recording style of those artists with a refreshingly inventive approach to folk music. He would develop this style even further on his era-defining The Glow, Pt. 2, which he released in 2001. On that album, layers of acoustic guitar blended with blast-beat metal interludes and Elverum’s shaky, almost-falsetto delivery. After one more album as The Microphones, Elverum put the project on an extended hiatus and began recording as Mount Eerie, releasing albums that ruminate on life and tragedy. A surprise return in 2020 with the aptly titled Microphones in 2020 showed that, for Elverum, there was no place like home.