Stranger Cat

An alluring electropop duo consisting of Brooklyn native Cat Martino, an enigmatic singer/songwriter with a powerful voice who has worked closely with Sufjan Stevens over the years, and Sven Britt, a talented multi-instrumentalist, Stranger Cat formed in 2012 when Martino left bustling Brooklyn for the tranquil Sierra Nevadas. There, she and Britt began laying the groundwork for what would eventually become their debut album, pairing simple melodies with complex beats, all the while soaking in the beauty and general weirdness (UFO sightings, hauntings) of the Pacific Northwest. The resulting In the Wilderness, an emotionally charged blast of icy, new wave-kissed, ambient indie pop, was issued via Joyful Noise in early 2015. ~ James Christopher Monger