The roots of Houston, Texas' atmospheric pop project Drowner began in 2008, when multi-instrumentalist Darren Emanuel began experimenting with guitar effects and textures that went beyond the music he was making with his band at the time, Swimming In. Enter singer/lyricist Anna Bouchard, a longtime friend with whom Emanuel began collaborating in 2010. By January of 2011, the duo was ready to record its self-titled EP. A few months later, Emanuel and Bouchard added guitarist Sean Evans, and bassist Mike Brewer joined the fold, and the group signed to the Fort Worth, Texas-based label Saint Marie Records, which reissued an expanded version of the Drowner EP early in 2012 in anticipation of the band's full-length debut. ~ Heather Phares