My Gold Mask (Chicago, IL)

After leaving Brooklyn, NY and Baton Rouge, LA respectively, My Gold Mask founding members Jack Armondo (Guitar, Vocals) and Gretta Rochelle (Vocals, Percussion) both took life detours in Albuquerque, NM. Despite running in the same social circles there, it wasn't until they moved to Chicago IL, and had a chance encounter at a rooftop party, that the two finally met. The conversation quickly turned to music and has stayed there ever since. In 2009, seeing the completion of a couple of short lived rock projects involving other members, the musical couple withdrew themselves and dedicated their time to experimenting with new sounds and broadening their artistic voices. This time away from the touring circuit lead to the birth of a home recorded experiment called My Gold Mask. The results were two well-received EPs in 2010: A Thousand Voices and A Million Miles (From Where We Were Last). Singles like "Violet Eyes" and "Ghost In Your Bed" quickly became blog favorites, leading to Pitchfork calling them “a band to watch.”Part of My Gold Mask’s longevity is that they have always been a band of versatility. From the beginning, the duo was synced by Rochelle’s expressive, genre-hopping vocals, and Armondo's effects-laden / reverb-soaked guitar riffs. When they needed percussion, Rochelle taught herself how to play drums. MGM fans enjoyed Rochelle’s powerful stage presence as she simultaneously brought a primal physicality to the rhythm. But as the duo evolved, it became clear they wanted to fill out the textured nuances of their sound. In 2013 they commissioned drummer James Andrew, now a full fledged member, to help with their Leave Me Midnight LP. Along with the seasoned skills of longtime producer and engineer Balthazar de Ley, the newly formed three piece began blending electronic and synthetic elements into their more organic sounds and traditional instrumentation.The tribal-like dance beats, the wall of sound production and the strong emphasis on fantastical vocal melodies all came together in a big way. “We like to explore those darker feelings that sometimes get left behind in pop music, even though we try to stay pretty light-hearted in our personal lives.” says Rochelle, and the band's unique blend of influences has led them down many roads. MGM has had the opportunity of opening for groups such as The New Pornographers, Metric, and Blonde Redhead; as well as having had songs featured on Gossip Girl, MTV Awkward, Being Human and in high profile fashion shows for Phillip Lim 3.1.But My Gold Mask's true passion and focus has always been exploring new musical territory and growing as artists. A passion that was temporarily slowed when Rochelle went through a particularly strong bout of anxiety, experiencing the reappearance of her disabling attacks. Rochelle explains: “I've been dealing with my panic disorder since I was a little girl and have only recently really felt like I've gotten a handle on it. Making music has always been a cathartic way for me to work things out". The band switched gears and began releasing a series of digital singles. Armondo on the process: "The singles gave us a way to keep up momentum while allowing Gretta and the band the time we needed to sort out some personal stuff."These more electronic tinged singles became the DNA of MGM's newest offering Anxious Utopia. The freshness in material attracted experienced metal producer Sanford Parker to lend his ear and unique synth skills to the mix. Songs like the politically tinged "Dissipate," and dance rock track "Explode" developed a heavy, grimy sound that juxtaposes with the group’s melancholic pop hooks. The band opened up the process even further, inviting fellow musicians like Mr. Kitty (Synths) and Adam Wayne (Bass guitar) to join in on the playful, yet mysterious, new sound of the group. The album was recorded, produced and mixed by Parker and de Ley over a period of two years at various studios around Chicago. All the while, principal songwriters Armondo and Rochelle kept hammering out new ideas and refining lyrics, leaving Andrew to lay down the driving beats and electronic flourishes.On Anxious Utopia, Gretta turns her anxieties into party like anthems that exorcise (and sometimes give life to) her personal demons in catchy, haunting tracks like "Connect" and "Insomnia." Themes of struggle, release and redemption weave their way throughout an album that lets more light into the darkness than on past releases. Creating an energetic sound that Entertainment Weekly calls, "…a sweet spot between Siouxsie and the Banshees and Robyn."Anxious Utopia will be out on March 4th, 2016 via Moon Sounds Records.