The Octopus Project

Toto Miranda, Josh Lambert, and Yvonne Lambert form the nucleus of the Octopus Project, a hook-driven electronic trio whose sound leans junky, gritty, and propulsive. During live sets the members rotate among drums, guitars, and electronics while Yvonne also handles Theremin duties. Their high-octane performances and electro-psych-pop style have built a loyal following that regularly sees the group booked at major festivals.

The project coalesced in the late 1990s. Peek-a-boo Records took notice in 2001, resulting in the 2002 debut Identification Parade. One Ten Hundred Thousand Million arrived in 2004, after which the band logged extensive road time the following year, hitting Noise Pop, Wall of Sound, and SXSW, where they were named Best Experimental Band. Amid the touring schedule they entered the studio with Black Moth Super Rainbow to record 2006’s The House of Apples and Eyeballs. That same year, a MySpace contest unexpectedly earned them a Coachella slot. The resulting exposure swelled their audience, paving the way for the warmly received 2007 album Hello, Avalanche.

Subsequent tours found them supporting an eclectic range of artists including Devo, And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, and Aesop Rock. After the commercial traction of Hello, Avalanche, the band delivered the more expansive Hexadecagon in 2010, then returned in 2013 with the pop-oriented Fever Forms, which introduced fourth member Ryan Figg. Their score for the independent feature Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter appeared in 2015. Lauren Gurgiolo of Okkervil River stepped in for Figg, and the lineup issued its sixth studio album, Memory Mirror, in 2017. An expanded vinyl edition of Hello, Avalanche—complete with previously unreleased demos and the 2009 EP Golden Beds—followed in January 2018.