Lord Huron, a Lull, Baobab [monday Threesome]

This week, we’re bringing you three acts who produce sounds that are rooted in American folk music but are subtly inspired by both the powerful percussion and intricate vocals of African tribal songs. Whether it’s their calypso influences, pounding percussion or chanting vocals, each of these bands creates something slightly different, placing them just outside of the American folk genre.

In 2010, the lead singer of Lord Huron (@lordhuron), Ben Schneider, traveled from his current home in Los Angeles to his birthplace of Michigan. While searching through his old stomping grounds, Schneider landed on the shores of Lake Huron, where he spent many of his childhood summers. Only two weeks later, the first Lord Huron EP, Into the Sun, was finished. Although he performs with a full band in a live setting (all members from Michigan), Schneider has recorded both of the band’s EPs on his own, including Mighty, which he released later in 2010 to positive reviews.

With waves of echoing harmonies, there are moments when Lord Huron sounds similar to Band of Horses, a comparison perfectly illustrated by Mighty’s “Son of Gun”. Though Schneider’s music is rooted in American folk, he also draws inspiration from the calypso genre, setting Lord Huron somewhat apart. While Into the Sun and Mighty are the project’s only releases, new music is certainly on the horizon, and if you’re lucky enough to attend 2012′s Sasquatch Festival, be sure to stop by Lord Huron’s set.

A Lull (@alull) is definitely the most electronic-sounding band of the three featured here. Their music is full of unique instrumentation, intertwined with chanting, synth and mystical vocals, all of which bring A Lull into the synthesized folk rock genre. The Chicago band formed in 2009 and released their first EP, Ice Cream shortly after. Since then, these five multi-instrumentalists have perfected the art of uniquely employing guitars, bass, layered electronics, pounding percussion, alluring melodies and sometimes tribal-like rhythms within their music. During the production phase of their debut effort, they recorded 72 songs before finally releasing the project, Confetti, in April 2011. I enjoy everything about this record, including the four-song Confetti Reprise that shares a portion of the music removed from the original album.

The music of Phil Torres, performing under the moniker Baobab (@baobabtheband), contains elements of synthesized electronics layered over charming classical guitars and drawn out melodies. The complex pairing of Baobab’s folk roots — he currently resides in Durham, NC — and electronics is the primary characteristic of his self-titled debut album, released in 2012. Similar to Lord Huron, Torres was responsible for all vocals and instrumentation on his recent release, and in some of Baobab’s songs, such as “Spring Forward” and “Farewell”, it’s impossible to ignore the tribal-like influences in his vocal style. This element, combined with the overall wistful tone in Baobab’s music, truly sets him apart from other folk artists.