Mountains

by James Christopher MongerBrooklyn-based ambient/experimental rock duo Mountains formed in Chicago around the talents of Brendon Anderegg and Koen Holtkamp. Friends since middle school, the pair founded their own label in 1999 while attending the school at the Art Institute of Chicago. Apestaartje became a vehicle for both collaborations and individual projects, and eventually live performance. Mountains recorded two albums of experimental ambient music for the label that drew comparisons to Fennesz, Brian Eno, and Popol Vuh before relocating to New York City in 2008 to record the follow-up. The resulting Choral, an ethereal hybrid of electronic and acoustic instrumentation recorded in real time with a small handful of overdubs was released on the Thrill Jockey label in 2009.