Economist (band) — LLMpedia

Economist (band)
Name	Economist

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Economist (band) is an indie rock group that emerged in the 2010s with a reputation for blending post-punk textures and art-rock arrangements. The band has been associated with scenes in cities such as New York City, London, Los Angeles, and Seattle, drawing comparisons to acts from the Factory Records era to contemporary collectives linked to Sub Pop and Domino Recording Company. Critics in outlets like Pitchfork, NME, Rolling Stone, The Guardian, and The New York Times have documented the group's trajectory alongside festivals including SXSW, Glastonbury Festival, and Coachella.

Background and Formation

Economist formed when musicians from scenes around Brooklyn, Shoreditch, Echo Park, and Capitol Hill began collaborating after participating in events at venues such as Bowery Ballroom, The Lexington (venue), The Troubadour, and The Crocodile. Early members had previous associations with bands on labels like Matador Records, 4AD, Rough Trade Records, and Jagjaguwar, and had performed at showcases organized by CMJ Music Marathon, Canadian Music Week, and Le Guess Who?. Management connections included agencies linked to WME (agency), CAA (agency), and Paradigm Talent Agency while production credits featured producers tied to Abbey Road Studios, Electric Lady Studios, and Sunset Sound Recorders.

The band's sound marries elements traced to Joy Division, Talking Heads, David Bowie, The Velvet Underground, and Can with modern influences from Radiohead, Interpol, Arcade Fire, Tame Impala, and St. Vincent (musician). Arrangements reflect techniques associated with producers such as Brian Eno, Steve Albini, Flood (producer), Mark Ronson, and Nigel Godrich, while lyrical themes evoke writers and artists connected to William S. Burroughs, Jean-Paul Sartre, Franz Kafka, and filmmakers like David Lynch and Wes Anderson. Instrumentation often references innovations from Gibson, Fender, Moog, Roland, and Yamaha hardware, and recording approaches recall sessions at Sun Studio, Motown, and Trinity Church (Boston)-adjacent projects.

Economist's discography includes self-released EPs, studio albums on independent labels, and limited-run singles distributed via outlets tied to Bandcamp, SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Music. Notable releases were produced in studios with engineers who worked alongside acts for Nirvana, The Strokes, PJ Harvey, Sonic Youth, and The National, and singles premiered on programs hosted by presenters from BBC Radio 6 Music, KEXP, NPR Music, Zane Lowe, and Annie Mac. Press campaigns coordinated with magazines such as MOJO (magazine), Q (magazine), Uncut (magazine), and Time Out (magazine) helped albums chart on lists curated by Billboard, Official Charts Company (United Kingdom), and indie-specific rankings monitored by Stereogum.

The band toured extensively on circuits that included headline runs through venues affiliated with networks like DICE (app), Ticketmaster, and independent promoters tied to Live Nation. They shared stages with artists from LCD Soundsystem, The Killers, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Wolf Alice, and Foals, and performed at festivals alongside lineups featuring Beyoncé, Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys, and Florence and the Machine. Live production teams often collaborated with technicians experienced on tours for U2, Coldplay, Arcade Fire, and Muse, using lighting rigs from MA Lighting and sound systems supplied by firms connected to Meyer Sound and d&b audiotechnik.

Original personnel included musicians with prior credits on releases by Sufjan Stevens, Bon Iver, The Shins, and Beirut, while later line-up changes brought in players who had toured with St. Vincent (musician), Sharon Van Etten, Queens of the Stone Age, and Death Cab for Cutie. Touring members and session contributors often listed collaborations with artists under labels such as Secretly Canadian, Dead Oceans, ATO Records, and Glassnote Records, and have appeared in projects produced at facilities used by Rick Rubin, Daniel Lanois, and T Bone Burnett.

Critics and academics writing in journals and publications associated with institutions like Columbia University, University of Oxford, King's College London, and cultural centers such as Tate Modern and The Museum of Modern Art have debated the band's role in contemporary indie rock. Economist's work has been cited alongside movements linked to post-punk revival, debates in columns of The Atlantic, The New Yorker, and Los Angeles Times, and has influenced emerging artists on labels connected to Ms. magazine-adjacent collectives and community radio stations including KEXP, NPR, and BBC. Retrospectives have placed the band in contexts with scenes from Manchester, Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York City, suggesting a footprint in the lineage that includes Patti Smith, The Smiths, Sonic Youth, and The Clash.

Category:Indie rock groups Category:Musical groups established in the 2010s