‘Historian’ is the ethereal brainchild of LA-native Chris Karman. Karman describes Historian’s sound as “headphone music”. That’s precisely what it is: music for anyone who likes to get lost when they put a record on, who wants to be immersed. Discover ‘Broken Cup’ the December 14th in Formula Indie

‘Broken Cup’, as the title vaguely suggests, was written at a pretty low point for me emotionally. It’s a lament about the frailty of being a human. The song ended up being the ultimate catharsis; it allowed me to exorcise a lot of the brokenness I was feeling. The song features an electronic beat that gives way to live drums. The song also features a haunting cello section by A Cello Symphony.

By aiming
for emotional reaction with little regard to commercial viability, the LA-based outfit has
matured to embody an explorative, singular band, drawing comparisons to Radiohead,
Spiritualized and Amen Dunes, with lead singer Chris Karman’s chant-like inflection
guiding the music into uncharted shamanistic territory.
Critics warmed to Historian’s unique sound. His music has been described as “both
nightmarish and dreamlike” or as “sitting on the edge between creative containment and
cathartic release”. Karman’s vocals channel the early work of Leonard Cohen, setting
the scene for a kaleidoscope of synth washes, orchestral strings and subtle bits of
sound manipulation.
Historian’s newest work, Out of Season, is their most collaborative effort to date.
Karman went to great lengths to gather over 30 musicians, all of whom are from
esteemed bands and projects that will be familiar to most listeners. With the likes of
Jenny Conlee on accordion and synth (the Decembrists), Kyleen King on violin, viola,
and background vocals (the Decembrists), Stevie Scott on background vocals
(Machineheart), Hamilton Berry on cello (Vampire Weekend) and Joe McGinty on
rhodes (Psychedelic Furs), just to name a few, the album takes Historian’s adventurous
sound to vast new dimensions.