Cryptacize's elliptical, experimental indie pop isn't all that cryptic, considering the involvement of former
Deerhoof guitarist
Chris Cohen and playful vocalist/instrumentalist
Nedelle Torrisi. The pair first collaborated on
Cohen's
Curtains project, with
Torrisi chipping in vocals on 2006's Calamity.
Cohen and
Torrisi discovered percussionist Michael Carreira via a video of him playing cowbell on YouTube. After recruiting Carreira, the trio became
Cryptacize, and began playing and recording in 2007.
Cryptacize signed to Asthmatic Kitty and released their debut album,
Dig That Treasure, in early 2008. That summer, after touring with
Mirah,
the Blow,
Why?,
Ponytail, and other likeminded acts,
Cryptacize retreated to a cabin near Yosemite National Park to record their second album,
Mythomania, which featured fuller instrumentation and more structured songs than
Dig That Treasure had. The album arrived in spring 2009. ~ Heather Phares