The project of Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Nicole Schneit, Air Waves emerged in the late 2000s with an appealing mixture of lo-fi indie rock and introspective folk that could be as ramshackle as it was dreamy. Albums like 2010's Dungeon Dots and 2015's Parting Glances helped establish Air Waves, but it was 2018's fiery Warrior that brought Schneit more critical acclaim. After a five-year gap, the project returned in 2022 with The Dance.
When they released their first independent album in 2007
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The project of Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Nicole Schneit, Air Waves emerged in the late 2000s with an appealing mixture of lo-fi indie rock and introspective folk that could be as ramshackle as it was dreamy. Albums like 2010's Dungeon Dots and 2015's Parting Glances helped establish Air Waves, but it was 2018's fiery Warrior that brought Schneit more critical acclaim. After a five-year gap, the project returned in 2022 with The Dance.
When they released their first independent album in 2007, Schneit chose to work under the moniker Air Waves, a name inspired by a Guided by Voices song. Their talent for an easy melody and a slightly scuffed-up pop sound earned some early admirers including Dan Deacon, who once referred to their music as "a favorite blanket wrapped around you." Influenced by acts like the Clean, the Velvet Underground, and Neil Young, Air Waves' blend of folk, country, and lo-fi indie rock caught the ear of the New Jersey-based Underwater Peoples label, which released Schneit's second LP, Dungeon Dots, in 2010. The album was recorded by Kevin McMahon at Marcata Recording, the Walkmen's home studio, and featured a guest vocal by fellow Brooklyn songstress Sharon Van Etten. Following an extensive tour schedule, Schneit took their time writing a follow-up album, eventually working with Woods member Jarvis Taveniere to record 2015's Parting Glances, Air Waves' third LP and first for Austin-based label Western Vinyl. Three years later, Schneit's songwriting took on more overtly political tones on Warrior. With themes ranging from human rights and LGBTQ issues to her mother's battle with cancer, it was Air Waves' most personal record to date.
Schneit remained active over the next fe w years, working on new material at Brooklyn's Figure 8 Studios with collaborators including Luke Temple, Cass McCombs, and Fleet Foxes' Skyler Skjelset. After signing a deal with Fire Records, Air Waves delivered their fifth LP, 2022's The Dance.
Biography by Timothy Monger
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…shrink me down again
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