AU

AU (pronounced "ay-you") is the work of multi-instrumentalist Luke Wyland. Begun back in 2005 while finishing up his degree from the Massachussetts College of Art and moved across the country to find its roots in the thriving community of Portland, OR. Currently a full time duo with Dana Valatka on drums (Jackie-O-Motherfucker, Mustaphamond), it is a loosely defined amalgam of players that can swell to double digit numbers with full choir in tow and sees some of Portland's finest lending a helping hand. It's sound is vast and "deftly treads a narrow bridge between the loose-associations of the backwoods freak-folk crowd and the more formalized concoctions of art-poppers like Brian Eno."

Since the release of his critically acclaimed debut album in 2007, the band has been busy touring the US both headlining and supporting such acts as Deerhoof, The Dodos, Grizzly Bear, Beach House, Blitzen Trapper, Phosphorescent, Fleet Foxes, and Eric Bachmann- to name a few. Both on record and on stage Au "manages to erase the high art/low art boundary between American contemporary classical music and American pop music, blending them into a simple, compelling, verse-chorus celebration...(and) is the rare band that can reinvent its songs live and still manage to match their recorded quality." AU released it's second album "Verbs" in June of '08 with Aagoo Records in the US, YACCA/Inpartmaint in Japan, Cargo Records in the EU, and Popfrenzy in Australia. They will be touring throughout Europe in the Spring of '09.