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The Bay Bridged is a podcast dedicated to the San Francisco Bay Area sound. This episode, the first to appear on KQED, includes an interview with Mike Deni and Nathan Blaz of the San Francisco indie rock band, Geographer, along with four tracks from Innocent Ghosts, the group's highly anticipated debut album. Deni and Blaz discuss the group's origins and how electronic music has influenced their sound, among other topics.

San Francisco indie rockers, Geographer, are a guitar-cello-drums trio gaining buzz around the Bay for their dynamic indie pop sound. The band’s frequently hushed vocals, personal lyrics and intimate melodies betray singer/songwriter Mike Deni’s past involvement in the local folk scene, through which he met collaborators like Kacey Johansing (who sings lead vocals on several songs) and developed some of the songs that have since evolved into Geographer’s seriously anthemic music.

That evolution can be attributed to Deni’s love of synths and the impressive chops of Berklee-trained bandmates Nathan Blaz (cello, electronics) and Brian Ostreicher (drums). As we learned during our interview with Mike and Nathan, they’ve been influenced by compositional electronic music, an inspiration evident in the group’s dynamic crescendos and synth layering. The guys are continuing to explore these elements as they further develop their sound.

To the band’s credit, Geographer has received a substantial amount of local press prior to releasing an album. Their debut, tentatively titled Innocent Ghosts, is nearly complete, and the trio expects to release it later this summer. Meanwhile, they’ll be taking a tour of the Pacific Northwest in June while continuing to play around the Bay.

Upcoming Shows:
Thursday, May 22nd
Sophia’s (Davis, CA)
with Salt Samovar
10pm, $tba

Wednesday, June 11th
Annie’s Social Club (San Francisco)
with Two Sheds, Friday Mile, and Marabelle Phoenix
8pm, $7

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