This story is featured in CityBeat’s May 17 print edition.
Some projects seem destined to be, and FORIS is one of them. The experimental electronic duo includes artists Johnny Glover (Audley) and Nathan Tipton (Junior Astronaut). Glover and Tipton never connected in their hometown of Dayton, Ohio. But years later, after independently relocating to Chicago, they found each other on social media and decided to meet up on top of the Merchandise Mart in Chicago.
During their rooftop rendezvous, the duo established their mutual interest in experimenting with “meticulously crafted sound design,” as described by Glover in an interview with CincyMusic earlier this year.
“I had been on a quest for a while to find a sound in-between the softness of singer/songwriter music, the maximalism and sound design of experimental electronic music, and the polyrhythmic technicality of metalcore,” Tipton told CincyMusic in the same interview. “Meeting up and creating with Johnny felt like a great outlet to make this happen.”
Glover and Tipton had their first writing session soon after, and quickly found their collaborative voice. This past January, they debuted their first release, “BREACH.” The four-track EP offers 17 minutes of sonic intrigue. Playful and detailed compositions feature a mixture of guitar, emotive vocals and electronic sounds, calling to mind acts like Animal Collective and The Books.
In March, FORIS released an album of remixes, featuring collaborators like GrandAce and Moonbeau.
With a slew of recordings out in the world, FORIS turns their attention to live performances. The group will return for their second show at Madison Live! on May 27. They’ll be joined by Cincinnati hip hop greats Patterns of Chaos, psych rock band General Baxter and Sylmar, who served as the backing band for Glover’s project Audley.
FORIS plays Madison Live! at 8 p.m. May 27. Info: madisontheater.com.
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This article appears in May 3-16, 2023.