Encyclopedia

Released in 2014, Encyclopedia marks a pivotal moment for The Drums, following the departure of founding member Connor Hanwick and leaving the core duo of Jonny Pierce and Jacob Graham to reinvent their sound. Moving away from the breezy, reverb-soaked indie pop of their debut and 'Portamento,' this album embraces a more 'encyclopedic' range of influences, including industrial music, synth-pop, and avant-garde electronics. Recorded largely in a cabin in upstate New York, the isolation is audible in the record's more insular and experimental tracks. It is the first album where the band fully embraced synthesizers as a primary lead instrument, often using them to create abrasive, non-traditional textures. While it alienated some fans of their earlier, more accessible work, it has been retrospectively praised for its bravery and for laying the groundwork for the more personal, electronic-leaning direction Jonny Pierce would take the project in later years.