A group of string players combining classical, folk, and rock, Darlingside also boasted a strong vocal presence from the very start, layering their songs with lush, multi-part group harmonies. Coining their sound "string rock," they quickly established themselves as a dynamic live act, touring throughout New England in support of their first self-produced EP. Their debut album, Pilot Machines, followed in 2012, after which the group slimmed down to a drummer-less quartet. Reinventing themselves as a richly layered string band with a crafty pop sound, Darlingside signed with Nashville label Thirty Tigers and released their second LP, Birds Say, in 2015. ~ Timothy Monger