Unknown Mortal Orchestra is a group of musicians of American and New Zealand origin. The group is composed of singer, guitarist and composer Ruban Nielson, bassist Jake Portrait and drummer Riley Geare. The band started with Ruban Nielson (from the band The Mint Chicks).
In the spring of 2010, singer and guitarist Ruban Nielson released the song Ffunny Ffrends on his Bandcamp page. The song is shared without information about its creator. Quickly, popular bloggers shared the song and popularized it. Driven by sharing and numerous attempts to find its author, Nielson finally admitted that his band Unknown Mortal Orchestra> was at the origin of this song.
The group's first self-titled album is released on June 21, 2011 at Fat Possum Records. The album is quickly welcomed. Pitchfork gives it a rating of 8.1>. In the spring of 2012, the group won a Taite Music Prize for the album>.
In September 2012, the Unknown Mortal Orchestra announces its signature on the Jagjaguwar label and the release of a second album. The second album of the Unknown Mortal Orchestra, II, is released on February 5, 2013>. The first single from the album, titled Swim and Sleep (Like a Shark), is released in single format during their tour with Grizzly Bear.
