The four members of YAWN come from the underbelly of Chicago, with roots in neighborhoods like Little Lebanon, Baghdad Row, and Polski Park. Having grown up together both figuratively and literally, their hearts remain embedded in trash but their dreams of success run deeper than the cold waters of Lake Michigan.

As young lads in a previous band, the members of YAWN made their way to the lush forests of Germany for the Taubertal Open Air Fest in summer ’07. After pissing away their earnings hiring overpriced producers, YAWN learned a pivotal lesson: thine production lies within thine self. Moreover, they learned the valuable ethos of DIY.

Suddenly, their universe expanded! The scallywags began crafting a new sound, one more aligned with the eclectic textures of Brian Eno, Aphex Twin and Yeasayer: a solid, badass rock core adorned with rich vocal harmonies, vintage world samples and atmospheric digital layers. Leaving their former hoods and setting up shop in Wicker Park, they recorded new material in their basement. The DIY revelation led to the creation of “YAWN,” a 5-song e.p. that combines the poppiness of Phoenix with the complex lush layerings of Yeasayer and the creativeness of Unicorns.

This e.p. somehow ended up in the hands of the agents responsible for booking the Fader Fort at SXSW in Austin, who invited YAWN to showcase their live set in 2010. Having only played a few shows around Chicago up until this point, YAWN was able to blow the roof off the Fader Fort, allowing word-of-mouth enthusiasm from the lucky attendees to spread across the world when SXSW was over. This dispersion led to favorable reviews from the likes of Pitchfork, NME, and KEXP and inspired adoring fans everywhere to download the free “YAWN” e.p. from www.yawntheband.com

TOURED/PLAYED WITH: The Kooks, Tame Impala, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Yuck, Suckers, Mates Of State, Yeasayer, Local Natives, Girl Talk, Twin Shadow, Delorean, Fujiya & Miyagi, Glasser, Tanlines, As Tall As Lions, Memoryhouse, Twin Sister, Houses, Young Man, Class Actress, Beach Fossils

tribal tunes built upon yelps, nature sounds, and clattering rhythms, Chicago’s psych quartet YAWN have garnered almost unanimous comparisons to Animal Collective and Yeasayer." - Stereogum

"With a bit of a tribal vibe, a simple, repetitive beat and a soft round of vocals, we just can't get enough of this song [Kind Of Guy]." - NME

"clattering polyrhythms, sing-along harmonies, spare electronics, and some African guitar trills that place the band squarely along the latter-day AnCo/Yeasayer axis." -Pitchfork

"sparkly electro-pop perfect for remixing." -Chicago Reader

"The EP is full of shoegazey, garage rock, minimal psychedelic gems. It refuses to leave my playlist and is there to stay for a bit." - Big Stereo

"They sound different than anything else in Chicago right now.... 9 out of 10 on the fun factor scale" - Chicago Tribune

“lively and slightly tribal, and hardly soporific." -QRO Magazine

"But one thing with this crazy, all-over-the-place sound, is that it is hard to do it and make good, solid songs at the same time. Yet, I think YAWN has figure out the secret recipe. You will know what I mean when you hear Kind of Guy, that song is a certified jam!" - Audio Muffin

“YAWN’s key to success is in knowing how to share a fun time and not merely flaunt it.” -Beat Crave

“YAWN have the particular talent it takes to combine indie-pop fundamentals...into music that hangs together organically” - Chicago Reader