Craft Spells

Toward the end of 2009, in a bedroom in Stockton, CA -- previously known only in the music world for producing Stephen Malkmus' Pavement -- a 21-year-old Justin Paul Vallesteros began experimenting with simple synth and guitar lines, gradually layering them to create the sound that would become Craft Spells. Joined by guitarist Frankie Soto, the Seattle-born Vallesteros recorded "Party Talk," a smoky dream pop track that would first introduce the band to the blogosphere -- an important tool for any up-and-coming artist from a small town at the time. This combination of lo-fi music and D.I.Y. music press created a buzz for the EP Beauty Above All, which eventually led to Brooklyn-based label Captured Tracks signing the band.