Influenced by Sting, Peter Gabriel, and '90s alternative, American quartet Fictionist deliver bright indie rock similar to contemporaries like Walk the Moon, Atlas Genius, and Paper Route. Based in Provo, Utah, the band is comprised of vocalist/bassist Stuart Maxfield, vocalist/guitarist Robbie Connolly, guitarist Brandon Kitterman, and drummer Aaron Anderson. In their earliest incarnation, members performed as Good Morning Maxwell, eventually forming Fictionist in 2009. Their debut, Invisible Hand, was issued the same year, with follow-up Lasting Echo arriving in 2010. They signed with Atlantic Records in 2011 and released the six-song Fictionist EP, which featured a harder-edged rock sound inspired by the sounds of band influences like Nirvana and Radiohead. In the midst of recording what would be their major-label debut, Fictionist parted ways with Atlantic, scrapping the studio sessions and starting anew. The result was the Fictionist LP. Released in 2014, the album adopted a polished rock blend similar to bands like Portugal. The Man and Young the Giant. At this point, Connolly took on vocal duties, resulting in more harmonies. The Free Spirit EP arrived in 2016, adding a more rhythmic flourish and production sheen to their repertoire like Mutemath or MGMT. In 2017, the band released Sleep Machine, an LP that expanded their use of atmospherics and experimental textures on tracks like "Lazarus" and "Manic." ~ Neil Z. Yeung