Childhood friends Tyler Tholl and Pete James Johnson make synthy, experimental pop under the name Maple & Beech. Together with a large cast of horn players, string players, and singers, the Minneapolis duo released their debut album, RUNDAWDAW, independently in 2017. The record includes the single, “Cavers,” which Indie Shuffle called “one of the most creative indie pop tunes of the year thus far.”

Tholl writes songs about mundanity, technology, and adulthood in an anxious world, often with a sarcastic bite and self-aware pretension. Live, the group expands to a five-piece that includes trombonist Nick Syman (The Adam Meckler Orchestra), guitarist John Knauss (The Alpha Centauri), and bassist Dan Lehn (The Amendments). In fall 2017, Maple & Beech released “Sand Sing,” a horn-heavy, satirical take on dishonesty. The single was released as a limited-edition cassette and everywhere digitally.