Ambient and engaging, sneaking up on you like a strong cocktail and unfolding into banjo rhythms and interesting instrumentation. The music is endearing, lush and like a summertime breeze, it gently builds and crescendos throughout the span of a single song. Plus they have a song called “Generator First Floor” which I like… a lot.

The band, who describe their sound as though “somebody wired their heart to a synthesizer” consider themselves collectors more than instrumentalist, with a passion for accruing idiosyncratic and unique gear and instruments (i.e. the harmonium used in the above video).

Freelance Whales came together in 2008 via Craigslist and through friends of friends. The band consists of frontman Judah Dadone (lead vocals, banjo, acoustic and electric guitar, synthesizer, bass), and bandmates Nicole Mourelatos a.k.a. Doris Flynn Cellar (bass, harmonium, glockenspiel, synthesizer, vocals), Chuck Criss (banjo, bass, synthesizer, glockenspiel, harmonium, acoustic and electric guitar, vocals), Jacob Hyman (drums, percussion, vocals) and Kevin Read (acoustic and electric guitar, glockenspiel, mandolin, synthesizer, vocals).

The band, who started busking in the subways of New York have seen quite a rise in 2011 playing prestigious festivals like Coachella and Bonnaroo as well as touring Europe in support of their self released debut album Weathervanes (which many songs have since been licensed to film and TV).

Take in the song “Hannah” of Weathervanes below and then give a look at our photos of these “Collectors” in action at this year’s Bonnaroo Festival.

Words by Mike Bucher. Photos by Joe Gall.