The Microphones, an American indie folk, indie rock, and experiemental project from Olympia, Washington, was founded in 1996 by Phil Elverum. Elverum released his first cassettes, Microphone and Wires and Cords, while working at a record store in Anacortes. In 1998, he released his debut full-length album, Tests. Elverum gained recognition for his production skills and released several albums on K Records, including Don’t Wake Me Up (1999), It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water (2000), and The Glow Pt. 2 (2001). The latter album was critically acclaimed, named top album of 2001 by Pitchfork Media. Elverum disbanded The Microphones in 2003 following a tour and subsequent relocation to Norway.
