Theophobia

In 2019, childhood friends Dylan Mars Greenberg and Matt Ellin joined forces to start Theophobia, a New York-based art pop duo named for the pair's shared existential neurosis. Trading off singing and songwriting duties, their quirky catchy tunes and ecstatic performances married the theatrical glam rock of the 70s, the shimmering new wave of the 80s and the performance art-infused comedy of Andy Kaufman. Their wily approach utilized homemade synth backing tracks, Ellin's electric guitar and the duo's over-the-top vocals and lyricism. As silly as they were sincere, as nerdy as they were cool and as niche as they were pop, Theophobia made a name for themselves in New York's music scene by being unabashedly weird and fun -- a stark contrast to the sleek self-serious affect of the modern indie band. Enter four new band members: guitarist Alan Worm, pianist/keyboardist Michael Butterly, drummer Chris Michaels and bassist Nick Cereola. Now a full rock band, and with the help of analog studio wizard and recording/mixing engineer Paul D. Millar (known for his own terrific gonzo pop under the alias Slugbug), Theophobia are hard at work on the ambitious sonic carnival of an album they were always meant to make. Photo credit: Aidan Watson