Sleepy Vikings

Sleepy Vikings' idiosyncratic indie pop sound combines introspective, reverb-kissed guitar work with drowsy, twangy vocals, a style of music the band refers to as "Southern shoegaze." Sandi Streppone and Nicole Schleif teamed up with a handful of other musicians to form Sleepy Vikings in Tampa, Florida in 2009, following the breakup of the like-minded indie pop group <a href="spotify:artist:5CvwbYqHMpAe2UyFxwN8PH">Giddy-Up, Helicopter!</a> Sleepy Vikings' lineup shifted a bit early on, but by the time their debut arrived the lineup had solidified into a six-piece consisting of Tessa McKenna (vocals, keyboards), Sandra Covin (guitar), Nicole Schleif (guitar), Julian Conner (vocals, guitar), Sandi Streppone (bass), and Ryann Slauson (drums). By 2010 <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22New+Granada+Records%22">New Granada Records</a> had put Sleepy Vikings on its roster, and the band rounded out the year touring in support of its upcoming debut on that label. Their profile enjoyed a healthy boost thanks to their performance at Toronto's NXNE Festival -- <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Paste+Magazine%22">Paste Magazine</a> named Sleepy Vikings one of the best acts at the festival, and subsequently invited them to record a couple songs for the magazine's online element. The band's debut full-length, They Will Find You Here, was released on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22New+Granada%22">New Granada</a> in the spring of 2011. Sleepy Vikings embarked on an East Coast tour in support of the album that summer. ~ TiVo Staff, Rovi