Vertical Scratchers is a compact musical ensemble that travels in a van and makes a sound which can be heard when you are in proximity of them. In addition, John Schmersal is more than making up for not releasing music since Enon fell asleep in 2007. He now has two brand new bands: Crooks On Tape (Misra) + Vertical Scratchers (who just signed with the great folks at Merge).

CROOKS ON TAPE: This unscripted band was born out of a simple notion: convene, improvise, and record every moment. In 2010, the Los Angeles trio assembled a rotating fortress of instruments, synthesizers, samplers, and loopers. Crooks recorded hundreds of hours of material, largely instrumental in its original performance. Fingerprint is the first evidence of this undertaking and a window into the band’s sound.