The brainchild of Brooks Kossover and Jenghis Manning-Pettit, Chaunter is a Baltimore-based indie rock band formed in 2018. Its sound as described by Lydia Woolever (Baltimore Magazine) is “swirling in gauzy synth, smoldering with reverberating guitar, brimming with both haunting vocals and grand group harmonies—landing somewhere between the glory-days of Labyrinth-era David Bowie and the golden age of Baltimore DIY dream-pop.”
Kossover (Singer/Songwriter, Flute, and Guitar) has a history in alternative music, having worked with bands such as Matmos, Drugdealer, and Modern Nomad. Chaunter is his first musical endeavor aside from his flute features. His upbeat and melodic songwriting reflects the band’s performative and visually driven nature. His synth compositions and lyricism married to the heavy and intricate guitar sensibilities of Manning-Pettit make for a dynamic and unique sound.
Manning-Pettit (Guitar/Vocals) comes from metal background, having played and toured with several acts over the past decade. His distinct style and use of seven string guitar in what could essentially be described as an alternative indie band, creates a heaviness that becomes the backbone and driving force of the band’s sound. The other band he is a part of, Melanin Free, reinforces his approach to music making, but with a noisier twist.
The first music video for Chaunter, released in December 2018, was for their song “Boo Cat.” As described in the BandCamp Diaries, “The song’s music video has a strong cinematic quality to it. Its colors, execution, and feel have a sense of nostalgia at the beginning. The visual aesthetics make me think of strong visual geniuses such as Wes Anderson or David Lynch, going for a very specific and unique feel. The dominating pink-shades that tinge the tone of this video really suit the mood of the track, and so does the subject and the editing. The song makes me think of artists such as MGMT and Empire Of The Sun, going for a really catchy, yet down-to-earth sound.”
In March 2019 the band will be releasing their debut album, “Dream Dynamics.” Their first album is heavily based in collaboration and features such artists as Dan Deacon, Matmos, Lower Dens, Sam Herring (Future Islands), Michael Collins (Drugdealer), Super City and more.