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Los Angeles-based band Divisible mixes indie rock, electronica, and world music with creativity and intelligence. Lead singer Shola is a Harvard graduate and drummer Albert Sadia is a poet and writer. After meeting in downtown Los Angeles, the duo set out to make songs that were moody, atmospheric, and accessible. Divisible recorded their first demo in the confines of their rehearsal room, and Bryan Cook (Gary Jules, Meiko, Inara George of The Bird & the Bee) volunteered to mix the record.
Divisible's debut release, The Alchemy EP, quickly garnered local attention from Filter Magazine, ABC Television, and LA’s Indie 103.1. The band also gained international attention from Music Pool (Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins) who invited the band to come to Germany for the renowned PopKomm Festival and showcase dates with Canadian band The Cliks.
Divisible returned to the states to work on their first full-length with producer Tommy Walter (Abandoned Pools, Eels). The record was mixed by Ryan Freeland (Aimee Mann, Moulin Rouge, Loudon Wainwright III) and mastered at Sound Bites Dog.
The finished album, Less Than Lion, is a blend of Peter Gabriel, PJ Harvey, and TV on the Radio - worldly, primal music that speaks to the band's African ancestry. Thematically, the songs explore singer Shola's journey to West Africa to reconcile with her father, who lives in Ghana.
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REVIEWS
"Divisible, the L.A.-based duo of singer Shola Akinshemoyin Vaughn and drummer Albert Sadia, incorporate African rhythms in the style of Peter Gabriel (unsurprisingly, he's listed as an influence on their MySpace) under some atmospheric synths, clear lead guitar, and Vaughn's smoky vocals."- Pitchfork
".an album of ten pop songs of surprising compositional complexity and emotional intelligence." - PopMatters
"Emotive, artistic, and accessible." - MTV.br
"Pick of the Week" - Filter Magazine
"Brain and body can both be enlightened at a Divisible show - their
smart, complex and catchy little melodies will float around in your cortex,
whispering of vintage memories and heartfelt longing for weeks." - LA
Record
"Shola, the lead singer, uses her wide range of vocals and mesmerizing voice to sing somewhat of a hymn and ballad to her audience. The product is an encapsulating noise which evokes a warm and peaceful feeling. With moody, creative, heart-wrenching, and intelligent lyrics this duo undeniably digs into the bowels of your soul." - Stranded in Stereo
"Recently detonating its blend of heavy, Peter Gabriel'd atmosphere
(don't panic, hipsters - we're talking about the kind used
in Scorsese movies, not Vampire Weekend singles) and the aching, moody textures
of Is This Desire?-era PJ Harvey within Web in Front's inbox, the L.A.-based
band Divisible's debut album, Less Than Lion, has been tugging at our
ears all weekend with its slowly-building, steadily addictive collusion of
genres both eclectic and primal. It's GOOD. The album will be self-released
on April 7th; until then, dig the clattering and alluringly percussive swoon
of "Everybody Knows" - tribal drive and the murky postpunk
punch of "Calm, Collected." - Web in Front
"When it comes to Black rock bands in LA, my perception was that you'd find mostly metal and hard rock acts. I'm happy to say that there are, in fact, exceptions to every rule and the duo known as Divisible is one of them.Best of 2009." - Bold As Love
"Divisible.reminds us that, at any given time, our emotional state
is an overlap of all the various, conflicting ideas that bounce around inside
our heads." - Aaron Pompey at Mish Mash Magazine
"Divisible is sexy. There is no other word that better fits." - Some Love Music
"Weekly Spin Winner! Sinewy electronic rock sneaks up on you." -
Groupee
" 'Lion' fuses Shola's Edge-y guitars (as in U2), her hummingbird-sweet vocals and clattery tribal drumming.You Must Listen" - Vox Pop
"Featured download." - Largehearted Boy
"I had fallen out of interest with most Alternative music around the
same time that 'Indie' became a style and not a financial status. I couldn't
relate to dream pop or shoe gaze or emo or post punk, but I'd discovered Divisible
rather accidently and was completely revitalized. As a person who loves creativity,
I've noticed that listening to Divisible.ignites in me a passion to create."
- Musicouch
"[Living with a Ghost] got stuck in my head while I was in New York City."
- Fractionals
"There's creativity, there's intelligence and there's the merest hint
of world music, which is probably more a result of the band's African ancestry
than the influence of [Peter] Gabriel, but they sound more like a ready salted
Cardigans." - The Devil Has the Best Tuna
"I got an advance of the new Divisible record. I like it a lot. Good
"workin' in the kitchen" music." - Classical Geek Theatre
"We enjoy the band's complex sound, and think you will too if you are
a fan of acts such as the Yeah Yeah Yeah's or TV on the Radio. We found our
first spin through Less Than Lion to be sultry, intoxicating, and invigorating,
like a good strong sangria. We particularly enjoy their cover of Radiohead's
Exit Music (For a Film)." - Veritas Lux Mea
"Our Buzz Album is Less Than Lion by one of the coolest groups I've come
across in a bit Divisible. They're a duo based in Los Angeles with direct
roots to Africa. Their music is rhythmically powerfully and melodically resonant.
RAWK!" - URB Alt
"[Divisible] started creating music that accompanies the huge feeling
city with the ability to pinpoint hidden feelings that are going on in a million
souls. Shola's mellifluous vocals that coat the soothing melodies and
throbbing beats on their debut album, The Alchemy EP, have gotten music lovers
to notice them, and they haven't stopped there." - BeatCrave Interview
for "Know Your LA Bands" series
"Indivisibly Speaking" Interview on What's Your Poison
"Featured Band" - Afropunk
"Their first full-length album, "Less Than Lion," deceptively
defies classification, and doesn't have a bad song on it. It's
got fascinating, intricate percussion (think Afro Beat/Vampire Weekend), laid
back David Byrne style vocals combined with Debbie Harry sex appeal, thoughtful
lyrics and hooks that come almost entirely from Shola's incredibly agile
vocals.To sum up: Fantastic." - Berkeley Place
"They have that noirish, seedy back alley feeling to them. Like Midnight
Movies distant cousins. It's good stuff." - Battery In Your
Leg
"A band to be reckoned with." - The Daily News
"Musically, Divisible's compositions are accessible and catchy, simple guitar melodies accented by richly layered backing vocals and synthesizer effects. “Big Machines” has some nice guitar work laid over a driving beat and thought-provoking lyrics discussing death and our reactions to it. “Big machines, they think they're so powerful, but they couldn't bring her back again. Now isn‘t that beautiful?” “Everybody” is another standout track featuring African-style percussion. Good stuff".- Synthesis Magazine
"Divisible's free Spaceland gig in a couple weeks includes Deli favorites Lemon Sun and Saint Motel. If seeking a cultural and proximal snapshot of the sonic now, attend. Attend!" - The Deli LA
"@divisible working the late shift at @TheEchoLA. Ms. Shola still as fierce as ever." - LA-Underground via Twitter
"Our favourite bands and musicians to give us the rundown on their eight favourite songs right now"- My Secret Playlist
