I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME

The vibrant dance-rock project I Dont Know How but They Found Me (sometimes shortened to iDKHOW) layers new wave catchiness, glam rock flair, and electro-funk groove atop an indie pop base that pulls ’70s and ’80s nostalgia into contemporary times. Debuting under a shroud of mystery in the late 2010s, iDKHOW — then a duo — released their debut album Razzmatazz in 2020. Having become a solo act by 2023, the sophomore LP Gloom Division arrived in 2024. Founded by vocalist and bassist Dallon Weekes (formerly of Panic! At the Disco), iDKHOW was originally a duo with drummer Ryan Seaman, formed in secret in Salt Lake City in 2016. Late that year they played a few shows in the Los Angeles area before word of the project eventually spread. The band released their first single, “Modern Day Cain,” in August 2017, following it a month later with “Choke.” In August 2018, they signed with Fearless Records and made their label debut with “Do It All the Time.” That November, the 1981 EP arrived; it soon topped the Billboard Heatseeker chart and reached number 14 on the Billboard Rock Albums Chart. A year later, the duo returned with the holiday EP Christmas Drag, which featured a cover of Slade’s “Merry Christmas Everybody.” A pair of singles, “Leave Me Alone” and “Razzmatazz,” arrived in 2020. Both tracks landed on iDKHOW’s debut, Razzmatazz, which was released in late 2020. Inspired by Bowie and Prince, the funky set also included the singles “New Invention” and “Lights Go Down.” Album promotion included television appearances, festival slots, and a co-headlining tour with Joywave. They also released a deluxe version of Razzmatazz that included previously unreleased tracks like a Cure cover, remixes, demos, and live recordings. In late 2023, Seaman parted ways with Weekes, reducing iDKHOW to a solo act. Signing with Concord Records, Weekes released singles “What Love?” and the Brit-pop-meets-glam “Gloomtown Brats,” both of which were included on 2024′s sophomore set Gloom Division. ~ Neil Z. Yeung & Marcy Donelson