Executive Overview
In an era dictated by relentless content cycles, algorithmic optimisation, and the hyper-curated self-exposure of modern internet stardom, the Los Angeles-based four-piece untitled (halo) has taken a starkly counterintuitive route to prominence. Operating through a dense, atmospheric web of washed-out guitars, deeply reverbed vocals, and a sonic profile that feels simultaneously like a nostalgic 1990s deep cut and a thoroughly contemporary artifact, the band has steadily carved out a distinct lane in the global indie underground.
Composed of Ariana Mamnoon, Jack Dione, Jay Are, and Nick Noneman, untitled (halo) first emerged onto the streaming landscape in 2023 with el prado freestyle—a track named after a buzzing Silver Lake natural wine bar that unexpectedly catapulted them from casual bedroom jam sessions into the international consciousness. What followed was a rapid accumulation of milestones: a series of acclaimed singles and EPs, a coveted placement on a compilation by London indie tastemaker label Scenic Route, sold-out headline dates across New York and Los Angeles, and an NTS Radio residency that has anchored their presence in the avant-garde transmission space.
Now, standing on the precipice of their biggest career chapter to date—a self-titled debut album slated for November via venerable British indie powerhouse Dirty Hit—the band remains fundamentally unbothered by the traditional mechanics of music industry hype. Rejecting the performance-anxiety of short-form video content and viral marketing ploys, untitled (halo) treats their online presence not as a corporate storefront, but as a genuine extension of their interpersonal reality.
This deep-dive feature examines the meteoric, accidental rise of untitled (halo), tracing their trajectory from independent home studio experiments in Los Angeles to international recognition. Through exclusive insights into their collaborative creative process, their shifting approach to visual art with expanded resources, and their refreshing perspective on the modern digital landscape, we explore how a band built purely on friendship and sonic exploration managed to escape the algorithm entirely—all by simply letting the music speak for itself.
Detailed Chronology: From Accidental Uploads to Dirty Hit
The story of untitled (halo) is not one meticulously plotted by a team of A&R executives or designed in a boardroom. Rather, it is an organic continuum born from a tight-knit circle of friends making music primarily for their own satisfaction.
2021–2022: The Foundation and NTS Roots
Long before the band coalesced into its current four-piece configuration, the seeds of their auditory aesthetic were being planted through individual explorations of ambient, shoegaze, and electronic textures. A crucial early anchor point for the group’s public identity was Ariana Mamnoon’s entry into the broadcasting world via NTS Radio. Having participated in college radio, Mamnoon submitted an application during an Instagram open call in 2021 or 2022, pitching a shoegaze-focused programme. To her surprise, a producer at NTS in London caught wind of the submission, awarded her an initial guest slot, and subsequently offered her a residency. That broadcast presence quietly established a foundational baseline for the collective’s deep-digging musical palette years before their debut release.
2023: el prado freestyle and the Spark
The formal genesis of untitled (halo) arrived in 2023 with the release of their debut single, el prado freestyle. Created without grand career ambitions, the track was uploaded to streaming services via DistroKid on a whim.
"The band got serious pretty quick because we dropped el prado freestyle in a very fun, playful, like, let’s just go on DistroKid and upload this way," Mamnoon recalls. "I’d never even used DistroKid. But el prado started doing really well, and so many of our friends would text us like, ‘this is so cool’. After that, we all were like, ‘Well, why don’t we actually try and make an EP?’"
Rather than enjoying a slow, calculated buildup, the band found themselves thrust into the crosshairs of internet-literate music communities almost instantaneously. Jack Dione notes that there was never truly a "chill" introductory phase: "As soon as that song came out, the corners of the internet that we were also involved in and focused on were taking us seriously, and it was just like, ‘what the fuck, okay’. I think we all knew it was special pretty early on."
2023–2024: EPs, Compilations, and Live Expansion
Buoyed by the unexpected reception of their debut, Mamnoon, Dione, Are, and Noneman accelerated their output. A string of atmospheric singles and EPs followed, characterised by a distinctive blend of shoegaze, hazy trip-hop, and melancholic pop hooks. Their growing underground footprint caught the attention of London’s Scenic Route label, landing them a spot on one of the imprint’s curated compilations.
Simultaneously, the project transitioned from the digital ether into the physical realm. The band began booking live dates, rapidly scaling to sell-out shows across tastemaker venues in New York and Los Angeles. Despite the logistical chaos typical of DIY-to-mid-tier touring—complete with lost luggage and delayed flights—the members approach the live circuit with a sense of absurd, communal humour, likening the experience to a comedic "band simulator."
November 2024 and Beyond: The Self-Titled Debut on Dirty Hit
The culmination of this rapid trajectory arrives this November, when untitled (halo) will release their self-titled debut album via British indie heavyweight Dirty Hit. For a project that began as casual bedroom demos among friends, signing with the label home to artists like The 1975, Wolf Alice, and Beabadoobee marks a monumental validation of their uncompromising sonic vision. As they look ahead toward 2027, the band’s goals remain remarkably grounded: more live touring, prospective support slots for dream acts like Interpol and Beach House, and continuing to create music strictly on their own terms.
Supporting Context & Metrics: Decoding the Sound and the "Scene"
The Anatomy of the Haze
Sonically, untitled (halo) occupies a liminal space. Their vocal melodies drift in and out of tracks, possessing a sharp, hook-laden quality that makes them persistent earworms, yet they remain delightfully elusive upon first recollection. Beneath layers of distorted guitars and heavy reverb lies an acute, sophisticated pop sensibility. Rather than adhering to the rigid structural norms of a single genre, the band pulls disparate threads from shoegaze, trip-hop, and dream pop, colliding them into sprawling cuts that never stay put for long.
This aesthetic is heavily influenced by their unique, asynchronous writing process. As Jay Are explains:
"We all have our own independent homework study. That’s the only way to frame it because we all work independently and then bring our best ideas together. Which is, I guess, unconventional, but I feel like it’s like the same way that people collaborate through email and stuff. The Postal Service literally just mailed each other CDs; we do that, except just in the same city."
Jack Dione echoes this organic approach to studio creation: "I feel like, sonically, we’d never go into the studio referencing something or wanting to make a song like something else. It’s kind of just based on how we’re feeling. Or it depends on who brings what to the studio. Like maybe Jay will bring a beat, and we’ll build off that, or Nick will bring a riff."
The Los Angeles Connection—And the Illusion of the Local "Scene"
While rooted in Los Angeles—a city currently experiencing a fertile boom of rising indie talent, immortalized by grungy portraiture photographers like Jaxon Whittington (known for his work with The Garden, The Marías, and julie)—the members themselves exhibit a healthy skepticism toward the concept of a localized geographic scene.
"LA has a great scene right now. A lot of our friends are in cool bands, and we’ll be like, ‘You guys are in the scene’, but sometimes we don’t even know if there is a scene," Mamnoon observes. "It’s more of an internet scene. I feel like our band will connect with other bands that are abroad."
Nick Noneman elaborates: "It doesn’t really feel like a scene. All our friends just happen to be making cool shit right now. I’ll always find a band on the internet and be like, ‘Oh, these people are definitely from New York’, and then I find out later that they’re from nowhere."
Official Statements & Industry Perspectives
The band’s philosophy regarding their public-facing image and digital footprint offers a fascinating case study in contemporary music PR. In an ecosystem where emerging artists are routinely pressured to churn out daily TikTok transitions, behind-the-scenes vlogs, and performative reels, untitled (halo) maintains a deliberate boundary between their personal lives and their artistic output.
On the "Mystery" of Their Online Presence
Contrary to assumptions that their low-profile digital footprint is a calculated marketing strategy or a manufactured aura of mystery, the band insists it is simply a reflection of who they are as individuals.
Jay Are: "I don’t know because I feel like when I discover a new artist or movie, I try to know as much as I can about it. So now, since everything is readily available, I guess it does kind of subvert that idea. I don’t really think we’re that mysterious—we’re all pretty open online—but the lack of context really allows for the vehicle of art to communicate. It exists in this void that is the internet."
Jack Dione: "I think we just manoeuvre how we would interpersonally. The band’s voice is just how we are as people. There are selfies on the story. All of our Instagrams have our faces on them, but we’re not going to be posting reels. We don’t interact with the internet like that. So why would we act like that for our business?"
On Visual Evolution and Production Budgets
As their profile has risen, so too has the production value of their accompanying visual art—a transition from DIY, film-shot experiments to more polished, funded productions. However, the foundational ethos remains completely intact.
Ariana Mamnoon: "It’s weird. Because before, all of them were very DIY, or we’d shoot on film! We have help now producing them, and it’s let our ideas actually grow with no limit, which is fun. But also, I would say it was really fun making the videos early on."
Jack Dione: "[On shooting the limewire video after a car accident] My car got crashed into, and I used all the insurance money to shoot the limewire video. So it’s kind of nice that I don’t have to be physically injured to make the art anymore. But the ethos is basically the same. Now we get to pay people that we want to work with. We don’t have to go, ‘Please help us out!’ [It’s], ‘Let me get you your rate, and let’s make the best thing possible’."
Future Outlook
As untitled (halo) prepares for the monumental release of their self-titled debut album via Dirty Hit this November, the horizon looks both expansive and entirely unburdened by external expectations.
The band’s immediate future is defined by a desire to return to the road, trading the logistical hurdles of their inaugural touring cycle for more stages, broader audiences, and perhaps the realization of their ultimate support-slot ambitions. Whether dreaming half-jokingly about renting out the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for a future music video, or putting out a public call to indie royalty—"Beach House, if you’re listening, Victoria, please"—the members of untitled (halo) approach their ascent with a refreshing blend of ambition and casual irreverence.
For an industry constantly searching for the next manufactured viral sensation, untitled (halo) serves as a vital reminder that the most enduring art often germinates in the quiet spaces between friends. By prioritizing internal creative satisfaction, collaborative trust, and an aesthetic universe that refuses to pander to the algorithm, untitled (halo) has proven that you don’t need to play by the internet’s rules to capture the world’s attention.
