ANDY IMMERMAN
It all comes back to melody for Andy Immerman. His methods and inspirations are bound to change as he navigates the turning tides of dance music. Through it all, though, a deep emotional chord resonates in everything he touches.
The things that make Andy’s hairs stand on end do as much for everyone else, it turns out. A classically trained musician credited on Bon Iver’s double-Grammy-winning self-titled 2012 album, his dreamy solo singles like “Cycles” and “Unfold Me” have garnered thousands of streams along with ad placements. He has also delivered captivating headline sets at venues like Club Vinyl and Meow Wolf Denver as resident of Denver promoter TheHundred Presents and the DJ crew Split Second.
None of this happened by accident. Andy Immerman has focused tirelessly on music since early adolescence.
Andy grew up in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. While other children played outside, he could be found tinkered with his parents’ Steinway piano. Andy would reach into its case to tap the strings, noting how his touch would change the tone and timbre of each key. Little did he know he would soon get to study music much more intimately.
Conveniently enough, Justin Vernon (who would start the indie band Bon Iver) lived right down the street and offered music lessons. He taught Andy how to use Ableton and record various instruments, even burning him CDs of tracks by then-cutting-edge artists. Aphex Twin, Sufjan Stevens, and Arcade Fire colored the musical palette that later manifested in the Andy Immerman sound.
Andy left for college in Duluth, Minnesota, and Justin embarked on his first tour with the newly formed band. When the two crossed paths again, Andy asked if he needed any assistance with recording. Justin put him to work helping build the studio back home in Eau Claire. Then they recorded Bon Iver’s self-titled effort, earning Andy an engineer credit on a release that won 2012 Grammy Awards in two categories: Best New Artist and Best Alternative Album.
It was when Andy Immerman relocated to Denver in 2010 that he fell in love with electronic music. Far be it from him to put out a product before it was ready for the stage, however. He spent the next few years adapting his creative process for the purpose of cutting tracks with the dance floor in mind.
Some of Andy’s earliest solo music still continues to rack up plays. His 2013 debut single “Forecast” marks the starting point of a creative arc that took him from melodic downtempo to deep and progressive house. He’d come into his own by the time he released “Cycles” in 2015. Five years after its official release, the song’s melancholic yet curiously hopeful chords landed it in Spotify ads that run to this day.
Andy Immerman first brought his music to the stage with a performance on the rooftop of Club Vinyl in early 2017. He spent that year refining his skills playing for TheHundred Presents parties like STEAM at Bar Standard and one-offs at Larimer Lounge, eventually outgrowing laptop DJing in favor of CDJs. By the time he opened for Tchami at the end of the year, his style had come into his own.
Since then, Andy has warmed up the decks for artists like Black Coffee, Gorgon City and Tycho as well as groups like Desert Hearts. His own name soon found its way to the top of lineups; he’s headlined spaces such as Club Vinyl and Meow Wolf Denver. He can now play sets consisting entirely of originals. When the occasion calls for it, he does.
Tracks like “Avalon Groove” and “A Repeated Melody” stand out as mile markers of how far Andy Immerman has come. Warm instrumental samples and lush field recordings suffuse classic synth sounds like the Juno and Prophet, whose tactile feedback allows him to flex his keen sense of composition. What Andy does cannot be reduced to a single genre. His refusal to conform is precisely what keeps him ahead of the curve.
The chapter ahead holds great promise for Andy Immerman. In his constantly evolving soundscape, you can hear the life-affirming harmony of an unfolding vision.