kosmøs bio:

kosmøs is (L to R) Nate Mender (guitar, vocals), Ben Tonak (vocals, guitar, keys), Nick Fiore (drums) and Tim Tonak (bass, vocals). Having played in bands together since childhood, the Tonak brothers moved to Denver in 2005. After two years of rotating band lineups, the band has gelled with Fiore on drums and Mender providing an added layer of guitars.

As a follow up to their 2006 full-length album “Ways of Letting Go,” kosmøs is releasing “The Bifurcation,” a 5-song EP available as a free download from kosmosmusic.com. The new project shows the continued evolution of kosmøs, as Fiore’s rock solid drumming contributes a self-assured backbone to the band’s already solid arrangements and production values, and Mender’s guitars add a layer of texture and act as a compliment to B. Tonak’s unique voice and well-crafted lyrics.

With a workmanlike and confident approach to live performance, kosmøs generally lets the music do the talking, but the band claims its music has “garage band sensibility mixed with arena rock accessibility.” The band’s sound ranges from catchy, guitar-driven anthems, not unlike Jimmy Eat World, to slightly more ethereal pop/rock reminiscent of early Radiohead.

Quotes:

• "Kosmos is destined for big things. Song after song is accessible without being overproduced. I know I'm sold when I want to listen again and again." – Ace Young - 14 years of morning drive at top rated KMET-FM, Los Angeles (album-oriented rock, 94.7FM)
• "I get about 125 CDs in here every month, and this is one of the top five for the year. You should be proud of this. I think it is beautiful and heartbreakingly good." – Rhonda Kelly, Rainmaker Publicity, Boston, MA
• "We record a lot of projects here because we have to pay the bills, but this project is one that I will enjoy listening to in my car on the way to work." – Steve McElhenney, Owner, Maximum-Joy Studios, Denver
• "Kosmos are the real deal… Smart rock at its finest. This band has done their homework." – Russ Davidson, Program Director, Sheridan Media, Sheridan, WY
• "Kosmos connects with my ears. Ben Tonak is a gifted young writer whose songs are about to break through." – Jim Pewter, Former Program Director, KEarth L.A. & KRLA, Pasadena
• "The moment the band took the stage, as each member quietly set up his gear like he’d done it a million times before, it was apparent that the group's output would be different... Indeed, a more reserved approach came through in the music: Kosmos was careful not to overwhelm, letting each song unfold in its own time. With little stage banter, the act let the music speak with songs that were bouncy and fun and at times bordered on dreamy and ethereal." -- Kevin Galaba - Westword