Known for their lush harmonies, sweeping melodies, and warm and wistful lyrics, New York's October Project emerged in the early 1990s. Combining elements of pop, alternative rock, and classical music, the group found critical and commercial success with the release of their 1993 self-titled debut and sophomore effort, 1995's Falling Farther In, but splintered shortly after the latter's release. A slightly re-tooled lineup returned in the 2000s and released a series of EPs, and in 2015 the band issued a full-length collection of choral recordings, The Book of Rounds. They returned to a more pop-driven style on their fourth long-player, 2021's Ghost of Childhood.

Initially comprised of composer Emil Adler, vocalists Mary Fahl and Marina Belica, guitarist/vocalist David Sabatino, and poet/lyricist Julie Flanders, October Project honed their skills playing in friends' living rooms and small New York clubs, but they really constructed the specifics of their distinctive sound in the studio while in the process of recording their eponymous debut album. Released in 1993, Mary Fahl's unique and powerful voice was the focal point of the record, and the band's trademark vocal harmonies and soaring arrangements evoked classical choral music as much as they did alternative pop. The LP included the singles "Bury My Lovely" and "Return to Me," the latter of which appeared on the soundtrack to the 1994 action film Blown Away. Falling Farther In appeared in 1995 and yielded the singles "Deep as You Go" and "Something More Than This," but despite garnering positive reviews, Epic chose to sever ties with the group in 1996, with the band electing to part ways shortly thereafter.

Mary Fahl embarked on a successful solo career and Adler and Flanders decided to carry on by releasing A Thousand Days under the moniker November Project. Before long, Belica invited the two to participate in making her debut album Decembergirl. After the experience of performing on Decembergirl, Adler, Flanders, and Belica chose to reunite as a trio under the name October Project to continue their legacy, which they did with the self-released 2003 EP Different Eyes. A stripped-down set of originals, Uncovered, arrived in 2011, followed in 2015 by The Book of Rounds, a choral song cycle of 21 original musical rounds, and the group's first full-length outing since 1995. In 2021, the group released the nostalgic single "Once Blue," in anticipation of the arrival of their forthcoming fifth long-player, Ghost of Childhood. ~ James Christopher Monger, Rovi