Ian Sweet

      Ian Sweet is both a moniker used by singer-songwriter Jilian Medford, and the name of the band she has led on and off. Her music lies somewhere between indie pop and dream pop with shimmering guitars and dreamy vocals up front, and electronic effects, basic beats, and smoky layers of synth work in the background. Her melodies break through all that with some clarity and a bit of a bounce that is more closely aligned with indie bands. This is not to say that the music is emotionally upbeat though. Far from it. There is a lot of introspection packed into her songs, and a strong sense of sorrow, quite a bit of which comes from the way her singing combines her drawl with a feeling of daze, reminiscent to some extent of the way Kristine Leschper (of Mothers) builds melancholy in her songs.