Robert DeLong

DeLong grew up in the Seattle suburb of Bothell.^[5] His father was a drummer.^[6] Robert played in various bands while he was in high school. He studied drums at Azusa Pacific University,^[7] partially supported by a scholarship.^[8] While in college, he played in the band The Denouement^[9][10] and settled in Los Angeles after graduation.

DeLong started as a drummer for indie rock bands^[1] but added more electronic elements to his compositions following his exposure to their use at raves.^[2] DeLong is notable for using video-game peripherals, such as a Wii remote and a joystick, connected to a MIDI interface, to modify his sound. He cites as influences Death Cab for Cutie, Modest Mouse, Dreamers, and Boards of Canada, among others.^[11] He released his first full-length album, Just Movement, on Glassnote Records on 5 February 2013. His sound has been described by Wired Magazine as a merger of "electronic dance music, alt rock, and vocals into tracks that are poppy enough to make you move but dissonant enough to be interesting."^[12] At live performances, facepaint is offered to fans; volunteer local artists organized and led by DeLong's longtime partner, visual artist Heidi Callaway, do the actual facepainting. Facepaint is a regular fixture of DeLong's performances and creates a sense of community amongst fans. His equipment and clothing feature an orange "X" logo; this same logo, or a variant of it, is often painted on his face and those in attendance.^[6] His 2018 single "My Favorite Color is Blue", featuring K. Flay, is included in the videogame soundtrack of NHL 19.