The members of The Sea and Cake were involved in the Chicago indie rock scene—playing in The Coctails, Bastro, and Shrimp Boat—before they joined forces in 1994. Together, the quartet produced some incredible pop songs infused with elements of bossa nova, Afrobeat, New Wave, and electronica. More impressively, The Sea and Cake have managed to maintain a cohesive lineup and sound even with its players wandering off to work on solo projects, playing in other bands, or, in the case of drummer John McEntire, producing for artists like Stereolab, Broken Social Scene, and Antibalas.