School of Music

Erika Bell is a Los Angeles-based musician. Their work explores visceral textures through both traditional and experimental sound-making practices. Having quickly developed a distinctive style and approach to composition, Bell has found a niche in the experimental music underground. Recently, they have expanded their approach, embracing songlike structures and creative processes that might be more familiar to a rock band than a traditional composer. The latter style can be heard on their debut full-length Precept (2020), while the former is heard on long-form ensemble works such as Moving Like Icebergs Against Each Other and Sucking Stones. Their work retains a signature sound as a through line, generally revolving around dissonant harmonies, cyclical loops, drone, and a sculptural approach to sound.

Bell has had works performed in Sweden, UK, New York and—in Los Angeles—the Walt Disney Hall, Zebulon, The Dog Star Festival, the wulf. Human Resources and more. Bell also performs with their eponymous ensemble, art-punk band Picky Bunches, The Ensemble Whose Name is Uhhhhhmm (formerly known as Lil Jürg Frey), Cali Bellow, and other occasional projects. Bell holds a BFA in music composition from California Institute of the Arts where they studied with Michael Pisaro and Laura Steenberge.