{{short description|Canadian indie pop duo}} {{about|the Canadian pop band|The album by Chris Potter|Imaginary Cities (album)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Imaginary Cities | image = | Img_width = | caption = | origin = Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | genre = {{hlist|Indie pop|indie rock}}<!-- Genres are sourced in the "Musical style and influences" section. Do NOT remove sourced genres. Only add genres with reliable sources. Timelines should not be included in an infobox. --> | years_active = 2010–2016 | label = {{hlist|Votiv|Hidden Pony}} | website = | past_members = Rusty Matyas<br />Marti Sarbit }}

'''Imaginary Cities''' was a Canadian indie pop duo based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The project consisted of multi-instrumentalist Rusty Matyas, formerly of the Waking Eyes and a sometime collaborator of the Weakerthans, and vocalist Marti Sarbit.<ref name=np>[https://nationalpost.com/arts/imaginary-cities-are-here-to-stay "Imaginary Cities are here to stay"]. ''National Post'', February 21, 2011.</ref>

==History== Matyas and Sarbit began collaborating in 2010. That year, they played a few live shows and began to record tracks for an album. In 2011, they continued performing, at first serving as the opening band for more established groups.<ref>Alex Hudson, [https://www.straight.com/article-403481/vancouver/indie-rock-and-motown-meet-imaginary-cities "Indie rock and Motown meet in Imaginary Cities"]. ''The Georgia Straight'', July 13, 2011.</ref>

Their debut album, ''Temporary Resident'', was released in 2011 on the Hidden Pony label;<ref>[http://exclaim.ca/music/article/imaginary_cities_perform_hummingbird "Imaginary Cities Perform "Hummingbird""]. ''Exclaim!'', December 13, 2011.</ref><ref>Alex Hudson, [http://exclaim.ca/music/article/waking_eyes_offshoot_imaginary_cities_set_up_for_nxne "Waking Eyes Offshoot Imaginary Cities Set Up for NXNE"]. ''Exclaim!'', June 15, 2010.</ref> it went on to top Canada's campus radio charts.<ref name=np /> That year, the band won a Western Canada Music Award for Best Pop Album of the Year<ref>{{cite web|title=2011 Western Canadian Music Award Winners|url=http://breakoutwest.ca/2012-wcmas/previous-awards/2011-wcma-winners/|publisher=breakoutwest.ca|accessdate=October 19, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130115110553/http://breakoutwest.ca/2012-wcmas/previous-awards/2011-wcma-winners/|archive-date=January 15, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> and was subsequently named as a longlisted nominee for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize.<ref name=longlist>[http://www.aux.tv/2011/06/2011-polaris-music-prize-long-list-announced/ "2011 Polaris Music Prize Long List announced"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002045233/http://www.aux.tv/2011/06/2011-polaris-music-prize-long-list-announced/ |date=October 2, 2015 }}. aux.tv, June 16, 2011.</ref> To support the album, they played several dates in Eastern Canada and the US<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Imaginary Cities Announce North American Tour|url=http://exclaim.ca/News/imaginary_cities_announce_north_american_tour|magazine=Exclaim!|date=September 7, 2011|accessdate=October 19, 2012}}</ref> as an opening act for Pixies.<ref name=np />

Imaginary Cities performed at a number of pop festivals, including the 2013 NXNE,<ref>[https://torontoist.com/2013/06/nxne-2013-in-review-five-days-that-will-live-in-infamy/ "NXNE 2013 in Review: Five Days That Will Live in Infamy"]. ''Torontoist'', June 17, 2013.</ref> and gained a following in Germany.<ref>[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-blackmore-Dobbyn/imaginary-cities-is-the-b_b_3384416.html "Imaginary Cities Is the Best Indie Band You Don’t Know Yet"]. ''Huffington Post'', 06/04/2013/ Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn, Ellen Dobbyn-Blackmore</ref> The band released their second album, ''Fall of Romance'', in May 2013.<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/manitoba/scene/music/2013/05/16/imaginary-cities-set-to-release-highly-anticipated-second-album/ "Imaginary Cities set to release highly anticipated second album"]. CBC News, May 16, 2013.</ref><ref>Ryan Reed, [https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2013/05/imaginary-cities-fall-of-romance.html "Imaginary Cities: Fall of Romance"]. ''Paste'', May 28, 2013.</ref> ''Fall of Romance'' was produced, engineered, and mixed by Howard Redekopp, who has also worked with Tegan and Sara, the New Pornographers, and Mother Mother.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/fall-of-romance-mw0002527726/credits | title=Fall of Romance - Imaginary Cities &#124; Credits &#124; AllMusic | website=AllMusic }}</ref>

In 2014, they collaborated with Porter Robinson on his song "Hear the Bells". In the same year, Matyas toured with The Sheepdogs as a guitarist following the departure of Leot Hanson from that band.<ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/the-sheepdogs-parting-ways-with-guitarist-leot-hanson-1.2694276 "The Sheepdogs 'parting ways' with guitarist Leot Hanson"]. CBC News Saskatoon, July 2, 2014.</ref>

Imaginary Cities stopped performing and recording in 2016.<ref>Sarah Murphy, [http://exclaim.ca/music/article/imaginary_cities_serve_up_leftovers_ep_before_going_on_indefinite_hiatus "Imaginary Cities Serve Up 'Leftovers' EP Before Going on Indefinite Hiatus"]. ''Exclaim!'', July 27, 2016.</ref> Sarbit launched the new band Lanikai the following year.<ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/marti-sarbit-lanikai-1.4031298 "Marti Sarbit takes a trip from Imaginary Cities to Lanikai"]. CBC News Manitoba, March 18, 2017.</ref> Matyas suffered from alcoholism-related liver disease in 2017<ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/pov-dry-january-1.4973518 "'Dryuary' a lifestyle choice for some, but quitting booze was a question of survival for Winnipeg musician"]. CBC News Manitoba, January 13, 2019.</ref> and spent some time recovering before reemerging in 2021 with the solo project Rusty Robot.<ref>Eva Wasney, [https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/music/delivering-delight-574789312.html "Delivering delight: Musician's Rusty Robot project is two scoops of fun with a cherry on top"]. ''Winnipeg Free Press'', July 8, 2021.</ref>

==Discography== * ''Temporary Resident'' (2011) * ''Fall of Romance'' (2013)

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Imaginary Cities}}

Category:Musical groups established in 2010 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2016 Category:Musical groups from Winnipeg Category:Canadian indie pop groups Category:2010 establishments in Manitoba Category:2016 disestablishments in Manitoba Category:Grand Hotel van Cleef Records artists