AJMF9: Lola Marsh Connects Fantasy to Indie Pop

Imagine entering a world of fantasy — that’s what audiences experience at Lola Marsh concerts, said vocalist Yael Cohen, who joins drummer Gil Landau in the Tel Aviv-based duo.

Lola Marsh is a late addition to the ninth annual Atlanta Jewish Music Festival, performing at Aisle 5 on Thursday, March 8, as an after-party to the opening night concert that evening.

After Cohen attended a birthday party for Landau in Tel Aviv, the pair hosted frequent jam sessions until they formed a unique chemistry.

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“It was magical,” Cohen said in an interview from Germany, where Lola Marsh was touring. “We started playing some songs, and after Gil asked me if I wanted to be in a band, I immediately said yes.”

The two have composed countless songs together and have been inseparable.

Lola Marsh’s second single, “You’re Mine,” has garnered 8 million plays on Spotify and has landed among the service’s three most viral tracks and has ranked among Hype Machine’s three most popular tracks.

Along with its music, the band’s name has garnered attention. The name came about when a group of musicians began calling out names as possibilities until someone suggested Lola Marsh.

“We always wanted to create something of our own and liked its sound, so we just stuck with it,” Cohen said.

Lola Marsh is generally described as an indie pop band, but the group prefers descriptive words such as nostalgic and romantic. “I think our music is very cinematic,” Cohen said. “Gil and I enjoy soundtracks, and when we write our music, we sometimes imagine the scenes in our mind.”

Lola Marsh is influenced by such musical acts as Pink Floyd and Elvis Presley and by films such as “The NeverEnding Story” and “The Time Traveler’s Wife.”

“I think we draw our inspiration from everything,” Landau said, “and when we don’t have any ideas, we try to find it from each other, our instruments or experiences we’ve been through.”

Lola Marsh’s members are Jewish, but Landau said they don’t think about their Judaism. “When we meet people in the street, we really don’t care who or what they are. They can be Jewish, Muslim or Christian. We just want to bring people together and play music.”

Cohen added, “Music is a universal language, and now that we are on tour, it’s amazing to see how everyone connects with it.”

The two are excited to play in Atlanta at the Jewish Music Festival, which Cohen said offers a different experience and atmosphere. She recounted a concert in Krakow, Poland. “I can’t explain how or why, but it felt like home,” she said. “People treated us so well and asked us so many questions about Israel. I hope it will be similar in Atlanta.”

Landau added: “We are looking forward to it because we really enjoy playing in front of people who understand our music and are coming from the same roots. There is something special about it.”