Jacob Beizer, Jason Cannan, Daniel Casey and Todd Means formed Semiotics in 2005 with the intent to play acoustic, folk-oriented rock songs. After only a few months the band transformed and began fusing that melodic, mellow sound with complex, interweaving guitar parts, neo-classical arpeggios, and driving bass. These sounds are brought together by Means' thoughtful lyrics and vocal melodies and the band's fascination with syncopated, asymmetrical rhythms.
All of these elements lead the band in different directions for each song; some songs combine French jazz and punk while others contain elements of jazz, blues, pop, ragtime, latin rhythm, and post-rock ambience. By borrowing from these musical traditions the band has constructed a sound that is diverse and vibrant both in the studio and on the stage.