St. Van Cortlandt & the 101 was created by singer/songwriter Daniel Van Cortlandt as a vehicle to explore home-made instruments, atypical song structures, and unique lyrical ideas. 

As the band's lineup gradually came together, the sound of St. Van Cortlandt & the 101 developed beyond concise songs draped in experimental sound design into more colorful, grandiose, improvisatory rock'n'roll.