Blonde Valhalla, a Brooklyn collaboration formed in 2011, was originally the workings of Brian Aiken, Andrew Owens, and Birdie Lawson. In the spring of 2011 they recorded "Dances of Youth" with engineer Chris Moore (T.V. on the Radio, Yeasayer) at Headgear Studios in Williamsburg and Lord Baltimore Studios in Baltimore. The 5 song EP was predominantly written by Aiken on various keyboards, though many of the melodic layers come from Owens' guitar riffs and Lawson's vocal stylings. Much of the lyrics are the by-product of Aiken's extensive hours as a security guard at the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church.

Aiken is a veteran of the psych-pop band Suckers, who have played with the likes of The National, MGMT, and Passion Pit. Upon finishing a fall tour, Aiken and Owens (both from Wallingford, CT) began collaborating to form Blonde Valhalla, which now incorporates NYC’s prominent rock and pop musicians (hailing from Clouty, Shit Yeah Girl, Po Johnson, and Let’s Go Serotonin).