Ectoslavia was a band formed at the University of Virginia

University of Virginia

The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...

 during the mid-1980s. It was composed of pre-Silver Jews

Silver Jews

Silver Jews was an indie rock band from New York City, formed in 1989 by David Berman along with Pavement's Stephen Malkmus and Bob Nastanovich. Berman remained throughout and was the only constant member. During the last few albums, Cassie Berman became a regular member of the band...

, Yo La Tengo

Yo La Tengo

Yo La Tengo, sometimes abbreviated as YLT, is an American alternative rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan , Georgia Hubley , and James McNew .Despite achieving limited mainstream success, Yo La Tengo has been called "the quintessential...

, and Pavement

Pavement (band)

Pavement is an American alternative rock band that formed in Stockton, California in 1989. In their career, they achieved a significant cult following, and they were called the best band of the 1990s by prominent music critics Robert Christgau and Stephen Thomas Erlewine...

 members David Berman, James McNew

James McNew

James McNew has been the bass player for the rock band Yo La Tengo since their 1992 album May I Sing With Me.He was previously a member of Christmas on their third album Vortex.[]He also has a solo side project, Dump....

, Stephen Malkmus

Stephen Malkmus

Stephen Joseph Malkmus is an indie rock musician and icon, and a member of the band Pavement. He currently performs with Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks.-Early years:...

 and Bob Nastanovich

Bob Nastanovich

Robert "Bob" Nastanovich is a member of the indie rock band, Pavement, as well as former member of 1990s bands Ectoslavia, and Pale Horse Riders...

. UVA alumnus Gate Pratt was also a member of the band. The music of Ectoslavia used a great deal of noise and static underneath melodic pop-rock songs, not unlike early Pavement EPs like Perfect Sound Forever

Perfect Sound Forever

Perfect Sound Forever may refer to:* Perfect Sound Forever , a 1991 EP by indie rock band Pavement* Perfect Sound Forever , established 1993; the longest running online music magazine...

 and Slay Tracks (1933-1969)

Slay Tracks (1933-1969)

Slay Tracks is the debut extended play by the American indie rock band Pavement. Pavement, then consisting of founding members Stephen Malkmus and Scott Kannberg , recorded Slay Tracks with producer and future member Gary Young during a four hour session...

. The music of the group also used samples of known classical music, often directly over sheets of static or noise. Ectoslavia was referred to in the Slow Century

Slow Century

Slow Century is a two-disc DVD retrospective of the band Pavement filmed and compiled by filmmaker Lance Bangs. The first disc contains Slow Century itself, a 90-minute documentary with extensive interviews with the band members and considerable live concert footage from across their career...

DVD and also in the book Perfect Sound Forever

Perfect Sound Forever (book)

Perfect Sound Forever: The Story of Pavement is the name of a 2004 biography written by Rob Jovanovic about the 1990s indie rock band Pavement....

.