The Dwelling Among was conceived as an acoustic indie folk project by Canadian native and Michigan resident Karl Bailey, multi-instrumentalist from the band Ere Daybreak in late 2007. Trained in classical piano, guitar, and music theory until age 18, Bailey began writing songs with his wife RJ and and playing steel-stringed guitars while in graduate school. Lacking the impetus to progress much further, it was not until after the founding of Ere Daybreak in early 2007 that Bailey began to write more personal songs. Without any vocal training, Bailey created The Dwelling Among as a way to force himself to develop as a vocalist and musician.

The phrase The Dwelling Among derives from a metaphor in a Hebrew Song of Ascent (Psalm 120), evoking the experience of living among people you know (perhaps even with yourself) and finding that you are among strangers. Bailey's music explores themes drawn from Judeo-Christian thought, cognitive science, and personal experience.

The Dwelling Among flavors acoustic guitar-driven songs with the lap steel (tuned DADDAD!), cuatro (Puerto Rico's national instrument!), doumbek (that's what it says!), banjitar (amalgamation, ahoy!), and melodica (more melodical than harmoincal, I suppose!), as well as whatever other sounds are floating around at the time. Many songs also involve the use of partial capos to create re-entrant sequences and doubled string drones.

The Dwelling Among sounds (sort of!) like: Kings of Convenience, Royal City, Iron and Wine, Sufjan Stevens, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Jose Gonzalez, Devendra Banhart