Originally a solo project by singer-songwriter Dan Smith, London-based quartet Bastille combined elements of 1980s music and choir.
These were dramatic, serious, thoughtful, but at the same time rhythmic songs. Like the Pompeii hit. Thanks to him, the musicians raised millions on their debut album Bad Blood (2013).
The group later expanded and refined its approach. For Wild World (2016) they added hints of R&B, dance and rock. And in the compositions appeared political overtones.
Then they applied a conceptual and confessional approach in the new album Doom Days (2019), influenced by gospel and house music.
The emergence of the group Bastille
Smith was born in Leeds, England to South African parents. He started writing songs at the age of 15.
However, he was reluctant to share his music with anyone until a friend encouraged him to enter the Leeds Bright Young Things (2007) competition.
After he was a finalist, he continued to work on music and star in Kill King Ralph Pellimeiter while studying at the University of Leeds.
Smith then moved to London and took up music in earnest. In 2010, he contacted drummer Chris Wood, guitarist/bassist William Farquharson, and keyboardist Kyle Simmons.
Taking their name from Bastille Day, the group became known as Bastille.
They released several tracks online and signed a deal with the indie label Young and Lost Club. He released his debut single Flaws/Icarus in July 2011.
Later that year, the band self-released the Laura Palmer EP. It reflected Smith's love for the cult series Twin Peaks.
The beginning of the popularity of Bastille
In late 2011, Bastille signed with EMI and made their label debut with the April 2012 single Overjoyed. Bad Blood marked the band's first appearance on the UK charts, peaking at number 90.
In October 2012, the re-release of EMI Flaws became their first single to debut in the top 40.
The group's "breakthrough" began with Pompeii, which peaked at number 2 on the UK charts in February 2013 and number 5 on the Hot 100 Billboard singles chart.
In March 2013, the first full-length version of the Bad Blood album was released. It debuted at the top of the UK Albums Chart with 12 tracks.
“I approach every song in my own way. I wanted each to be a separate story, with the right mood, different sound, elements of different genres and styles - hip-hop, indie, pop and folk.
Movie soundtracks can be very diverse, but they are connected by the movie. I wanted my record to be diverse, but unified by my voice and the way I write. Each piece is part of a larger picture,” says Dan Smith of Bad Blood.
The album (which sold over 2 million copies) earned the band the 2014 Brit Award for Best Breakthrough Act. As well as awards in the nominations: "British Album of the Year", "British Single of the Year" and "British Group".
November saw the release of All This Bad Blood, a deluxe version of the album with the new single Of the Night, an amazing mashup of two great 1990s dance hits, Rhythm is a Dancer and The Rhythm of the Night.
In 2014, the band released the third series of VS mixtapes. (Other People's Heartache, Pt. III), which included collaborations with HAIM, MNEK and Angel Haze.
The group was also nominated for Best New Artist at the 57th Grammy Awards, losing out to Sam Smith.
Second album and individual singles
Bastille began work on their second album while continuing to tour and debuted new material at their shows. One of these Hangin songs was released as a single in September 2015.
In the same year, Smith appeared on French producer Madeon's album Adventure and Foxes Better Love. In September 2016, the band returned with their second album, Wild World. It went to No. 1 in the UK and debuted in the top 10 charts around the world.
The album is topped by the track Good Grief, in Bastille's unique style. It was both euphoric and melancholy. The recording uses samples from the cult film Weird Science with Kelly Le Brock.
The album was recorded in the same small basement studio in south London where the debut multi-platinum album Bad Blood was recorded. “Our first album was about growing up. The second is an attempt to understand the world around us. We wanted it to be a bit confusing — introverted and extroverted, bright and dark,” said Dan Smith about Wild World. The album consists of 14 tracks that tell about the state of modern man and difficult life relationships.
The following year, the band contributed to several soundtracks, first recording a cover version of Basket Case Green Day for the television series The Tick. And then she wrote World Gone Mad for the film with Will Smith "Brightness".
The musicians also released the song Comfort of Strangers on April 18, 2017. And while the collaboration with Craig David I Know You came out in November 2017. It peaked at number 5 on the UK Singles Chart in February 2018.
Later that year, the band collaborated with Marshmello (Happier single) and EDM duo Seeb (Grip song). The musicians ended the year with their fourth mixtape Other People's Heartache, Pt. IV.
Album Doom Days
In 2019, Bastille released a number of tracks (Quarter Past Midnight, Doom Days, Joy and Those Nights) ahead of their third album Doom Days.
On June 14, the full version was released, which included 11 songs. After confronting global corruption in Wild Word (2016), it was only natural that the band felt the need to escape, which they expressed in Doom Days.
The album has been described as a concept album about a "colorful" night at a party. As well as "the importance of escapism, hope, and the value of close friendships." The party was additionally described as having an atmosphere of "violent emotional chaos" and "euphoria, casualness and a small dose of insanity".
Due to its concept, Doom Days is the band's most cohesive album. But as the musicians increased the meaning of the songs, they also expanded the sound. Along with heartfelt songs like Another Place, there are tracks like 4 AM (goes from cozy acoustic singing to brass and rhythm with the smooth flow of their mixtapes) and Million Pieces (evokes 1990s nostalgia).
On Joy, the band uses the power of a gospel choir to give the album a happy ending.
