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Alt-J

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∆
∆ performing in 2012
Background information
OriginLeeds, England
GenresIndie rock,[1] alternative rock, art rock, psychedelic folk, experimental
Years active2007–present
LabelsInfectious Records
Canvasback Music
MembersJoe Newman
Gwil Sainsbury
Thom Green
Gus Unger-Hamilton
Websitealtjband.com

∆ (pronounced Alt-J) are a British indie rock quartet, formed in 2007. Their debut album An Awesome Wave was released in May 2012 in Europe[2] and September 2012 in the United States and won the 2012 British Mercury Prize.

Background

Alt-J was formed when Gwil Sainsbury (guitarist/bassist), Joe Newman (guitar/vocals), Gus Unger-Hamilton (keyboards) and Thom Green (drums) met at Leeds University in 2007.

Gus studied English Literature, the other three Fine Art. In their second year of studies, Joe showed Gwil a handful of his own songs and, inspired by his guitar-playing dad and drugs, the pair began recording in their halls rooms with Gwil acting as producer on GarageBand.[3] The band's unusual sound stems from the fact that due to living in student halls, noise had to be kept to a minimum and so they were unable to use bass guitars or bass drums.

After graduating, they moved to Cambridge, however they recorded their debut album in Brixton. The band spent two years rehearsing before signing a deal with Infectious Records in 2011.[4]

∆'s name is pronounced “Alt-J”, which is the keyboard shortcut used on Apple OS X to insert the Greek letter Delta. "Alt-J" were formerly known as both 'Daljit Dhaliwal' and 'Films'.[5][6]

Music career

First releases

Their eponymous first 4-track EP ∆, was recorded with producer Charlie Andrew in London and showcased the tracks "Breezeblocks", "Hand-Made", "Matilda" and "Tessellate". A 7" single containing "Bloodflood" and "Tessellate" was released by Loud and Quiet in October 2011.

Their first 2012 release for Infectious Records was the triangle-shaped 7" "Matilda"/"Fitzpleasure", followed by "Breezeblocks" as an advance of their first album An Awesome Wave, released on 25 May 2012 in the UK, Europe, and Australia. The album was released on 18 September 2012 in North America via Canvasback Music. The group's signature blend of layered, folk-inflected dub-pop and soaring alternative rock has been compared to artists such as the Hot Chip, Wild Beasts and Everything Everything.[citation needed]

An Awesome Wave

Their debut album, An Awesome Wave, was released on 25 May 2012 by Infectious Music, and drew on multiple musical genres and sensibilities (folk, rock bass, catchy pop, hip-hop beats, trip-hop atmosphere, indie-rock quirkiness, electronic heavy synth riffs). They were wedded to intimately personal, sometimes confessional lyrics, peppered with film and literary references including allusions to The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Luc Besson's Léon: The Professional and Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are.[7] It was completed over three weeks in January of 2012, the band adding six or seven songs to the pool of already recorded material. [8]

Their debut album won the 2012 British Barclaycard Mercury Prize, as the bookmakers' favourite, and was announced as BBC Radio 6 Music Album of the Year 2012. Three of the tracks from this album gained entry into the Australian 2012 Triple J Hottest 100, with 'Something Good' at number 81, 'Tessellate' at number 64, and 'Breezeblocks' coming 3rd overall. [9]

Concerts

∆ supported Wild Beasts in April 2012 and started a small concert tour in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The tour kicked off on 24 May 2012 at Dublin Academy and ended on 1 June when the band headlined Bristol Cooler.[10]

The band played a large number of the summer festivals in 2012, including Latitude, Tramlines, Bestival, Reading and Leeds, End Of The Road, Milhões de Festa, T in the Park, Green Man,[11] Pukkelpop,[12] Lowlands,[13] and Into The Great Wide Open.[14]

∆ started their own small headline tour in the UK, starting in Manchester on 27 October 2012. The other venues include places in Birmingham, Brighton, London, Oxford and Bristol. The last gig is in London on 19 January 2013.[15]

∆ played the main stage of Hong Kong's only music festival Clockenflap on 2 December 2012 and behind Bob Boilen's desk at National Public Radio (NPR) in a Tiny Desk Concert on December 17, 2012.[16] They performed a small concert tour in the United States in December 2012 [17] They are confirmed to play at the 2013 Reading and Leeds Festival and at the Optimus Alive! festival in July 2013. ∆ have been announced to play the Australian 2013 Laneway Festival which visits five cities in Australia and New Zealand, as well as one date in Singapore, in just over a week in late January/February.[18] This will be followed by six European dates and then a full US and UK tour.

Discography

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
UK
[19] 		AUS
[20] 		BEL (Vl)
[21] 		BEL (Wa)
[22] 		DEN
[23] 		FRA
[24] 		NL
[25] 		SWI
[26]
An Awesome Wave
  • Released: 25 May 2012 (UK/EA/AU)
  • 18 September 2012 (North America)
  • Label: Infectious Music, Canvasback Music
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 13 12 17 67 34 45 18 80

Extended plays

Title Album details
∆ (Demo EP)

Singles

Year Title Peak chart positions Album
UK
[19] 		UK Indie
[28] 		AUS
[20] 		US Alt.
[29]
2011 "Tessellate / Bloodflood" — — — — An Awesome Wave
2012 "Matilda / Fitzpleasure" — — — —
"Breezeblocks" 75 6 41 —
"Tessellate" 120 6 — —
"Something Good" 76 6 — —
"Matilda" (re-release) 83 7 — —
"Fitzpleasure" (re-release) — — — 29
"—" denotes single that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Songs in film

Year Song Appearance
2012 "Buffalo" (featuring Mountain Man) Silver Linings Playbook (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

References

  1. ^ Monger, James Christopher (2012). "Alt-J". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
  2. ^ Alt-J: a cut above, The Guardian, Sam Wolfson, 30 August 2012
  3. ^ "Alt-J - Concert - Net Events" (in Template:Nl icon). Netevents.be. Retrieved 2012-07-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  4. ^ Monger, James Christopher (2012). "Alt-J". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
  5. ^ "Alt-J's name explanation". Archived from the original on 2012-07-18. Retrieved 18 July 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ "Alt-J Announce 'An Awesome Wave' Headline UK Tour Dates & Tickets". Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  7. ^ "Alt-J Interviewed: "The Internet's Going to be Massive, Trust Us", Sabotage Times, 7 July 2012". Sabotagetimes.com. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
  8. ^ "Write On - Alt-J On Their 2012". ClashMusic.com. Retrieved 2013-01-09.
  9. ^ "#3:alt-J - Breezeblocks". abc.net.au. Retrieved 2013-01-30. {{cite web}}: Text "Hottest 100 - 2012" ignored (help); Text "triple j" ignored (help)
  10. ^ "Alt-J announce autumn tour of the UK, NME.com, June 26, 2012". Nme.com. 2012-06-26. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
  11. ^ Paul Lester. "New band of the day: Alt-J, The Guardian, Paul Lester". Guardian. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
  12. ^ "Pukkelpop, Alt-J in concert, July 7, 2012". Pukkelpop.be. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
  13. ^ "Programma, Lowlands 2012,A campingflight to Lowlands paradise". lowlands.nl. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
  14. ^ Programma ITGWO12 web
  15. ^ "Alt-J Tour Dates & Concerts". Retrieved 14 August 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ "Alt-J's NPR Tiny Desk". Retrieved 18 December 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ "Alt-J Tour Dates & Concerts". Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  18. ^ Triple J. "2013 Laneway line up announced". ABC. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  19. ^ a b Peak positions for the albums and singles in the UK:
  20. ^ a b "Alt-J - Australian Charts". australian-charts.com/ Hung Medien.
  21. ^ "Alt-J - Belgium (Flanders) Charts". ultratop.be/nl/ Hung Medien.
  22. ^ "Alt-J - Belgium (Wallonia) Charts". ultratop.be/fr/ Hung Medien.
  23. ^ "Alt-J - Danish Charts". danishcharts.com/ Hung Medien.
  24. ^ "Alt-J - French Charts". lescharts.com/ Hung Medien.
  25. ^ "Alt-J - Dutch Charts". dutchcharts.nl/ Hung Medien.
  26. ^ "Alt-J - Swiss Charts". hitparade.ch/ Hung Medien.
  27. ^ "Certifications in the UK". BPI. 15 November 2012.
  28. ^ Peak positions for Indie singles in the UK:
  29. ^ "Allmusic: Alt-J: Charts & Awards". Allmusic. Retrieved 01 December 2013. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)


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