Bambara

Bambara are a New York post-punk band formed in 2007 and based in Brooklyn, with origins in Athens, Georgia. Their line-up consists of twin brothers Reid Bateh, who sings and plays guitar, and Blaze Bateh, who plays drums and also sings, alongside William Brookshire on bass and vocals. The band also works with touring musicians Bryan Keller Jr. on guitar and vocals, and Sam Zalta on guitar and keyboards.

Background

The members begin playing together in 2001 while attending North Springs High School in Athens, Georgia. Before developing their own material, they play covers of bands including Blink-182 and Red Hot Chili Peppers, then move toward a sound that draws on funk, progressive music and Latin influences. They first record and release an album called Curtains and Cannibals in 2005 under the name 23jinx, before changing name and forming as Bambara in October 2007. The group takes its name from a character in the animated television series Æon Flux.

Style and sound

Bambara’s music is described as noise rock and post-punk, with tags also including noise, noise pop, shoegaze, crank wave and gothic rock. Their use of machines, loops and lo-fi software contributes to the noise rock label. Reid Bateh’s baritone voice is often compared with Nick Cave and Rowland S. Howard.

Releases

After moving to Brooklyn, the band signs to Arrowhawk Records in 2013 and releases Dreamviolence after recording it in their basement apartment. During work on Swarm, they suffer the theft of a computer containing recorded tracks, which delays the album while they re-record material. They release the noise EP Night Chimes in 2015, then put out Swarm in 2016. Shadow on Everything follows on Wharf Cat Records in 2018 and uses a Western Gothic concept built around a loose narrative of characters telling eerie stories in a dive bar. In 2022 they release the EP Love on My Mind.

Touring and later activity

The band tours in support of Shadow on Everything in Europe and later opens for Idles in the United States. They are selected for South by Southwest in 2019 and announce an east coast tour with Daughters. In 2020, while touring North America with Stray, they cancel the remaining dates because of the COVID-19 outbreak. During lockdown, they write music long-distance, discard that material, and start again once back together in New York. They return to touring in 2021, including shows opening for Foo Fighters and Nothing. The song “Miracle” is used in the sixth season of Peaky Blinders.

Discography

Studio albums include Bambara (2008), Dreamviolence (2013), Swarm (2016), Shadow on Everything (2018) and Stray (2020). EPs include Dog Ear Days (2010), Rings (2012), Night Chimes (2015) and Love on My Mind (2022).