Cave Painting

Cave Painting

Cave Painting are a British indie rock band from the United Kingdom. The group forms in Brighton in 2010 and has five members: lead vocalist Adam Kane, keyboardist Sam Simon, guitarist Harry Smallwood, bassist Richard Snabel and drummer Jonathan McCawley.

Formation and early work

The band begins after the members come together in Brighton from different cities and towns. Before adopting the name Cave Painting, they perform as Rob The Rich. They develop their sound by working in Brighton’s Electric Studios over a six-month period. Their early live profile grows quickly, and their first show under the Cave Painting name takes place at The Social in London in April 2011.

Recordings and releases

Cave Painting sign to Third Rock Recordings. Their early releases include the singles So Calm and Leaf, with Leaf also appearing as a free downloadable demo on social networking sites. In 2011, they release their debut EP, You’ll Be Running Soon, which includes the tracks Midnight Love and Rio alongside two other songs. Their debut album, Votive Life, is issued by Third Rock Recordings in 2012.

Sound and performance

The band’s music sits in the alt-rock, indie and indie pop area, with a style associated with a balance between large-scale and more delicate arrangements. Their recorded work includes references to bands such as The National, Arcade Fire and Wild Beasts, and songs such as Leaf, Gator and Only Us are named as examples of that sound. They also tour in support of their album, including a UK-wide run with Alt-J and their own headline dates.

Personnel and collaborators

For Votive Life, the band work with producer Barny Barnicott at Bluebell Studios in Kent after trying out several producers. The label Third Rock Recordings is set up by former Parlophone managing director Keith Wozencroft.