Glass Animals

Glass Animals

Glass Animals are an English electronic and alternative rock group from Oxford, formed in 2010. The band’s line-up consists of Dave Bayley, Drew MacFarlane, Edmund Irwin-Singer and Joe Seaward. Their recorded work spans electronic, indie pop, indie rock, indietronica, pop and psychedelic pop.

Formation and early years

All four members meet at St Edward’s School in Oxford. Bayley attends on a music scholarship and is introduced to MacFarlane there. The two connect over having spent part of their childhoods in the United States. MacFarlane then introduces Bayley to Irwin-Singer and Seaward, and the four begin playing together in 2010.

Early releases and touring

The band releases its debut EP, Leaflings, on 28 May 2012 through Kaya Kaya Records, an independent label and imprint of XL Recordings. The EP includes “Cocoa Hooves”. In 2014, Glass Animals makes its first tour of the United States and appears at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas. That year the group issues the singles “Gooey”, “Pools” and “Hazey”, and also records a collaboration with Argentine singer-songwriter and producer Tei Shi.

These five tracks appear on the debut album Zaba, released in 2014. After the album, the band tours extensively, performing across both hemispheres and playing more than 130 shows in 2015. Its US touring schedule includes sold-out dates at The Wiltern in Los Angeles and shows in New York, Milwaukee and Kansas City. “Gooey” is later certified platinum in the United States. The song also appears on television performances on Late Night with Seth Meyers and Late Show with David Letterman.

Albums and recognition

The second album, How to Be a Human Being (2016), wins two MPG Awards, for UK Album of the Year and Self Producing Artist of the Year, and is shortlisted for the Mercury Prize. The album is built around a concept in which each song tells a story inspired by fictional characters, allowing the group to move through different styles and themes.

The third album, Dreamland (2020), takes a more personal direction, with Bayley focusing on nostalgia and memory. It reaches number two on the UK Albums Chart and number seven on the US Billboard 200. The album is driven by the success of “Heat Waves”, which becomes a global hit through TikTok, reaches number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and passes two billion Spotify streams by 2022. Dreamland is also promoted with “Tokyo Drifting”, featuring Denzel Curry, and “Your Love (Déjà Vu)”.

Awards and nominations

Glass Animals receive two Brit Award nominations in 2022 and a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.