Warpaint

Warpaint is an American indie rock band from Los Angeles, California, active since 2004. Their sound is associated with psychedelic rock, alternative dance, art rock, dream pop, neo-psychedelia, post-punk, shoegaze, indie rock and ethereal female vocals.

Line-up

The band’s core line-up consists of Theresa Wayman, who also uses the solo pseudonym TT, Emily Kokal, Jenny Lee Lindberg, who also records as Jennylee, and Stella Mozgawa. Shannyn Sossamon is listed among the group’s members and is the band’s original drummer, although she leaves in 2008. The band also goes through temporary drummer changes before Mozgawa joins in 2009. Other people linked with the group include Josh Klinghoffer.

Early releases and debut album

Warpaint releases its debut EP, Exquisite Corpse, in self-released form. It reaches number one on Amoeba Records’ local artists chart and is later reissued on CD and vinyl by Manimal Vinyl, with the bonus track “Krimson”. The EP is mixed by John Frusciante.

The band’s debut album, The Fool, follows in 2010. It receives a strong review in NME. Before the album appears, Warpaint contributes a cover of David Bowie’s “Ashes to Ashes” to We Were So Turned On, a Bowie tribute album released with War Child.

Singles, radio and touring

“Shadows”, the first single from The Fool, is released as a digital download and 12-inch vinyl, and its remix, “Shadows (Neon Lights Remix)”, is playlisted by BBC Radio 1 as part of In New Music We Trust. Warpaint tours the United States and Europe to support the record, and plays major festivals including Bonnaroo, Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Rock Werchter and Electric Picnic. The band also appears at the Hollywood Bowl as a support act.

In 2011, a rerelease of Undertow charts in the United Kingdom and Australia.

The self-titled album and later direction

For the album Warpaint, the group works toward a more minimalist approach, developing songs at soundchecks and experimenting with acoustic guitars, percussion, drum machines and ambience. Stella Mozgawa and Jenny Lee Lindberg describe the songs as being developed through jamming and free-flowing stage work. Emily Kokal says that R&B and rap influence the record, and that it is more keys-based than The Fool.

The album is produced by Flood and mixed by Nigel Godrich, and is released on Rough Trade Records in several countries. Its lead single, “Love Is to Die”, is used in a Calvin Klein advert and in a teaser for a documentary about the recording of the album. Warpaint performs “Composure” alongside new material such as “Love Is to Die” and “Keep It Healthy” on BBC 6 Music with Steve Lamacq.

Style

Warpaint is described as combining intricate guitar lines, hypnotic vocals and driving post-punk rhythms, with songs that move between psychedelic soundscapes and intimacy. Their recordings are associated with hazy guitars and dreamy vocal textures.