Formed in London one week prior to lockdown, Bastien spent much of their first year as a band writing remotely - swapping demos and finding common influences. Once meeting in person became a thing, this abstract way of getting to know each other quickly locked into the groove and Bastien knew they were onto something worth waiting to explore further once the pandemic had passed.
Finding terra firma in the genres of new wave, soft rock, psych and jangle pop, the four-piece have drawn comparisons to bands such as The Field Mice, Teenage Fanclub, and REM and on this outing, which is their first single ahead of their debut EP release slated for early 2023, there is something extremely palpable in the air, which feels a little like hearing The Smiths for the first time on a rainy night in Manchester. Totally glorious in the most English quirky quaint of ways.
The track is called ‘Garden Green’ the forthcoming debut EP is called ‘Stroud Green Stoop’ and says Bastien lead vocal/guitarist Seb Pettitt, “the song is a sort of meditation on social anxiety; how you can be excited for something and dread it simultaneously. How the best laid plans can 'oft go awry' to quote Robert Burns.”
Having already released two DIY singles 'Empty House' & 'Black-Eyed Dog' earlier this year and working their way round establishing their presence on the London live circuit which has thus far included sold out shows at The Victoria and The Finsbury as well as noteworthy nights at The Sebright Arms and The Lexington, Bastien appear a band primed and ready to stretch further in 2023.
Pettitt explains, “We're a classic London band in that we found each other in this city, having never met before, and we come from a real mix of musical backgrounds - I'm more of a folk/singer/songwriter guy, Mike loves dream pop/indie, Charlie is a jazz guitarist/aficionado, and Courtney has an eclectic taste but loves his alt electronic music and sampled-based stuff. But I think our songs come first and our style secondary. We like to have thought about the song a bit before jamming it in the room together.”
The addition of a trumpet sound from their mutual friend Jack who features on all of their recordings and live sets, also brings a slight nuance to their joint penchant for 70s song writing from people like Judee Sill and 80s production techniques circa Prefab Sprout.
Plenty to contend with and lots of musical history and intelligence on display, but at its core, they’re just a great band making killer music. ‘Green Garden’ is a reflective, groove-infused lead single whose flowery lyrics and melodic rushed guitars will leave any lovestruck teen from yesteryear just as much as today with a wistful feeling that Bastien could quite possibly be their new favourite band and answer to just about all the world’s problems.