Some band names manage to sound pretty cool and ominous even if you have no idea what the heck they’re referring to, like Talking Heads, Beach House or The Men; there’s also a category of band names that take aim straight for your gut, like Diarrhea Planet or Fucked Up. But then there are bands whose names shine light on something more profound in their music; Bells Atlas is one of those bands.
The Oakland four-piece composes constellations of sound; layers and layers of percussion (including bells) that intertwine with melodic guitar lines and syncopated bass parts. In the middle of it all is Sandra Lawson-Ndu, whose fluid voice furls and unfurls, drawing you in and guiding you through the organized chaos. On standout track “Video Star,” the addition of a xylophone and backing vocals add to the swirling, hypnotic sound.
This past July Bells Atlas wrote and recorded a handful of new songs during a residency at Oakland’s Zoo Labs Studios. Each Monday this month, the band will be testing them out during a series of shows at Oakland’s ERA Bar, with a rotating cast of special guests.
Watch Bells Atlas play “Video Star,” and a short teaser on their residency at Zoo Labs, below.
