Biography
Bells Atlas, a band that has coined the phrase “kaleidosonic soul punch” to describe its sound, refuses to settle within any single stylistic boundary. Comparable in eclecticism to Hiatus Kaiyote, the group is most readily placed under the alternative R&B heading, yet freely weaves together Afro-beat, contemporary jazz and folk, indie rock, downtempo electronic music, and dub reggae. Alongside a steady output of singles and EPs, the band has issued two albums: Bells Atlas in 2013 and The Mystic in 2019.
Formed in Oakland, California, the project began with Derek Barber on guitar, Geneva Harrison covering drums, percussion, and keyboards, Sandra Lawson-Ndu handling vocals, percussion, and keyboards, and Douglas Stuart playing bass, keyboards, and vocals. Its first releases were the 2013 self-titled album and the exceptional four-track EP Hyperlust, which appeared two years later; both were self-released as digital downloads and made available on streaming services. Shortly after Steven Blum joined on keyboards to expand the lineup into a quintet, Bells Atlas signed with the Portland, Oregon-based Tender Loving Empire label and, in 2019, delivered the science fiction concept album The Mystic.
Formed in Oakland, California, the project began with Derek Barber on guitar, Geneva Harrison covering drums, percussion, and keyboards, Sandra Lawson-Ndu handling vocals, percussion, and keyboards, and Douglas Stuart playing bass, keyboards, and vocals. Its first releases were the 2013 self-titled album and the exceptional four-track EP Hyperlust, which appeared two years later; both were self-released as digital downloads and made available on streaming services. Shortly after Steven Blum joined on keyboards to expand the lineup into a quintet, Bells Atlas signed with the Portland, Oregon-based Tender Loving Empire label and, in 2019, delivered the science fiction concept album The Mystic.
Albums
Singles
