Warpaint

Blending psych-rock, post-punk, dream pop, hip-hop, and additional strands into their own smoldering aesthetic, Warpaint stand among indie’s most celebrated groups. Their first EP, Exquisite Corpse, arrived in 2008 and revealed a flair for hazy sensuality alongside pared-back arrangements; those qualities were refined on the 2010 full-length The Fool, which also introduced powerhouse drummer Stella Mozgawa. The band continued to shift with each subsequent release, polishing their textures while introducing electronics and traces of dub on the 2014 self-titled album or injecting greater urgency into 2016’s Heads Up. On 2022’s Radiate Like This they took another step by sharpening sonic clarity and foregrounding their intuitive interplay. In 2024 they returned to the U.K. sales-side chart with the single “Common Blue,” issued to mark the group’s twentieth anniversary.

The quartet formed on Valentine’s Day 2004, its original roster comprising sisters Jenny Lee Lindberg and Shannyn Sossamon on bass and drums, plus Emily Kokal and Theresa Wayman handling vocals and guitar. Several years of songwriting and Los Angeles gigs preceded the recording of their debut EP, which began in late 2007. Working with producer Jacob Bercovici, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Josh Klinghoffer (who added guitar and drums), and John Frusciante (who handled mixing and mastering), the band self-released Exquisite Corpse in 2008. Strong word-of-mouth surrounding their sultry, updated psych-rock prompted Manimal Vinyl to issue the EP internationally the following year. Early in 2009 Sossamon departed because of acting commitments; Australian drummer Stella Mozgawa, previously of Swahili Blonde and Mink, stepped in.

Warpaint then signed with Rough Trade, toured Europe and the U.S., and began work on their first album. Recorded in Los Angeles with producer Tom Biller—who also mixed alongside Andrew Weatherall and Adam Samuels—October 2010’s The Fool presented a more streamlined, forceful version of the dreamy rock introduced on Exquisite Corpse and marked the group’s initial recordings with Mozgawa. The album earned both critical praise and chart placement, reaching number four on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart in the U.S. and number three on the U.K. Independent Albums Chart, where it later received silver certification. Also in 2010 the band supplied a cover of “Ashes to Ashes” to the David Bowie tribute collection We Were So Turned On, benefiting War Child.

Extensive touring in support of The Fool extended into 2011; that September a deluxe edition appeared, bundling Exquisite Corpse with bonus tracks. When the musicians reconvened for their second album they adopted a more collective songwriting process and drew from hip-hop and electronic sources. Recorded in Los Angeles and London, produced by Flood, and mixed by Flood and Nigel Godrich, the self-titled album surfaced in January 2014. Its intricate, atmospheric sound earned Top Ten placement in the U.K., further European chart entries, and eventual double silver certification, while peaking at number 43 on the Billboard 200 in the U.S. That same year Warpaint contributed vocals and drums to two tracks on SBTRKT’s album Wonder Where We Land.

After the album’s release the band spent roughly eighteen months on the road. Once touring concluded, members pursued separate endeavors: Wayman formed BOSS with Hot Chip’s Sarah Jones and All We Are’s Guro Gikling; Kokal joined Paul Bergmann for his EP Romantic Thoughts; Mozgawa performed with Kurt Vile, Cate Le Bon, and Kim Gordon and appeared on Lindberg’s solo debut Right On!; and the group issued the 2015 split single “Feeling Alright/Winter” with Daughter. They regrouped in January 2016 to record their third album with returning Exquisite Corpse producer Bercovici, taking cues from Kendrick Lamar, Janet Jackson, Björk, and OutKast. September 2016’s Heads Up captured the immediacy of their live performances through its uptempo rhythms and reached number 13 on the U.K. chart and number 129 in the U.S. Subsequent touring found them supporting Depeche Mode, Harry Styles, and Foals. During this period Wayman launched her solo project TT, releasing the 2018 debut LoveLaws (on which Mozgawa also drummed), while Mozgawa appeared on further recordings by Vile, Courtney Barnett, Cate Le Bon, and John Grant.

Work on the fourth album began in early 2020, with engineer-turned-co-producer Sam Petts-Davies capturing initial song foundations. Once the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, members recorded their parts separately in home studios. Amid the sessions Wayman issued her second solo album, 2020’s TT, and the band streamed an acoustic concert in December 2020; they also released the April 2021 single “Lilys,” featured in the HBO series Made for Love. May 2022’s Radiate Like This showcased tightly crafted songs that reflected the extended refinement period. Around its release Lindberg delivered her second solo album Heart Tax, while Mozgawa and Boom Bip’s project Belief issued the Versions EP. To celebrate their twentieth anniversary Warpaint reconvened in early 2024 for the Rough Trade 7-inch pairing “Common Blue” with “Underneath,” the A-side reaching the Top 40 of the U.K. Singles Sales Chart.