Experimental rock trio bar italia have released a new single, “punkt”, ahead of the release of their debut album next month. The hugely anticipated Tracey Denim will drop on May 19th on Matador Records following the release of single “Nurse!” last month and “punkt” yesterday.
Watch the music video for “punkt” below:
The London based band, consisting of Nina Cristante, Jezmi Tarik Fehmi and Sam Fenton, have hitherto had their promising beginnings in the UK music scene shrouded in obscurity, employing a minimal social media presence and a general sense of not wanting to be recognised.
What we do know about the intriguing trio is this: they get their name from popular Soho bar/cafe Bar Italia (a spot which also inspired the same name for a Pulp track back in 1995), and they are connected to Dean Blunt, musician and record producer, and have previously released two EPs under Blunt’s label World Music (Quarrel in 2020 and Bedhead in 2022). These initial recordings are hugely experimental in nature, incorporating indie rock with shoegaze in a highly lo-fi approach.
This March saw them being signed to Matador Records, and with their first feature length album brings the hope of a knowability that fans of the group have been craving. The two releases from the LP thus far, “Nurse!” and “punkt”, seem to suggest a drift away from the band’s lo-fi, shoegaze roots; employed in both tracks instead is a hypnotic bassline that is accompanied by a driving and constant effort by both rhythm and lead guitars, leading to a sort of indie post-punk feel. In “Nurse!”, however, a noise-rock element is retained, featuring heavy, distorted guitar sounds with each third verse.
Watch the music video for “Nurse!” below:
Interestingly enough both tracks also feature each member of the band having vocals. “Nurse!” sees each member have two verses each, taking a verse at a time in order and then repeating, all the while having different instrumentation dictating a different mood with each verse, while “punkt” contains a single verse each from each band member, starting with Fenton and finishing with Cristante.
It is distinctly clear to see, then, why there is such an air of excitement around this group. There is a definite sense of the band coming into their own and arriving at their creative peak with this forthcoming release, and I for one cannot wait to taste it.
Find the tracklist for Tracey Denim below:
1. “guard”
2. “Nurse!”
3. “punkt”
4. “my kiss era”
5. “F.O.B”
6. “Missus Morality”
7. yes i have eaten so many lemons yes i am so bitte”
8. “changer”
9. “Horsey Girl Rider”
10. “NOCD”
11. “best in show”
12. “Clark”
13. “harpee”
14. “Friends”
15. “maddington”
Pre-order Tracey Denim now here.
