Ever in search for good songs to listen to while contemplating life and/or studying, I stumbled upon Arthur Beatrice during a late night Spotify discover session in the depths of Lau 3. “Grand Union” was on my playlist of the week, and after listening to it once I fell in love. At first, I simply put “Grand Union” on repeat, but after trying out some of their other songs, I realized this group is much more than a one-hit wonder.
Arthur Beatrice has a minimalistic sound paired with some great lyrics and very present vocals, which makes this band what it is. Orlando Leopard and Ella Girardot share the vocals, and brothers Elliot and Hamish Barnes join them on the drums and bass. The group has been together since 2010, while they were all in school. The band is still very young – all of them are in their early twenties. They came out with their first EP, Carter, in 2013, and their first album, Working Out, in 2014. Although “Grand Union” remains my favorite track from their album, there are many other songs that I could listen to for hours. “Midland” highlights Girardot’s whimsical and haunting voice, along with the band’s deep sound. “Charity” offers a duet with Girardot and Leopard combining their voices.
Luckily for us, there’s more to come! Arthur Beatrice just released two singles, “Who Returned” and “Real Life.” They are picking up where they left off and have announced a new album, which is called Keeping the Peace and will come out on May 20th. I’d keep an eye out for this band.
photos from the Arthur Beatrice Facebook page
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