ATP! Album Review: Bastille - Haunt EP

London-based band Bastille seems to have already taken over UK radio and the European Festival calendar, but it seems they aren’t finished just yet - they haven't even begun, and now their sights are set on the US. Classified as indie-pop, the quartet’s sound is versatile, allowing them to simultaneously hit no. 1 in UK music charts and open up for the likes of Muse. Said versatility is what their Haunt EP outlines. Released exclusively in the US, Haunt features three of the five singles from their chart-topper Bad Blood (‘Pompeii,’ ‘Overjoyed’ and ‘Bad Blood’) and one demo (‘Haunt’), Haunt is a near perfect introduction to the band’s music for newcomers.

Opening with the band’s most successful single, ‘Pompeii,’ the four-track release starts off with a strong synthetic beat and gang vocals that make up the band’s indie-pop backbone. Honestly, there’s a reason it’s their most successful single, and we dare you to not move when you hear this thing. It is, without a doubt, the best way to open this EP and it can - and will - keep listeners hooked.

The standout track, ‘Haunt,’ is honestly reason enough to splash the $3.27 on this EP. “I’ve come back to haunt you” singer Dan Smith croons as his band backs him up with harmonies, fulfilling every quality of the title choice. If there is any doubt about the vocal prowess of this band, ‘Haunt’ clears them up.

If we have to choose a low-point in the release-- and we mean absolutely forced to chose-- it would be ‘Overjoyed.’ While a great song, and a staple in their live performance, there are a few other choices they could have made to show their versatility. Nestled between the the synthy ‘Pompeii’ and darker, RnB tinged ‘Bad Blood,’ it just finds itself, sadly, outshined.

In the end, the only thing keeping this release from scoring any higher than a 4 out of 5 is the sheer brilliance of the rest of their catalogue, making this release fall slightly short. Needless to say, we eagerly anticipate the US release of their full-length, and with two upcoming west coast shows as well as a bigger tour in September, we can only hope that it’s going to happen soon.

4/5

Victoria Patneaude

Haunt EP is out now via Virgin Records.