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Will you be mad for the brand new Bastille track “Distorted Light Beam” or nah? If you’re expecting a broodily gloomy indie-pop offering this time, you may be a tad disappointed. Then on the other hand, if I were to inform you Dan Smith and his band mates have ventured into the electronic realm, proper, (and owing to our preference for electronic pop coverage on the blog) you’d be somewhat intrigued to find out more, am I right?

While it is not unlike the band to have a smattering of electronic elements sprinkled into their oft doomy offerings, there is always a background note of indie stylings most prevalent for Bastille (one of the world’s most-streamed bands). Never before have they ventured so directly into the electronic-pop genre. But this gear change was always on the cards because on previous albums they’ve dabbled in R&B, Dance, Rock, Gospel and House music. So where else was left for them to go? Electronic pop was, therefore, the obvious choice, wasn’t it?

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Speaking with Annie Mac, while premiering as Hottest Record in The World. Dan said, melodically and sonically the track nods someway towards the French disco style. While giving a little hint about Bastille’s fourth album being inspired by ideas of the future, our relationships with technology, our devices and the internet. Exploring the endless possibilities and also the dark side of the digital, web life. The latter being addressed in the Ryan Tedder co-written and co-produced offering “Distorted Light Beam” and supporting Jak Payne directed video.

The single artwork, Dan has been using everywhere to tease the track release, has a very cool look about it. It gives off electronic vibes, with hopefully more of the like, promised for the album due out later this year. A band of Bastille’s stature embracing electronic pop can only be a good thing for this often blindsided branch of electronica. When everyone else in pop has had a disco record out, Bastille was never going to follow in the footprints left by Dua, Jessie Ware or Kylie. No, Dan, Kyle, Will and Woody (Bastille) were always going to go harder better, faster, stronger. The reference to Daft Punk intended, because of the nice bit of vocoder homage that finds its way into the track. You know, how Daft Punk was always rumoured to play a secret gig at SXSW, like every year and now they’ve broken up, for good. Well, next year (god willing) Bastille could very well step up and give the festival-goers in Austin their version of Daft Punk realness instead. (Far more of a possibility than Daft Punk ever was).

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