Bastille‘s Dan Smith has long described the band’s albums as the soundtrack to a movie that doesn’t exist. With his latest record, “&” (Ampersand), it’s almost like he’s written that nonexistent movie’s screenplay, too.
The album’s title refers to the symbol in the name of each song on the record, almost all of which are about a historical or mythological figure, including Emily Dickinson, Marie Curie, Oscar Wilde and Narcissus.
In revisiting and retelling these past stories, though, Smith found himself relating to his subjects and bringing in his own thoughts and feelings.
“Across this album, I’m, like, imagining myself in other people’s shoes at certain points,” Smith tells ABC Audio. “I’m imagining being someone in the life of one these known people and asking them questions, or it’s me from now asking back.”
Smith’s role in “&” (Ampersand) is outlined in its opening track, “Intros & Narrators,” which begins with a chant that sounds a lot like the word “I.” That moment also provides a purposeful fake-out for those familiar with Bastille’s arena-ready style heard in songs like “Pompeii.”
“I kind of wanted to, like, I guess, have a bit of fun with people’s expectations of what they may assume we’d do, versus what I wanted to do with this record,” Smith says.
“I just wanted to make something for myself,” he adds. “I really wanted to make an album that felt different and beautiful and intimate and warm and raw.”
One thing Smith didn’t want “&” (Ampersand) to be, though, is a “history lesson.”
“I’m not any authority on these people, I’m not an academic,” he says. “I’m just kind of an interested idiot.”
“&” (Ampersand) is out now. Smith will be playing shows in Los Angeles on Nov. 22-23 and New York City on Nov. 25.
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