bar italia, Insula Iscariot

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Steve Gullick

The three members of the band bar italia making faces.

bar italia

London-based trio bar italia has been causing a stir with a string of live dates around Europe and two new albums in 2023. The most recent album, The Twits, employs a catchy-crunchy-dissonant sound with laconic yet emotionally direct singing. It’s somewhat reminiscent of the accessible side of forebears like Sonic Youth, and even a bit of ‘60s psychedelia, but firmly grounded in modern times. Here’s betting they whip up a glorious racket for their first U.S. tour. With Insula Iscariot.

$18 ($16 adv.).

media release: bar italia are three-piece trio Nina Cristante, Jezmi Tarik Fehmi, and Sam Fenton. They are making on their first US tour this fall.

Over the last two years, bar italia have released two albums, an EP and several singles on Dean Blunt’s World Music label, leading to much word-of-mouth, sold out headline shows, and festival performances at Pitchfork Music Festival London, by:Larm, OUT.FEST, Le Guess Who?, and End Of The Road.

The band recently released their second album of 2023 titled ‘The Twits.’ It was recorded by the trio over eight weeks from February 2023 in a makeshift home studio in Mallorca, and was mixed by Marta Salogni. It finds bar italia’s economical yet evocative songcraft taking raucous, mystic, unkempt, occasionally sinister, and wholly committed turns.

bar italia also released their Matador Records debut in May titled ‘Tracey Denim,’ which received widespread attention from publications including The Guardian (“one of the albums of 2023 so far”), The Times (“excellent debut album”), The Observer (‘Artist To Watch’), NME ("a lasting impression that’s all of their own making"), The Quietus (“endlessly evocative”) and Pigeons And Planes (“quickly establishing themselves as one of the most enticing upcoming bands”).

Single “Nurse!” was playlisted on BBC 6 Music and received spins from BBC Radio 1, Absolute Radio and NTS. The release was accompanied by a UK tour, culminating in a sold-out headline show at the ICA in London, which The Spectator described as “transfixing… They just make their beautiful, off-kilter music, and let you unfold your own stories on top”. 

Additional praise for bar italia and ‘Tracey Denim:’

“narcotically arresting” - Pitchfork

“a sound that pulls the ear close in a swirl of whispery vocals, opaque poetry and tight, art-rock instrumentals” - NPR 

“jangly guitars, pop melodies, and a discernable air of cool.” - Fader

“Bar Italia are the best new band in London” - The Face

“London’s most exciting new band” - Crack