Banta

We really want to whinge at you. Like, to the point that we’re actually about to burst with the sheer amount of anhedonism that our ever-fatigued body seems to be enduring. Live music seems to be like a drug to us at the moment. Fickle Friends. Manchester Orchestra. These events make us feel so elated and light-headed whilst they’re going on like a drag on the first cigarette of the day; then after we feel we’re on the comedown of the century. And before you smart-arse fucks start going “well, you clearly need to lay off the chang there buddy”, think about whether we even have time for that shit right now. No seriously, please do, because we’re so zoned out right now that thinking feels like a far-away luxury. Synapses, we miss you a lot right now. Still; there’s a positive spin to be had from all of this. At least we know we still love music. We know we’re not dead inside just yet. Otherwise the aforementioned wouldn’t have meant anything at all. Certain people need to be thanked for reminding us of that fact of late and we’ll get round to that in a jiffy. Anyway. Sorry for whinging. Here’s some kick-ass vibes all the way from LA – which in itself holds some quite an alarming degree of relevance for us given all the serious shit we’ve been getting up to lately/continuously – from a band called Banta. Given the strength of these tracks which no doubt will get you A&R-prying people all hot under your respective collars, we’re going to go ahead and say this may well be one of our favourite finds of the year so far. Y’know, prediction-worthy shit. Royal Blood hype shit. Yeah, you heard. There is a strong aesthetic that really reminds us of Kyla La Grange (yeah we’re checking out the singer, get a judge). And Fleetwood Mac. Y’all heard of Fleetwood Mac? This lot sure bloody have, and like we’ve been saying a lot recently there ain’t nothing wrong with that. So we can generally go ahead and say that Haim and Maker may well also be part of Banta‘s genome. Vibes of Scanners are also present. Which is cool. We’re just glad that there are bands still out there such as this that can still make us feel something. Have a wonderful weekend ya buggers. - Killing Moon

It's still a mystery why baby boomer soft rock has become such a commodity with the younger crowd these days, but such are the effects of living in an age of pop culture that commemorates its own past. The fine-tuned midtempo singles of Echo Park troupe Banta sound like they could've followed a Steve Winwood number in the radio twenty years ago, but nevertheless, there's a good reason why they'd even be featured at all. "Dark Charms", for instance, has a stiff groove that instantly grabs you with its minimalist groove, carried by a luscious production that features the seductive vocal delivery of Sharaya Mikael. This isn't necessarily the first incarnation of Banta's sound, as their previous release through Bandcamp, "3 Feet From Gold", has more of a neo-soul feel, but the steady, bourgeois tempo of "Charms" suits them very well. Banta are hosting a residency at Silverlake Lounge throughout the month of April. - la.thedelimagazine.com

If you thought Banta‘s “Dark Charms” was a Fleetwood Mac B-side at first listen, you wouldn’t be alone. The Echo Park-based indie pop sextet’s songs embody so much of the same smooth pop folk-rock swing we’ve got a hunch that their self-titled EP (slated for a June release) is only the tip of the iceberg. Comprised of Sharaya Mikael (vocals/guitar), Kristin Hardin (vocals), Jon Marcu (drums), Scott Clear (lead guitar), Steve Oh Grohne (bass) and Alathea Reece (keys), Banta is a fairly new band but songs such as “Three Feet From Gold” and “Someday” filter their classic rock influences exceptionally well. There’s both charm and a fierceness in their songs that will have you grooving long after listening. - See more at: http://www.buzzbands.la/2014/04/03/ears-wide-open-banta/#sthash.6TwAa5Ra.dpuf - Buzzbands.la