Bat and Ball at Madame JoJo’s

Working with a sibling is not always easy. Luckily, Abi and Chris Sinclair have been able to leave all sibling rivalry and hair-pulling at the door to front electronic indie five-piece Bat and Ball. With much current hype to celebrate, the band launched their debut EP with a headline set at Madame JoJo’s infamous White Heat.

Abi and Chris found band members Ed Burton (drums), Jamie Coe (guitar) and Harri Chambers (keyboards) while studying at Goldsmiths College, and together they have been busy crafting their own brand of soft electronic indie. Their sound is easily comparable with fellow indie scenesters The XX and London Grammar, but Bat and Ball have an ability to weld soulful indie and twisted electronica that sets them apart from the crowd.

Abi Sinclair’s vocals are beautifully constructed, transforming from ethereal to fierce in an instant, but standing next to her brother the connection between the two is striking. The sibling pair make a formidable onstage couple, even in the darkness of a crowded Madame JoJo’s. Their chemistry is mesmerising and their meticulously polished vocals have the audience captivated from start to finish.

The lead single from their EP, We Prefer It in the Dark, is undoubtedly the hit of the show, provoking yelps from their growing fan base. Unrelated demonstrates Abi and Chris’s softly synchronised harmonies perfectly, while the rest of the band come into their own and prove their experimental credentials on TV Dinners, with its heavier drumbeat, explosive guitar and dance-like rhythm.

If this gig is anything to go by, big things are surely due for this talented band. Leaving the stage to the cry of “Encore!” from the audience can only be a good thing: Bat and Ball have definitely left London wanting more.

Sarah Edmonds
Photos: Adnan Moe

For further information and future events visit Bat and Ball’s website here.

Watch the video for We Prefer It in the Dark here: