BANKS ARCADE SIGN TO UNFD + RELEASE NEW SINGLE “DON’T START”
ANNOUNCE GLOBAL TEAM INCLUDING UNITED TALENT AGENCY, SOUND TALENT GROUP, SELECT MUSIC + FUTURE HISTORY MANAGEMENT
NFD is pleased to announce the signing of New Zealand-via-Melbourne band Banks Arcade.
Bringing a fresh dose of modern heavy to Australian shores, Banks Arcade straddle elements of hard rock, electro, and metalcore, taking influence from names like Northlane, The Prodigy, and SAINt JHN.
Today’s news comes alongside the reveal of their frenzied new single “Don’t Start,” a determined effort both musically and visually, that will no doubt snap heads. Listen here.
The group also details its newly-formed worldwide management and booking team below.
“It has an unwavering confidence to it,” Banks Arcade vocalist Joshua O’Donnell declares of the track. “The song is aimed at those who try to tear us down behind closed doors but would never have the guts to front up and say something in person. It also speaks to the fact that most people talking shit the loudest are only doing it because they are threatened by you. It’s important to back yourself and not get too caught up on what others say.”
He continues, “We are all trying to do this life thing right and we have to heal from shit, and most of the time, people saying negative things are just using that as a way to deal with their own trauma. I just let it roll off my back and choose to focus on getting better at what I do.”
Reflecting on their ambitious beginnings out of Auckland just a handful of years ago, O’Donnell shares that the first lyrics Banks Arcade penned together were “I always wanted to make history.” Heard on the single they would eventually title “Ambition,” this sentiment has carried through in every highly considered creative move the band has made since. From their compelling visuals and stage presence to their boundary-pushing sound, this history-making urge is evident from all angles of the Banks Arcade camp.
This unshakable sense of vision and resolve has taken the group to new heights on each release. Following their 2018 debut EP Endnote, Banks Arcade backed it up with 2020’s Fever Dreams, spawning colossal singles like “Sick” and “Drown,” while amassing over 1 million streams. Snapping all sorts of industry attention in its wake, the five-piece was soon signing deals with Ryan Richards at Future History Management (Holding Absence, Loathe, Sleep Token +), and building a worldwide booking team comprising Select Music (AU/NZ), Sound Talent Group (The Americas), and United Talent Agency (ROW) alongside joining the UNFD camp.
On signing the group for management, Ryan Richards says, “Future History are delighted to welcome Banks Arcade to our management roster, and to be once again working with our good friends at UNFD. With the band’s genre-defying musicality and vision, coupled with their ambition and tenacity, we look forward to building their live profile in Australia and New Zealand for the rest of 2021, before taking Banks Arcade global with the stellar Worldwide team in place from the offset.”
On coming to sign Banks Arcade, UNFD’s Luke Logemann shares, “Earlier this year, we got an email from producer George Lever telling us about this incredible record he’d just made with a young New Zealand band called Banks Arcade. From the moment we hit play on their new music, everyone at the label fell in love. We managed to spend some great time with the band and see their first Australian show earlier this year. This is a band pushing musical boundaries and pouring themselves into their lyrics and art, and we can’t wait to share their music with the world.”
“Don’t Start” is out now via UNFD.
Stay tuned for the debut album from Banks Arcade in 2022.
BANKS ARCADE ARE:
Joshua O’Donnell — Vocals/Guitar
Jason Meadows — Guitar
Kenny Kemsley — Keyboards
Harlan Allen-Jones — Bbass
James Feekes — Drums
