South African indie-rock band Battersby have returned with “Arrows”, a new single accompanied by a video.
The project is led by songwriter John Battersby, with Marc Klein of Red Tape Riot on drums, Tristan Bell of BRYNN on guitar, and CJ Duckitt of Murray on bass. The band draw from artists such as The Killers, The War on Drugs, The Black Keys, Dire Straits, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan and Fleetwood Mac.
“Arrows” started during an open jam session at Misty Cliffs, a place that has become part of the band’s creative process. The track was later shaped in their rehearsal space and recorded at Sunset Recording Studios in Stellenbosch.
“Lyrically, Arrows was inspired by recent events, frustrations and realizations in my life”, says John Battersby. “The music came from a completely open jam session at Misty Cliffs. We were just freely experimenting and letting the moment guide us.”
The song looks at the way old habits and self-imposed limits can keep a person stuck. For Battersby, the track also deals with resilience and the way people move through difficult periods.
“It’s about keeping yourself trapped in old ways and not allowing the best version of who you are to shine”, he explains. “But it’s also about resilience and how we choose to face tough times and move through them.”
“Arrows” was recorded with engineer Jurgen von Wechmar, known for his work with Francois van Coke and other South African artists. The band describe the single in five words: punchy, melancholic, reflective, heartfelt and surging.
Over the past two years, Battersby have toured across South Africa, playing venues and festivals including Daisy Jones Bar, Darling Brew Festival, Greyton Beer Festival and Deus Ex Machina. They have also shared stages with Prime Circle and Dan Patlansky.
“Arrows” is out now, with the official video also available.
