I was a little late on the Alt-J bandwagon. I knew their singles, but it wasn't until I saw the band perform last summer in Montreal that I really began to appreciate them. I was impressed by the harmony and vocal skills that they possessed live, as well as the intricate instrumentals that make up every song, which are usually left as interludes on albums and forgotten in concert. More so than a lot of groups these days, Alt-J really seemed like a band, every member working together to create the most interesting and unexpected sound they could.
So, like most Alt-J fans, the news that bassist Gwil Sainsbury has left the band came as a surprise and disappointment. This afternoon they took to Twitter to announce that: "With regret, Gwil is leaving alt-J. This is purely a personal decision and as our best friend we support him completely."
The band has been together since 2007, and released their debut album, An Awesome Wave, in 2012, winning the Barclaycard Mercury Prize that same year. There is no word on a replacement, or how this will impact their future, but watch their live performance of "Intro" below, and keep checking back here for more information.