Studio Album · No. 5
& Songwriting Credits by Bastille
Produced by Mark Crew, Dan Smith, Charlie Barnes, Dan Priddy, JF Abraham · Engineered by Amy Sergeant, Luke Gibbs, Dylan Grafftey-Smith, Cassius Whiley-Morton, Emily Lazar
Holds writing credit on 14 of 14 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 14 / 14 documented
Scored across the 14 tracks with documented writers, by whether Bastille carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 14 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
& is the most single-authored record in the Bastille catalogue and the clearest showcase of Dan Smith as a narrative songwriter. He wrote every track, with a handful of co-writers brought in on specific songs: producer Mark Crew and Dan Priddy on 'Emily & Her Penthouse in the Sky' and 'Leonard & Marianne,' Ralph Pelleymounter on 'Marie & Polonium,' featured vocalist Bim (Abimbola Amoako-Gyampah) on 'The Soprano & Her Midnight Wonderings,' and Crew with JF Abraham on 'Essie & Paul.' The composer column carries Smith's legal name, Daniel Campbell Smith, against his common credit of Dan Smith. Production runs through Smith and Mark Crew across the whole album, with Charlie Barnes, Dan Priddy, and JF Abraham co-producing individual tracks, keeping the credits tight around a small core team.
& (pronounced 'Ampersand') is a concept album by Bastille, released on 25 October 2024 on Best Laid Plans and EMI after a four-part rollout that began in July 2024. Built around Dan Smith's writing, it is a collection of fourteen acoustic story-songs, each pairing two subjects drawn from history, mythology, and art, from 'Eve & Paradise Lost' to 'Marie & Polonium' and 'Zheng Yi Sao & Questions for Her.' The record strips back the band's usual electronic pop production in favour of stripped instrumentation, string arrangements, and narrative lyrics. Smith produced the album with longtime collaborator Mark Crew, with additional production from Charlie Barnes, Dan Priddy, and JF Abraham on individual tracks. It debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart and stands apart from the rest of Bastille's catalogue as a literary, character-driven song cycle.
Track Listing & Credits 14 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Intros & Narrators
|
Dan Smith | Daniel Campbell Smith | Mark CrewDan Smith | Dan Smith (Lead Vocals) |
| 2 |
Eve & Paradise Lost
|
Dan Smith | Daniel Campbell Smith | Mark CrewDan Smith | Dan Smith (Lead Vocals) |
| 3 |
Emily & Her Penthouse in the Sky
|
Dan SmithMark CrewDan Priddy | Daniel Campbell SmithMark CrewDan Priddy | Mark CrewDan Smith | Dan Smith (Lead Vocals) |
| 4 |
Blue Sky & the Painter
|
Dan Smith | Daniel Campbell Smith | Mark CrewDan Smith | Dan Smith (Lead Vocals) |
| 5 |
Leonard & Marianne
|
Dan SmithMark CrewDan Priddy | Daniel Campbell SmithMark CrewDan Priddy | Mark CrewDan SmithDan Priddy | Dan Smith (Lead Vocals) |
| 6 |
Marie & Polonium
|
Dan SmithRalph Pelleymounter | Daniel Campbell SmithRalph Pelleymounter | Mark CrewDan SmithCharlie Barnes | Dan Smith (Lead Vocals) |
| 7 |
Red Wine & Wilde
|
Dan Smith | Daniel Campbell Smith | Mark CrewDan Smith | Dan Smith (Lead Vocals) |
| 8 |
Seasons & Narcissus
|
Dan Smith | Daniel Campbell Smith | Mark CrewDan Smith | Dan Smith (Lead Vocals) |
| 9 |
Drawbridge & the Baroness
|
Dan Smith | Daniel Campbell Smith | Mark CrewDan Smith | Dan Smith (Lead Vocals) |
| 10 |
The Soprano & Her Midnight Wonderings
|
Dan SmithBim | Daniel Campbell SmithAbimbola Amoako-Gyampah | Mark CrewDan Smith | Dan Smith (Lead Vocals)Bim (Featured Vocals) |
| 11 |
Essie & Paul
|
Dan SmithMark CrewJF Abraham | Daniel Campbell SmithMark CrewJF Abraham | Mark CrewDan SmithJF Abraham | Dan Smith (Lead Vocals) |
| 12 |
Mademoiselle & the Nunnery Blaze
|
Dan Smith | Daniel Campbell Smith | Mark CrewDan Smith | Dan Smith (Lead Vocals) |
| 13 |
Zheng Yi Sao & Questions for Her
|
Dan Smith | Daniel Campbell Smith | Mark CrewDan Smith | Dan Smith (Lead Vocals) |
| 14 |
Telegraph Road 1977 & 2024
|
Dan Smith | Daniel Campbell Smith | Dan SmithCharlie Barnes | Dan Smith (Lead Vocals) |