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| Klaxons | |
|---|---|
| Name | Klaxons |
| Caption | Klaxons performing in 2007 |
| Origin | London, England |
| Genres | New rave, indie rock, electronic rock |
| Years active | 2005–2014, 2019–present |
| Labels | Polydor, Modular, Geo |
Klaxons were an English band formed in London, known for blending indie rock with electronic and dance elements to spearhead the mid-2000s "new rave" movement. The group achieved mainstream attention with a Mercury Prize–winning debut and toured internationally, influencing contemporaries across United Kingdom and United States alternative scenes. Their work intersected with artists and institutions from the NME press to festival stages such as Glastonbury Festival and Reading and Leeds Festivals.
Formed in 2005 in Deptford by students and scene figures who connected through venues like Electrowerkz and promoters in the Camden circuit, the band quickly garnered attention from tastemakers including NME, Pitchfork, and DJs at BBC Radio 1. Early singles received support on compilations alongside acts from Modular Recordings and tours with bands such as The Horrors, Bloc Party, and Franz Ferdinand. Their debut album won the Mercury Prize and they subsequently signed distribution and licensing deals involving labels like Polydor Records and promoters including Live Nation. Lineup changes and label negotiations saw periods of hiatus before reunions and anniversary shows at venues tied to scenes in Shoreditch and festivals in SXSW and Coachella.
The band's sound combined elements of Kraftwerk-inspired electronics, The Velvet Underground-adjacent art-rock, and the post-punk revival associated with Joy Division and Siouxsie and the Banshees. Critics compared them to contemporaries such as LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip, and Radiohead for their mixture of dancefloor rhythms and rock instrumentation. Lyrical and conceptual nods referenced writers and movements like J. G. Ballard, William S. Burroughs, and Surrealism, while production approaches echoed work by producers affiliated with Warp Records and Rough Trade artists. The band credited influences spanning Brian Eno ambient techniques, Giorgio Moroder disco synths, and the experimental pop of Talking Heads.
Core personnel included vocalist/guitarist and songwriter members who collaborated with producers and touring musicians from scenes connected to BBC Radio 6 Music and independent labels. Collaborators and touring lineups featured musicians associated with Foals, Everything Everything, and session players who had worked with acts on Island Records and XL Recordings. Management and production teams included individuals who had ties to agencies like Creative Artists Agency and studios used by Mark Ronson and Flood-associated engineers.
Their catalog comprised studio albums, EPs, and singles released via labels such as Polydor Records and independent presses tied to the Modular network. Key releases received coverage in outlets like The Guardian, The Independent, and Rolling Stone, and charted on lists maintained by Official Charts Company and Billboard. Singles and remixes positioned them alongside DJs and producers from Ministry of Sound bookings to club nights curated by figures associated with Fabric and Berghain-linked lineups.
The band toured extensively across Europe, North America, and Australia, appearing at international festivals including Glastonbury Festival, Coachella, Reading and Leeds Festivals, and SXSW. They supported and shared bills with acts such as Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes, The Killers, and electronic artists from the Ministry of Sound roster. Their stage shows featured lighting and VJ collaborations with collectives who had worked at venues like The Roundhouse and Royal Albert Hall for crossover events merging rock and electronic performance.
Reception ranged from enthusiastic endorsements by publications like NME and airplay champions at BBC Radio 1 to critical reassessment in retrospectives by The Guardian and Pitchfork. The band influenced a wave of hybrid indie-electronic acts and contributed to debates about genre taxonomy alongside movements tied to Electroclash and the post-punk revival. Their Mercury Prize recognition placed them in a lineage that included winners such as Pulp and Arctic Monkeys, and their aesthetic and sonic experiments informed artists appearing on labels like Rough Trade and Warp Records.
Category:English rock music groups Category:Musical groups from London