alt-J , stylized Δ , is a British independent rock band from Leeds, England. It is composed of three musicians and formed in 2007.
Their musical style mixes Folks interludes, hip-hop rhythms, or vocal harmonies. The group, first known as Daljit Dhaliwal, then Films , is composed of Joe Newman (guitarist / voice), Gus Unger -Hamilton (keyboardist / voice), and Thom Green (drummer / samples). With bassist Gwil Sainsbury having left the band after their first album, Cameron Knight replaces him at concerts. The group takes its name from the shortcut that gives the symbol Δ on a Macintosh with QWERTY keyboard>.
It all began at the University of Leeds in 2007. Gus was studying Letters and the other three were studying Fine Arts. Joe Newman and Gus Unger-Hamilton lived in the same building. One day, they crossed in the basement, in front of the washing machines. By the time the laundry ended, they chatted and got to know each other better. At the end of their first year, Joe showed Gus some melodies he'd composed on guitar. Gus added bass lines and they composed some musical pieces. Gwil and Thom joined the group later.
After rejecting Daljit Dhaliwal's name, they opt for Films. They begin to play in a few small festivals and concerts in France and England. But at a festival, they were announced as The Films; an American commercial pop group. It was then that we had to choose a new name. "Choosing a name we all liked was perhaps the hardest. It took us an unimaginable time. " Joe admits. It is then that they opt for the triangle "We liked the delta symbol, visually strong enough, without being called Delta. alt-J induces a shift, we like this indirect side. It is often necessary to explain that the symbol is pronounced differently and that it is a keyboard shortcut, etc.>. "
