The Bats

The Bats are an institution on the New Zealand music scene, their melancholy jangle pop sound and infectious melodies consistently defining the country's indie aesthetic at its very best. After forming in the early '80s as yet another outgrowth of the seminal Clean, the band would keep the same lineup as they progressed through more than four decades together, moving from their first album Daddy's Highway in 1987 to later releases like 2025's Corner Coming Up without changing too much about their uniquely wistful melodies, pastoral arrangements, and incisive songwriting.