Battleflag is the project of Philadelphia-based singer/songwriter, Jeff Hartwig. It was conceived in 2020 after demoing a new set of songs and “feeling the need to regain some agency in an age of personal, social and political unrest.”
Battleflagg is “not so much a band but a collective of like-minded musicians and visual artists, formed during the pandemic to combat an age of creeping cynicism.” They pursue a sound that blends traditional Rock instrumentation with ambient synths, drum loops and samples. On January 7th, 2025, they will be releasing the EP Solastalgia.
After an early stint on the East Coast, Hartwig moved to San Francisco in the late 90s, where he became part of the Indie/Americana/Punk scene. Fronting an Americana(ish) band called The Dangs, he played with then-rising bands Third Eye Blind, and Cake and Train.
After a period in which Hartwig took time out of the public eye to pursue a career in corporate law, in 2019, he returned to create Battleflagg’s first EP, The Blood Meridians, which was released by Hartwig’s own label, Resolute Juke, in November 2022. The Blood Meridians was recorded in London and the south of England and featured talent from both the UK and US.
After the release of The Blood Meridians, Hartwig again set the production process in motion. Upon hearing Sharon Van Etten’s single, “Mistakes”, and loving the sonic vibe, he reached out to its Producer, Daniel Knowles (SVE, Cigarettes After Sex), to see if Knowles would have interest in producing his upcoming EP, who readily agreed to be a part of the project.
After almost 18 months of recording and mixing, the new EP, Solastalgia, is ready for its release. Co-produced by Knowles and Battleflagg, the breadth of musical collaborators on Solastalgia even exceeds that of The Blood Meridians and includes members of The War on Drugs, Ethel Cain, Japanese Breakfast and Elvis Costello.
When asked what he hopes people would take away from listening to his new music, Hartwig said:
When listening to these songs, I want the listener to understand, and feel the power of, the simple snapshots described within, and how such moments are common to many. Hopefully, in understanding that the experiences in the songs are common to all of us, particularly in the face of massive change, the listener will find a deeper connection to the people and places around them.
