London three piece KHARTOUM releases the fresh new banger, ‘Some Days’ ahead of their Glastonbury performance this weekend.
Self-produced by the band and mixed by multi-Grammy award winning mix engineer Eduardo De La Paz (Peace, TheHorrors, NoelGallagher), the adventurous anthem oozes indie-rock to get down and dirty to.
Sounds like: The Beatles, Beck, Harry Styles, OK Go, Sunflower Bean, Wolf Alice, Black Honey
common goldfish – Shout Louder
common goldfish – Shout Louder
London-based common goldfish channels 90’s indie rock in his new track, ‘Shout Louder’.
Inspired by the Get Back documentary, the summery single uses a mix of 90’s break samples and psychedlic guitar riffs that are making a come back of late.
Bay city beaut, Magsy releases his new EP, ‘Brite Nite’ and you can listen to ‘Midnight Blue’ below.
Magsy has been writing since he was 14 years old and has used it to answer his questions of belonging, perfectly reflecting his personal experiences. As well as music, he also works in construction, which has helped him hone his creative side.
Celestial North’s luminary new single ‘The Nature Of Light’ is inspired by her studies as a Herbalist and by the concept of The Light Of Nature.
Surging with a pulsing life force of wonderful cosmic pop: woven with bubbling beats, sci-fi keys, fragments of arpeggio and imbued with a euphoric rush of dreamy melodies that invoke the spirit of pagan folklore and our connections with nature and inner hope.
Sounds like: Niki & The Dove, Bat For Lashes, Kate Bush, Oh Land
Isle Of Wight band Coach Party shares their latest track, a cover of Clairo‘s ‘Bags’. A huge fan of Clairo’s album ‘Immunity’ and a result of their combined restless lockdown creativity, the visuals were made remotely and can be watched below.
The band’s debut 6-track ‘Party Food’ EP was produced by their own Guy Page and is out now on Chess Club Records. You can listen below.
Sounds like: Wolf Alice, Lauran Hibbard, Honey Lung, Dream Wife, Talk Show, The Big Moon, Black Honey, The Amazons, The Strokes
Apart from the brilliant name, Portsmouth-based quartet Sad Palace also writes some decent songs, all with a quirky tinge…obviously.
Like many other bands based on the British South Coast, Sad Palace’s sound has an upbeat mentality stirred with moody jangle-pop. Speaking about the lyrics, frontman Louis explains,
“The lyrics were born from the frustration of failing to communicate with people, of being overloaded with information, and a feeling that you can’t keep up with the sheer amount of things happening around you.”
Their upcoming ‘Longbaby’ EP, out on Friday, takes from tracks written across a period of two years and recorded in four days at Press Play Studio, influencers of the five-track EP include artists such as Peace, AmericanFootball, TheWarOnDrugs, Ratatat, and Late of the Pier, and follows a string of singles released by Kissability and Kitsuné.
Sounds like: Bad Sounds, Black Honey, Superfood, Arcade Hearts, The Levity, The War On Drugs, Ratatat
We do like a good festival, and after hearing that NOS Alive in Lisbon, Portugal is up there as one the world’s best music festivals, we decided to plan a trip in July to find out what all the fuss is about!
In the mean time, buckle up and check out our ones to watch within the indietronica genres (looks like we’ll mainly see you at the Sagres Stage then!).
THURSDAY 12 JULY
Friendly Fires, Sagres Stage
Energetic Brit boys Friendly Fires return to the festival circuit after a hiatus.
Having already had massive success with hits such as ‘Paris’, ‘Jump In The Pool’ and ‘Skeleton Boy’, their new single ‘Love Like Waves’ doesn’t disappoint and continues the theme of tropical-tinged synth sounds.
Expect a highly fun and bold performance at NOS Alive.
Jain is a multi-cultural singer/songwriter and self confessed beat-maker, originally from France, but who has also spent time in Dubai and The Congo.
Jain means achieving liberation of the soul, and that’s exactly what this music embodies with its flecked sounds of African rhythms with simple, yet vibrant vocals.
Watch the video for highly recognised song ‘Makeba’ below and catch Jain at the Sagres Stage on Thursday.
One artist we are super stoked to check out live is Khalid.
The American singer/songwriter originally started writing music during his college years, where he was also declared prom king. Amalgamating an array of sounds from classical, pop to hip hop, Khalid shows a real sense of urgency in his music.
We can’t get enough of his track with Billie Eilish, and can’t wait to see him perform at NOS Alive.
Sounds like: Kendrick Lamar, A$AP Rocky, Father John Misty, Frank Ocean, Chance the Rapper, Lorde, James Blake, Billie Eilish
Indie rockers Wolf Alice have been our firm favourites from the UK for some time now. They never disappoint at a live show, fronted by a fresh-faced Ellie Rowsell’s seemingly blasé but endearingly nervous attitude.
Expect a set full of their most brilliant tunes…so that’s all of them then!
Sounds like: Black Honey, Peace, Superfood, Foals, Circa Waves, Harry
Sampha is to be one of the UK’s best musical exports in 2018.
He has a knack for writing songs with deep and personal lyrics of pain and reflection, some of which have unfortunately has stemmed from health hardships suffered with his family at home, and we can’t help but think we are supporting him on this journey.
Truly thought-provoking stuff, definitely worthy of a slot at NOS Alive.
Sounds like: Jessie Ware, Frank Ocean, Solange, Moses Sumney, James Blake, Chet Faker, SBTRKT, Dallas Green
Future Islands‘ front man Samuel T Herring’s dancing is reason enough to go watch these guys at NOS Alive. And of course, the US synthpop band are wildly brilliant in as many unique, refreshing and inspiration ways possible.
Feisty feminist attitudes and catchy lyrics is what CHVRCHES brings to the table.
Lauren Mayberry has faced her fair share of trolls online, but to her testament, the Scottish trio continue to go from strength to strength. We are very much looking forward to this show!
Sounds like: Kate Boy, Avec Sans, Purity Ring, Vogue Dots, R.A.B.B.I.I., Kaleida, Gems, IYES, For Esmé, ALMA, Pale Hands, Acre Tarn, Prinze George, Leitbur, Monogem, PALMEDO, NONONO, Still Corners, MUNA
Imagine if M83 and Joanna Newsom met one day and decided to make some music. The result would be the quirky and ambient tones of Portuguese Surma (aka Débora Umbelino).
Working with loop pedals, the solo artist works with analogue and digital sounds creating a primal yet sonic environment.
Kicking off Saturday’s ones to watch are Lisbon natives, Lotus Fever.
They fit somewhere in-between Alt-J and Pink Floyd and it’s really refreshing to hear. We are expecting a super tight performance, thanks to their longstanding stint together since 2011 and it being their local city.
Their music has tendencies to sway in the 60’s, psychedelic market – imagine riding on a surfboard in space. However, we expect their set at NOS Alive to be a relaxed affair, where you can chill out and have a cider…or ride a surfboard in space, whatever takes your fancy!
Less under the radar than the counterparts in this piece, but still worthy of a slot on one’s to watch at this year’s NOS Alive. The mighty MGMT!
The eclectic US-based duo are known for their otherworldly take on modern indie rock music, often combining psychedelic synths, crunchy guitars and stodgy vocals with fun videos.
Sounds like: Empire of the Sun, Foster the People, Tame Impala, Portugal. The Man
Covering topics such as sexual abuse, suicide and alcohol abuse, Perfume Genius (aka Mike Hadreas) is one such musical role model we want to be more involved with.
His music represents such struggles and recoveries in a camp but delightfully magnificent way.
Sounds like: Sufjan Stevens, St. Vincent, Kate Bush, M83, David Bowie, Future Islands, Fever Ray
With a warming lo-fi sound, Brooklyn-based dream team, Real Estate is our last act to consider watching at NOS Alive.
Run by childhood friends who played in their backyards during the summer months, Real Estate write simple and endearing songs full of luminous guitar riffs and delicate synths.
We envisage this show to be a perfect end to a perfect weekend.
Brighton four-piece, YONAKA are back with a video for ‘Bubblegum’.
Directed by Ali Kurr (Loyle Carner), it exposes the chaotic world of YONAKA, both on stage and off (remember the guitarist cutting his head open at The Great Escape this year?!), as the band play to a packed and sweaty room.
Watch below and try and spot the giant bubblegum.
It’s out now on Atlantic Records.
The band will also be playing their biggest headline show to date at The Garage in London, on 28 February. Get your tickets here.
Sounds like: Gwen Stefani, Pat Benatar, Charli XCX, Karen O, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Drenge, Black Honey, Skindred
Keeping us in fits of giggles, Bath based band, Bad Sounds are back with ‘Wages’.
Bad Sounds say of the track,
“‘Wages’ is our working in retail ballad, it comes from us getting stuck in situations that we don’t want to be stuck in. It’s just a bit of a sulk and some trumpets…”
We’ve watched these guys live, and the fun-fuelled video for ‘Wages’ fully encompasses the Bad Sounds vibe.
Live Dates Tues 29th Nov – Camden Assembly, London
Wed 30th Nov – Exchange, Bristol
Sounds like: Wolf Alice, Beach Baby, Pulp, Blur, Black Honey, De La Soul, Beastie Boys
We declared BadSounds our new favourite band after watching them perform at The Alternative Escape in Brighton last month.
Producing some real badass sounds, the Bath five-piece fuse cheerful pop hooks, fuzzy guitar lines, and addictive choruses, bringing sounds of the 70’s and 80’s into the 90’s Brit-Pop era with a modern twist.
‘Avalanche’ has been co-produced by Duncan Mills (Peace, Spectator).
Watch the psychedelic video below:
UK Tour Dates
24 June – Glastonbury (BBC Introducing Stage)
19 July – The Social, London *
12 August – Club NME, Koko *
2 September – Festival No. 6, Portmeirion
*Headline show
Sounds like: Wolf Alice, Beach Baby, Pulp, Blur, Black Honey
