Cristale
From Brixton, London
I suggest checking out Central Cee, Little Simz, and Kwengface if you enjoy their music.
Next in line is the 2024 Mixtape, followed by the Netflix series The Kitchen.
Without wanting to stoke the hype fires too carelessly, this Brixton MC has one of the keenest minds and sharpest tongues in rap music today, not just in the UK but across the world. Moment to moment, her flows are astonishing technical accomplishments, with words fiendishly darting into rhythmic space. Her rhymes rarely land on the word you expect: tinnitus begets Leviticus, and London traffic restriction Ulez gets rhymed with 90s romcom Clueless. But what’s perhaps most impressive is Cristale’s versatility and willingness to push herself across the rap production spectrum. She can do callous taunting or bruised introspection, twist the thermostat between cold trap and warm hip-hop, and bring her Jamaican heritage to bear on dancehall tracks (complete with withering accent and patois). Her core mode is the thrilling moped-swerve of UK drill – but even on these beats she revs the genre onwards, as she does with the minimalism of Roadents. It’s quite humbling to learn she’s only 22 years old, and can also act, taking a sizeable role in The Kitchen, a socially conscious dystopian drama co-written and co-directed by Daniel Kaluuya – it’s released on Netflix in January. BBT
Tara Clerkin Trio
From Bristol, UK
If you enjoy Mica Levi, Julia Holter, and Broadcast, you may also like the following artists.
Next up, we will be performing at the 100 Club in London on February 26th.
This group, which has been in the works for a long time, originated in the 2010 Bristol music scene centered around the Howling Owl label. It grew from the city’s emerging improvisation community and gradually evolved from the large Tara Clerkin Band to its current trio formation. The name is a playful nod to traditional jazz groups associated with ECM record label. Their latest EP, On the Turning Ground, features the aforementioned Clerkin along with brothers Patrick Benjamin and Sunny-Joe Paradisos, who create a blend of dub and minimalist jazz (similar to Avon-based Necks). The EP also includes field recordings of baroque string and lute music, all captured with a fresh, spring-like quality. Tucked within this enchanting atmosphere is the perfect pop song, “Marble Walls,” which exudes a serene and calm energy with its sweet vocal “ba da daaa!” chorus reminiscent of simple joys in everyday life. LS
Heriot
From Swindon, UK
If you enjoyed Knocked Loose, Rolo Tomassi, or Deafheaven, you may also like…
Next on the agenda is the release of their first album and a performance at the Download festival.
The genre of metalcore, characterized by a blend of heavy metal and hardcore punk with intense and dynamic shifts, is thriving. Heriot is one of the genre’s most powerful bands, with aggressive riffs and sky-tearing vocals. While technically formed a decade ago, the band has recently undergone a transformation with the addition of vocalist-guitarist Debbie Gough and the removal of all their previous music before 2020. They have since released the EP “Profound Morality,” featuring eerie incantations and demonic screams enhanced by distortion, as well as the successful single “Demure,” known for its cathartic and intense sound.
Discovery Zone
From New York
If you enjoy Air, Japanese city pop, and Laurie Anderson, then you might also like…
2021
The upcoming album, titled Quantum Web, will be released on RVNG on March 8th, 2021.
JJ Weihl, a producer from Berlin who goes by the name Discovery Zone, puts a lot of thought into her music. She incorporates elements of cybernetics, AI, and the ideas of philosopher Marshall McLuhan. However, her music is light and airy, yet still intriguing. Similar to Oneohtrix Point Never, she uses a distorted lens and a love for vintage commercials to create shiny, irresistibly catchy dream-pop with hints of boogie and electro. Her music captures the excitement of experiencing new technologies for the first time. When seeing her perform live, the charm only doubles as she skillfully plays the theremin and brings her high-concept art to life.
a.s.o.
From Berlin, through Australia.
If you like bands such as Massive Attack, HTRK, and All Saints.
Next, we will be returning to the studio.
Due to the renewed popularity of shoegaze and trance music, the current trend of nostalgia has shifted towards the 1990s. There is a possibility that the post-trip-hop sound of artists like Morcheeba and Lemon Jelly could be the next revival. Despite this genre being considered some of the worst music from that decade, the duo A.S.O. (Alias Error and Tornado Wallace) have managed to create a successful debut album in 2023, titled after their band name. The songs “My Baby’s Got It Out for Me,” “Falling Under,” and “Rain Down” feature production elements reminiscent of William Orbit and beats that could be heard at a Goan hippy retreat. However, they also incorporate basslines similar to Massive Attack and thick ambient textures. Seror-O’Neill’s vocals have been compared to FKA twigs, Carla dal Forno, and Lana Del Rey, and she has a talent for creating catchy hooks. The track “Thinking” has been described as Air doing dub reggae, while “Love in the Darkness” and “Cold Feeling” could easily pass as lost coldwave singles. It is likely that major record labels are interested in signing them. BBT
The New Eves
From Brighton, UK
If you like The Raincoats, the Velvet Underground, and the Roches, then you may also enjoy…
Next in line: Additional individual releases, music festivals, and tours starting in the spring season.
The New Eves, a band within the indie-folk collective Broadside Hacks, is gaining attention in 2024 for their unique style of incorporating flouncy white dresses into their performances. Members Nina Winder-Lind, Kate Mager, Ella Russell, and Violet Farrer use a combination of traditional band instruments, as well as cello, violin, and flute, to create a punk-inspired sound that is both invigorating and unsettling. They draw inspiration from artists like Daisy Rickman, who is also predicted to make waves in 2024. Similar to influential bands like the Raincoats and the Roches, The New Eves infuse humor into their music, as seen in their song “Original Sin” which references their biblical namesake and encourages listeners to take control of their own fate.
Ceechynaa
From Hertfordshire
If you enjoy listening to artists like Cardi B, City Girls, and Loski.
The next release will be a new single in January.
Many people initially watched Ceechynaa’s viral UK drill tracks, Legal Baby and Last Laugh, as a joke but ended up being pleasantly surprised. Even though she performed the latter in Leicester Square wearing a bikini and her heavy cockney accent was mocked, her lyrics and talent were praised. Despite being a teenager, she confidently expresses her disdain for men and their attempts to impress her. Ceechynaa playfully questions the stereotypes placed on her and uses them to her advantage in her music, as she revealed on TikTok. BBT
MJ Lenderman
I am located in North Carolina, United States.
If you enjoy the music of Neil Young, Wednesday, or Waxahatchee.
The anticipated release for the fifth solo album is slated for 2024.
MJ Lenderman has quickly risen from a lesser-known musician in Asheville to a popular indie artist with a devoted following. His album Boat Songs, which has been compared to Neil Young and Jason Molina’s music, gained attention in 2022 and he has since been on tour with his girlfriend Karly Hartzman’s band Wednesday. In 2024, he is expected to have a major breakthrough and will also collaborate on a highly anticipated indie rock record. This recognition is well-deserved as Lenderman brings a fresh take on southern rock with his skilled guitar playing and sincere yet sardonic lyrics that capture both the mythical and mundane aspects of life.
Source: theguardian.com
