Acts to Look Out For: #19-24.

We've neglected our Bands/Acts to Look Out For section for quite some time now; which is strange considering how much music our editorial consumes recently. By way of an apology for neglecting our primary function as a new music site, Braden's decided to do a bumper post of four, stretching from acoustic acts through to some solid pop via post-rock and indie.

#19: KHUSHI

We saw Khushi for the first time at the Great Escape back in May after a tip off from Faded Glamour in March. Since then, singer songwriter Kalim Patel and his band have finally gotten around to releasing their/his debut single Magpie. It's out on a gorgeous clear 7" vinyl from the Laissez Faire Record Club and should see the Londoner rise up billings across the country very soon.

If you're a fan of anything from The National through to Ben Howard, you'll find KHUSI to be one of the most enjoyable new acts this year.
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#20: Dan Croll

First emerging almost a year ago now, Dan Croll's Vampire Weekend come Lucy Rose sound has earnt him a host of high profile support slots (Stornoway, Bastille, Imagine Dragons) as well as a Radio One Live Lounge session and an appearance on the new FIFA 14.

The Liverpudlian, backed with his own band has an array of singles now, all sounding somewhat different from one another; which we can only assume is going to lead to quite the debut album if he can pin it all down. This busy year sees him embark on a few more headline shows in the UK before he creates that all important record though, so whilst we can still call him new, we thought it best to feature the very talnted Dan Croll. Hear his new single (and our favourite to date), Home below.
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#21: Nordic Giants

We've seen Nordic Giants a few times now so you may have noticed them crop up every now and then, but it's been 18 months since they first entered our ears and they've created a host of new material since then including their new single, Violent Lights (below) which may well be their most beautiful yet.
Fans of Sigur Ros and all things of similar beauty will find Nordic Giants to be possibly the most exciting new post-rock act coming through the ranks at the moment. The Brighton duo like to shroud themselves in mystery as well as clad themselves in a selection of rather flamboyant feathered outfits to perform live, and that only adds to their already hugely visual stage setup. Their selection of videos project onto screens around them and create films to which their music triumphantly and often darkly accompanies. Few bands breaking through right now are as interesting as the Giants.
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#22: 1984

The Subways were accused of having their thunder stolen by Blood Red Shoes after taking too long a break between records to create their third; but in terms of keeping the scene of '07 alive, BRS may have shot themselves in the foot as well as taking the British glass from Franz Ferdinand's latest record and The Sunshine Underground's more listenable tracks by producing the 1984's latest record Influenza. Whilst on record, they sound not too dissimilar to their predecessors; live they have the shy persona of their fellow Frenchmen Phoenix but mixed with the power that rides through Alex Kapranos and Damon Albarn. They've most definitely been through the British school of what makes a grit rock band, but they've come out without the pretence or bravado so unbearable. Laura Mary Carter and Steve Ansell, give yourselves a pat on the back.
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#23. The IC1s

When you think about bands like Editors and The Enemy, you often get lost in references to the 90's and end up in a crowd surrounded by a bunch of self professed 'LADS' who'll spill their £4.50 pint on you and say something about their missus being somewhere infront of you as they push past. They'll later say something about 'banter' and make you wonder why you bothered listening to this music.

Rarely however, do bands come around that sound like this whilst shrugging off the stereotypes with a shed-load of passion and heart.
The persona of a Gallagher is still there, but with the kind of love for music that Noel showed, not the swagshite of Liam. They've even got the backing of Libertine's drummer Gary Powell.
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#24. Swiss Lips

Oh yes, we've finally got round to formally introducing these wonderful Mancunian gentlemen. It's looking like they're going to finally kick off in the coming few months as they'll be releasing an actual EP entitled YEAH. What we've already learnt about the band is that they're one of the most exciting new pop acts coming through the ranks, hot on the tails of tour buddies Bastille and friends with the likes of The Horrors. We know that Amazing Radio had their debut single U Got The Power at #1 in their charts and we know that they're capable of creating both a month long party on Brick Lane as well as a video game for another single.
Swiss Lips, in their own words are pop-sorcerors that make music to dance to; and we're inclined to agree. 
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So there you have it! Six acts of varying new-ness to add to your listening pile. Hopefully you made it through the whole thing and have a variety of new music to enjoy.
We'll be launching our New Music Playlist next week and will have a new Bandcamp feature coming up soon as well. New acts, prepare to get featured, providing you're smashing!

Braden Fletcher

Bands to Look Out For #18 - Splashh

"There are bands that perfectly imitate other bands, whereas we have our influences, but try to do something completely original." These words are from the mouth of Splashh’s frontman, Sasha, and they totally sum up his band’s approach to music.
They reel off influences in interviews, citing indie legends Deerhunter, Dinosaur Jr and Jay Reatard among others, and sounds from all these bands can be heard at times in Splassh’s music; however, they never let one influence overpower their own unique style.

This London band aren’t brand new, not in terms of internet-age time, they’ve been around for a year or so, but they have quickly garnered attention, playing big festivals such as Glastonbury. Their music is in the vein of krautrock indebted bands like the Horrors and Toy, but what makes them stand out is a real knack for melody, which makes these guys not only a great live act, but also a compelling listen on record.
Their debut album is released here in September, which in the band’s own words is "just a collection of songs that we wrote at home and we just put it on an LP. It’s just a nice little intro to the world." An endorsement so calm, cool and assured from a band sitting on a clutch of excellent singles can only mean good things. Meanwhile if you haven’t already heard their stuff, check out the video for their song Vacation (below) which features one of the most infectious hooks of the past year. Watch this space.

Josh Barfoot

Bands to look out for #17

Monkey Puzzle

Having written the book on sensitive indie-pop in the eighties and nineties, delivered everything from suave indie-rock to searching singer-songwriters in the noughties and given us some of the most promising electro-pop acts around in the form of Chvrches and Giant Fang, perhaps the next music scene Glasgow will come to dominate will be rap. Led by the fearsome duo Hector Bizerk (think Death Grips covering ‘Ill Manors’) and the sample-heavy collective Stanley Odd hip-hop has finally come to the banks of the Clyde.

Mixing live instrumentation with ‘mic strangler’ Conor Moore’s aggressive flow, young quartet, Monkey Puzzle announce ‘we are that punk rap shit’. Channelling Rage Against the Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers and their fair share of rapcore oddities they make pounding funk-metal that fits comfortably beneath their frontman’s raucous burr. This could easily have seen them turn into Scotland’s answer to effluvial musical lunkheads Limp Bizkit but live there’s an unstoppable energy that renders such comparisons null and void. New material hints at an increasing focus on melody but the young group are knocking out tracks so quickly that their recorded output struggles to keep up.

‘Let’s get Funky’ packs an irresistible party groove whilst ‘Flow With Me’s gives it the full on Rage treatment with popping bass and heavy riffing, topped off with Moore’s self-aggrandising lyrics. Whether headlining Glasgow’s underground proving ground Pivo Pivo after just three shows or winning over death-metal fans whilst supporting hard-rockers Sound Over Silence, the young quartet are proving that it doesn’t matter where you’re from, it’s where you’re at that counts.

Max Sefton

Bands to look out for #16

WALL

"Am I allowed to love you yet?" implores Lyla Foy, the swoon-worthy songstress behind Wall, a dreamy, minimalist pop band who are well on their way to capturing hearts everywhere. Amidst soft percussion and plaintive melody, Foy's vocals evoke a very real sense of vulnerability, and her masterfully vague lyrics seem to suspend reality itself, drawing the listener closer to her fantasy world; teasing, perhaps, with the promise of a withheld secret.

And Foy is almost as mysterious as her music: all that anyone seems to know about her are the basics. A London-based producer-slash-singer-song-writer, she wrote and produced her 7", titled Magazine entirely by herself. She plays all the instruments too, though when playing shows she entrusts this to members Oli Deakin and Dan Bell. And that's pretty much all there is to know about her at the moment, excepting the odd, sparse interview here and there.

That's not to say that she's completely invisible though. As the first artist to be signed to the newly-formed BCS Records, they already have two videos of her performing in their well-known back cab. As well as this, the official video for their single, Magazine, perfectly expresses Wall's close-up, super-intimate style.

With a Tumblr-friendly colour palette and a cast of kooky actors, the video creates a fragile, childlike atmosphere which perfectly complements Foy's tenderly uncertain lyrics. Soft visuals and precisely ordered props provide a further sense of immersion into a delicate world, and the ending shot - a furtive, eager peek into an unlimited night sky - is indicative of the beginning of Wall's own career.

What will Wall do next? Will wider recognition drown out their soft, earnest voice? Because at this point it seems undoubted that they can remain in obscurity for much longer, with their obvious talent and charming sound. If you like Youth Lagoon or The xx, Wall are definitely a band to look out for, and I for one am looking forward to watching them quietly dominate music discussion in months to come.

Ruthie Kennedy

Bands to look out for #15

ON AN ON

It seems nigh on impossible for a new band to sound original nowadays, with an endless stream of copy-cat guitar bands coming out of the UK, and dreamy, floaty nonsense from the US. So if you can't always be original, it's best to find another way of grabbing people's attention, which ON AN ON have done by being emotive and exciting, albeit in a way that may sound familiar. 

The first song released by the Chicago three-piece, 'Ghosts' is a striking listen. It hits quite bizarrely though, like your spine-chilling first exposure to Interpol's Turn On The Bright Lights or The National's Alligator except not as instant, and infinitely more uplifting. It's quite plodding at first, but carries a depth to its body when given repeat listens. The vocal delivery sounds pained, tired and tortuously accepting of some kind of paranormal possession "There are spirits coming to find me, they're not stopping until its done". The nonchalant vocal delivery pays off well, where other bands just sound bored ON AN ON come across as weary and heartfelt, which backed with some interesting guitar progressions makes for one of the year's most beguiling listens.

Other recently surfaced track 'The Hunter' too is an interesting listen, employing electronically distorted vocals and carrying a much heavier weight to it. Instead of the emotive trudge of 'Ghosts' however, this time ON AN ON reach for the blueprint named 'M83 style huge epic song' and appropriate accordingly. Both tracks are just hints at what's to come from ON AN ON, but if their forthcoming debut album is anywhere near as exciting as the current cuts, 2013 could be their year.

The band's debut album Give In is released on January 29th via Roll Call Records. 
http://www.itsonanon.com/

Toby McCarron