New music tends to seem as though it is simply the product of intertextuality, but we have got you covered. To help you notice who you should be keeping an eye out for next year, we have picked out artists who are, inarguably, predestined to breakthrough in 2021 – from up-and-coming artist to names that you may have already heard of!
Sinead O’Brien
For fans of: Dream English Kid, Dry Cleaning and The Spunloves.
Sounds like: Irvine Welsh decided to write avant-garde poetry.
For fans of: Hole, Bikini Kill, Elastica
"We're the band you can't wash out."
Their high energy experimental sound takes honest and opinion fuelled lyricsim in a completely new direction.
Their latest feat 'Freezer Jesus' tackles the mundanity of every day life whilst worming in social issues concerned with marxism, consumerism and the elitist values of corporate chains. The chaotic music video perfectly compliments the eclectic lyrics, sythn-pop beats and Kathleen Hanna infused vocals.
Not too bad for a hungover concoction.
However, in spite of all of this, it has been truly wonderful seeing some of the ways venues, artists and the industry as a whole has coped and adapted during this difficult time, often for no financial gain but instead, simply to spread some love. Artists have performed for us via live streams, the likes of Jools Holland, Laura Marling and some of the fellas from IDLES have done some online music tutorials, and there’s even been a few socially-distanced concerts – who would have thought it?!
So, let’s get onto something more positive and take a look back at some of my ‘Artists of the year’. Ordinarily, this would be a list of new artists to look out for, those who have contributed a brilliant album or delivered a fantastic live show etc, but of course, in the true spirit of 2020, this year it’ll be slightly different!
Alongside those categories just mentioned, I’ll also be talking about the artists that have gone the extra mile and contributed more than just music.
Tickets to the livestream cost £5, and went towards the crowdfunding campaign, which has raised over £60,000 at the time of writing. In addition, merchandise for Black Midi, New Road was also being sold.
Going on to bring Kim deal into the fold, the duo also recruited drummer David Lovering, and so it goes the Pixies began serenading us with their dynamic and idiosyncratic sound.
The most remarkable thing about the Pixies’ reunion - 11 years after their split - is they still can boast about selling out four London shows to a demographic that were potentially too young to remember the quartets first run. There are a few staggering hairlines and full waists on display but the Pixies were a rather interesting looking band when they first walked onto British stages over 14 years ago.
Nirvana are arguably one of the most well-known bands to date, with ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ easily being the song of the 90s. But even though their logo is still used on a varying types of merch after almost 30 years, the question still remains to those of us not lucky enough to live through Nirvana’s rise to fame: What made them so influential?
1. Nirvana made the ‘from average Joe to Rock ‘n’ Roll legend’ dream a reality
After growing up in Aberdeen, Seattle, Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic met as teens to form the early beginnings of ‘Nirvana’; Novoselic was still a student at school and Cobain was the janitor. After a while of gigging and later joining forces with Dave Grohl, the band we now know as ‘Nirvana’ was formed. Despite creating music that defined the 90s, all three members came from very humble backgrounds, and remained so throughout their career together. Nirvana were able to prove to an entire generation of people that through hard work, showcasing their talents and sheer luck, you could become the ultimate rock star, when this notion seemed completely unreachable in a pop music saturated world. To put it shortly, Nirvana made it look as though anyone could be the next big thing in music as they did exactly that.
The band aren’t afraid to be different and that’s often reflected in their out of the ordinary tour posters and music videos which no doubt grabs the interest of new listeners.
The opening lyric from your single suggests that 17 hours is a long time to wait; so, it must have been a pretty frustrating year!
A: Yeah, I think that just describes the year, just that one lyric. Not that I knew it at the time. I kind of just wanted to write a song that was based around a feeling, not just one type of breakup. So, I got the idea of time which was where that came from; again, not knowing that I'd be waiting 18 months to release it!
If you were on Tumblr in its heyday you know who Phoenix is. Even if you weren’t and you heard Lisztomania or 1901 at a party (or socially distanced pub) there would be a flicker of recognition in your eyes and you’d say something along the lines of “OH, those guys”. Phoenix isn’t really a band you need to ‘meet’ but it’s a band few people really know.
Initially formed as a ‘garage band’ in Paris in the 1990s, Phoenix were cooler than you from the start. They were a part of the iconic French cultural period that produced big names like Daft Punk, Justice and Air and ushered in a new generation of French Touch artists. Their debut album “United” was released in 2000 and featured Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk fame and production by the late Philippe Zdar.
A lot happened between 2014 and 2019 that influenced FKA twigs for her self-produced sophomore album MAGDALENE. A breakup from a public, long-term relationship was one main source of inspiration for the melancholic album, and something that permeates on the tracks throughout. In an interview, she said the album is about “every lover that I’ve ever had, and every lover that I’m going to have.”
The real reason that this song seems to have succeeded where others have failed is because Coldplay stuck to their classic and popular style whilst managing to incorporate a Christmas twist. This way they managed to retain their original fans whilst gaining new fans from the general Christmas song hysteria.
Cameron Byrd who is most likely best known as a member of the band Hollywood Ending, has made his return to the music scene since the band called time on things back in 2015 Byrd took the time since then to focus on his education and his music producing abilities but he’s back with his first solo single Over Again and it’s a must listen.
The song has the combination of sounds with the feeling of an emotive ballad but with the addition of pop punk/ pop rock elements too. With the pop punk elements it feels like Byrd has stuck with elements of the genre that listeners familiar with him would associate him with, but with the piano ballad style elements it feels like a step into something different sound wise for Byrd.
This single is one of the more emotive and heartfelt releases from the band but the emotion and feeling is still wrapped up in the distinctly Sea Girls indie alternative rock sound.
Finlay Birch first made waves with his debut ode-to-love spotify single 'Better Guy' and is making his way onto the UK indie scene. Combining contemporary pop with soft indie sounds makes for a unique collaboration to bring us sonically pleasing works of art.
His latest single 'Sunflower Girl' rings with a vague reminiscence to the works of Rex Orange County and Mac DeMarco. Self proclaimed as 'Scottish Indie Lofi Bedroom Folk', his soft melodic lyrics injected with dreamy guitar strokes make for a perfect summer-inspired bop.'Sunflower Girl' wouldn't be out of place soundtracking 'Submarine' alongside Alex Turner.
Up and coming artist Finlay Birch, talks his latest single and his favourite modern artists...
Q. What artists do you take inspiration from?
A. I take inspiration from many different artists however there are some I take more inspiration from! I am really inspired by Mac DeMarco, Field Medic, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Beabadoobee, Brian Wilson/The Beach Boys, Fats Waller, Ariel Pink, Velvet Underground, Lou Reed, Unknown Mortal Orchestra & Tallest Man on Earth.
The song opens with a slowed down opening focusing on just the bass and the vocals and as it continues, the song begins to build as the verse progresses with the introduction of drums. The song then breaks into a full on party vibe as the full mix of guitar and bass are combined with a heavier drum beat to bring out the heavier rock sounds and make it into another classic hit for the band.
Supported by The View’s Kyle Falconer and James Allen of Glasgvegas, the livestreamed gig in aid of Kirkcaldy Foodbank was a spectacular showcase of the best talent that music mogul Alan McGee has to offer – providing us with a unique and daring glimpse into what Summer 2021 has in store for us with Creation Day Festival.
In true Christmas fashion, the shams surprised us with the gift of three previously unheard tracks, ‘Council State of Mind’, ‘Dreams, Schemes & Young Teams’, and ‘Living In Shadows’.
The set opened with the eerie ringing of guitar feedback, a sound which has become all too familiar with live streams, before the Jake kicked in with the drums, guitar and basslines ensued, and Lewis jumped in fronting the vocals and giving us a stellar performance of ‘My Time Is Now’. It’s almost too easy to forget that they’re performing to an empty room - but they take all of that in stride.
The songs themselves are unlike any other Christmas song I’ve heard, a really unique take on the classic Christmas song. Music so full of joy, it’s impossible not to be happy after listening to them. They make me want to grab a selection box, put the heating on and sit down to watch a classic Christmas film, one of those songs. They also remind you of the best parts of Christmas, spending time with your family and friends, indulging in good food but also the importance of looking after others, something I feel we all need to do more this year.
While I’m waiting between the white social distancing lines in the cold London air I notice the strange audience that the show has attracted. Even though people are largely masked, the diversity of the crowd is apparent, fans are aged anywhere between 18-50 and there are no clear similarities between anyone attending (apart from the fact that every third attendee or so dons a rolled up beanie).
The song has the classic sound that Brijean has famed themselves for with the synth and electro sounds combined with the 70’s disco vibes that emanate from the echoing and high tone vocals, bongo drum beats, and the synth dance over layers.
The song itself is a song to connect to and get lost in, it invaded your mind and takes over with its sounds. It’s a song you can’t help but enjoy and to be taken away with, it’s the sort of song that makes you feel what you can and you can imagine that when you close your eyes and embrace the song you can almost see a blur of colours of lights passing you by in a haze of joy.
The pair have created a heartfelt love song with undercurrents of sadness and missing someone you’d lost before turning those feelings around into hope and happiness and the feeling that the future is bright. After the mania of 2020, this song and its vibe couldn’t feel more right because it’s been a rough year for everyone but we all need that glimmer of hope and positivity that things will be okay and Hamilton and Capell have captured that feeling and wrapped it in a musical gift to us all.
In the words of singer Matt Hallas, “A Spin Around The Sun is an overview of the life experiences we’ve been thrown into throughout the past year. It represents the broad range of emotions experienced during transition, whether it be loss, fear or excitement. This past year has been a rollercoaster.”
The biggest upheaval has been the change in the band’s setup. Originally a four-piece, Glass Caves has now stripped down to members Hallas and Elliott Fletcher (drummer). The other members will return for live shows and events only. This change has given the band the opportunity to experiment, “This EP has been the first time Elliott and I have really been able to write music by ourselves, so we’ve taken that opportunity to explore areas we wouldn’t have otherwise explored.”
Following on from the successful release of their last single ‘Eye To Eye’ from the EP, Glass Caves have now dropped their brand new single ‘Who Are You?’. The new track is energetic, upbeat and catchy. It is a classic track from Glass Caves, who never fail to disappoint with their anthemic choruses that make you want to listen to their tracks again and again.
‘Who Are You?’ is an uplifting treat for the ears and the heart and proves exactly why Glass Caves are considered to be one of the hottest bands in the UK right now.
By Eveline Vouillemin
@up_comers
Image// GigGoer.com
To that end, if Director Richard Kelly ever did decide to create a sequel to this early noughties’ masterpiece, I have no doubt that Foster the People’s new single ‘Under the Moon’ would feature on that soundtrack. With his eerie, keening vocals and other-worldly use of synths and strings, Mark Foster has managed to create a song that sounds as astronomical as it does melancholic.
If you have not heard of Amber Run, then you are about to discover something very special.
First up is Don’t Shoot Me Santa by The Killers, a bizarre, festive plea to Father Christmas to not murder the narrator. The music video depicts a terrified Brandon Flowers being held hostage in tinsel by a deranged Santa (played by The Killers’ assistant and tour manager at the time, Ryan Pardey, who is also a musician in his own right). Indisputably catchy and festive, the song features an amusing call and response between the desperate Brandon Flowers and the nefarious Santa Claus. This one is a great track for the cynics and contrarians to hijack their family or friends’ Christmas playlists and bring some life to the (coronavirus-friendly) party via a song about death!
Those of you that have visited London might be familiar with the Shaftesbury Memorial fountain in Piccadilly, a fountain that features a statue of the Greek god Anteros and the inspiration behind the international band of the same name.
London might be credited as the place that bought the band together but since their formation their reach has extended far beyond the capital. From performances at Download Festival and supporting fan favourite Two Door Cinema Club to features on various Netflix shows, Anteros has made waves internationally with their quintessentially British indie rock sound.
Sun, sand, surfing, surfboards, skateboard tricks and the fact that all of these matter more than anything else.
Bottom-line is that their songs are fun. ‘(Nothing Wrong with) Riding a Board’ is a short and catchy tune sitting at the two and a half minute mark, embracing the twists and turns of a young surfer’s life battling with the threat of flunking out of classes when all they want to do is go surfing.
Seminal Manchester synth force, New Order announce a Manchester homecoming show at Heaton Park on Friday 10th September 2021, presented by The Warehouse Project. They are bringing electrified drum machine and indie disco dance contemporaries too, in the form of Hot Chip and Working Men’s Club as the confirmed supporting acts.
When Joy Division’s lead singer, Ian Curtis, tragically committed suicide in 1980, the remaining band members came together for a new start and from the ashes New Order was born. Building on expression and mood, New Order fused their post-punk legacy with beats inspired by the vibrant New York club scene. The result saw them release the biggest selling 12” single of all time with ‘Blue Monday’ and with ten studio albums created over four decades, they are easily one of the most acclaimed synth bands of all time; and now they are back in Manchester playing a homecoming gig…
The album opens with the song ‘Everyone Is My Friend’ which feels like a perfect opening for the album to set the feeling of what to expect from the album. The song is filled with acoustic guitar and has a very relaxed and lounge style feel to it; and it sets the tone to make it clear that this album isn’t going to be the usual pop rock sound that we expect from Bourne based on his work with Busted and his other projects; this album is Bourne’s brainchild and it’s a different style.
Fender has brought the original song back into public consciousness whilst also making it his own and putting his unique Sam Fender stamp on it. In comparison to the original Fender’s take feels even more sombre, thus emphasising the message behind the song.
The three-piece formed over a 6th form college community Facebook page. Enticed with the idea of being in a band, Sarah initiated the comradery when responding to the ad Charlie and Jonny had posted online. Initially the opening was for a bass player but it seems the trio managed to look past musical boundaries and brought us some enchanting dream-pop. Captivating and cultivating a following since the late 2019’s, simpler times we can all agree. The group recently signed with ‘Chuff Media’ under the guidance of ‘red light management’.
Decidedly more upbeat than its sister song, ‘Willow’ details the trials and tribulations of falling in love with the right person at the wrong time, but provides hope that if it is meant to be, it will be.
She does love a cliché.
The combination of two guitars, a bass and drums playing in blissful harmony has surely intensified countless personal moments worldwide, instantly transforming the mundanities of life into fond and unforgettable memories. Each of us respond uniquely to a certain chord, a subtle bassline or a well-timed hi-hat. Some bands and artists evoke such tenderness and warmth, as if translating your own sentiments into sounds looped back into your eardrums, tunes and inflections that feel more resonant than your own thoughts.
Its been a long time coming since we have had an act come out of Coventry and dominate the music scene. The last group was The Enemy during the peak of the golden era of indie rock. Coventry has been a city where the bands that break out always capture the mood of the times. From The Specials’ depiction of ghost town Britain, inner city violence and political stability, to Pa Salieu’ contemporary vision of the concrete jungle. COV- City of Violence, as he defines it in ‘Informa’, is the same turbulent jungle with a modern backdrop of urban nihilism.
The band released the single under Anton Newcombe’s YouTube channel with a slight reminder that this song is a 'work in progress’. The single was recorded at Cobra Studio, Berlin and given to the fans away from Spotify and most streaming services. Passed to Newcombe’s smaller following via his YouTube channel is possibly a sign of things to come and Newcombe is not looking to slow down at any point in the near future. The frontman took to his Twitter to confirm he will be adding to this WIP folder very regularly. ‘One a day, six days a week’.
A venue that was regularly host to these performances was The Windmill, in Brixton. The Windmill is often highly regarded as being one of the most prominent formational spaces for modern bands to cut their teeth and make a name for themselves, having put on many music nights for an array of various sounds and styles.
The original gig took place on the 7th June 2018, a charity show for War Child with limited tickets available. The 20 tracks that feature on this album are from all the different ‘eras’ of the Arctic Monkeys career so far.
As this performance took place at the beginning of the Tranquillity Base Hotel & Casino era, the gig was the debut for many songs off this album and a first glimpse at the new era the Arctic Monkeys we’re approaching. It’s no surprise that songs such as ‘pretty visitors’ are met with a great reception from the crowd.
Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2018) features some of the Arctic Monkeys classic tracks, but gives fans a more intimate view of their favourites. With the album bursting open with energetic performances of ‘brianstorm’ and ‘crying lightning’ before moving into the popular AM era.
Songs from AM (2013) feature such as ‘Do I Wanna Know’ and ‘Are You Mine’ Alex Turner’s slick vocals really come through on these live recordings, you can also hear how these iconic songs are greeted by screams of excitement by the crowd.
‘Arabella’ is also featured on the album, along with a video of the live performance giving fans an even more in depth look into these sought after performances.
Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007) (my personal favourite album of the Arctic Money’s calalog) makes an appearance with ‘Do me a Favourite’ and ‘505’ which sounds even more atmospheric and dreamy, if that’s even possible.
Alex Turner's charismatic showmanship comes through on the tracks ‘From the Ritz to the Rubble’ and ‘The View from the Afternoon’ from the album Whatever people say I am that’s what I’m not (2006) you can hear he’s giving the performances his all, occasionally becoming slightly breathless.
This album is as close to a greatest hits album that Arctic Monkeys fans are going to get, with a bunch of classic tracks but from a new perspective. Giving fans a glimpse of the action that’s involved in one of their exclusive and iconic live performances. With the explosive instrument arrangements and Alex Turner's well executed stage presence it’s definitely worth a listen too until the time comes that we can make it to one of the bands legendary gigs.
The album is also for a great cause, as all proceeds from this album go to the WarChild charity so make sure you go and grab yourself a copy.
Holly Sawal
@hollysawal
Image: Aaron Parsons
