My Sound of 2014

   The ultimate revealing of emerging bands and artists for this upcoming year. From full frontal punk to beaming bass lines, each scene live or in the studio is ecstatic.  

So 9 artists, all in a variety of genres, most of whom I've discovered in the last 4> months, I can promise you only that 'My Sound of 2014' is perhaps one the most anticipated collection you may find out in amoungst the blogging matrix, and no,I haven't copied from the likes of Radio 1 or NME, just the pure emphasis of overwhelming tunes that I've managed to have a rave/headbang/whatever suits. Each artist and band has the intention of creating and achieving the most diverse visions seen in the music industry since you saw a whole new take over in rock ,house and just about any mix you can think of......let's get started:


9. Wolf Alice

Just after the release of debut EP 'Blush' last December, things seem to be just lighting up the spark or Wolf Alice; originally formed as a North London Quartet, they now have a follow up to inevitable indie following for 2014. Take recent recording 'She' instinctively starting on a low, dirty riff then being collaborated with Ellie Rowsell's airy but somehow punchy lyrics, it almost verges on a soft punk image, 'she's got boyfriend in band...from the country loves the city' is instantly whisked into verse but contrasts softly rhyming choruses. But don't be fooled, Wolf Alice have already stuck it out blatantly that they can mix a scruffy mess in to any sort of expression. Also on E.P 'Nosedive' is more uplifted opposing to first single 'Fluffy' seeing more ferocity it's obvious that they can just about pull of what a true London made band should be; attitude, ambiguous and itchingly ambitious.




8. Cut Snake

 Paul Fisher and Leigh Sedley met whilst surfing out in Hawaii 8 years ago. Both sharing a passion for house they managed to achieve getting signed to Three Six Zero Group just last year. I discovered them through late night dance anthems on Radio around last autumn with single, 'Face Down' using a diverse blend of thumped out bass and beats not to dissimilar to Gorgon City's 'Real'. However it opens with continuous refrains to make it the most intellectual house record I'd heard in 2013. 'Off to the desert' is more sharper but still sticks to a low heavy thud, it's an intimately heated record of a sexually distorted twist, climaxing steadily back into various echoes and scales all blissfully mixed together for over an hour. Cut Snake have house ridden through them no doubt, you won't find much else but it's just too addictively pure to classify as just another mix. 'Shake It Off' deals again with heavenly vocals that pronounce the up-scales even further. Various remixes on tracks like Micky Ekko's 'Kids' identify Cut Snake as a definitive new dance geni, the sways in and out of vast reverbs is the most pleasurable sound in dance since early Disclosure. Perhaps making music initially for the post stoked out surf session, Cut Snake however will be drawing attention far from the oceans thick and fast.


7. Potty Mouth

Yes, I've talked about these chics on countless entries already but whatever, these Boston punks are and have been creating a huge stir over back in Massachusetts. 'Hell Bent' i.e their debut album is a short sharp dosage of exactly what the next feed of Punk rock needs. A grimey spit on anything that happens to bother the band are regurgitated straight back onto their songs which is exactly what I love.  Tunes such as 'Rusted Shut' and 'The Better End' are like finding Karen O on a horrendously brilliant hangover, tasting every drop of ferocity and ball buster riffs feeds a fuel to the new music scene that is just inevitably refreshing. Yeah sure, we've seen a lot of feminism over music from 2013 too but none is quiet as raw as this particular Boston Bunch. I'm literally urging for a UK tour, however give them some time on America's thriving DIY scene, although they're pretty much on top anyway,  expect full pelt punk to arrive in all its glory this year when they do land. 




6. Telegram

They've already had an action packed foundation set out for the London Quartet, being on tour with both Palma Violets and upcoming urban opposition Childhood, which unfortunately I just missed out on seeing in Bristol. However, after receiving their 7 inch double sided record I've recently fallen for their airy part psych punk that twangs and turns throughout tracks 'Follow' and 'Under The Night' . But don't be mistaking their tunes for a calm, docile sort of blur of whirly voices. Their music is packed full of ferociously fuzzed guitars and punched out vocals with the addition of some truly strong guitar stringed solos. They're basically four guys with some psychedelic hair bangs but with the fact that despite combining the elements of punk and intoxicating  hallucinogenics they sound still very dissimilar to whinier bands following the same trend such as Brighton band The Wytches, not that dark. But in a way I find that refreshing, Telegram keep it exactly at the pleasurable wavelength, maybe not Glam Punk but an exploration of those elements for sure. It even verges on slight grunge or even alt in some areas , whatever Telegram want to amp out on their follow up to their past singles promises some ram packed psych fortune.


5. Darlia

Grunge, dirt and Kurt. Probably a few words just to sum up Darlia. A trio beckoning from Blackpool. Their recently released 'Knock Knock' EP is a combinations of dismal desperation and epic whines. Saying its a rage of DIY and a ravenously full on raw vibe is just what I mean. 'Queen Of Hearts' opens with a messy riff with the post high school yells of tantalizing turmoil. More widely received track 'Naplam' is a stomach ripping snare from lead singer Nathan Day, the sort of attitude that gets you atleast once onto Radio 1 daytime playlisting. However, 'Choke On Bones' is a more deepening darker track, winding around  more wails of blunt bass lines and  filthy vocal licks. Yes, they've only released 3 singles and it's this brain teasingly toxic already. All I can guess is that Darlia will be poking in every corner for some sweaty small venues, so get down there before they start filling in the heavy support slots. 2014 looks pretty anticipating for a debut, get your grunge on.


4. Jungle.

Another lot of Londoners. Except wait are they Londoners? Who are Jungle? 
This is the question that is pounding of every single music journalists ears at the moment, who are these apparent duo who mix up an evolution of housey funk heaven? Whatever, to be honest the least you need to be worrying about is who these guys or even group claim to be, that just makes it even more exciting for the blogging community, I ask you alone to focus on the tunes. My personal favourite currently is 'The Heat'. It combines an urban sprawl of sirens with jazzed up soul lyrics ( think daft punk but better) and then throwing in some beautifully dynamic twangs before adding in some recorded cries of what you would think as some kind of a sunny afternoon beach-side laughter. It's as though some promised land of truly bewildering, yet atmospherically bliss world of slick groove demos has arrived. It's also Jungle's vocals that top this track off, they're pretty high octave and contrasted with the switchy backing turns out to be unbelievably perfected, easily mistaken for some genius remix, but sticks straight down to original roots. Of course, I can't just rant on about this one track, 'Lucky I Got What I Want' still seeks the similar soul path, if not to a heavier extent. It's full of witfull slides and finds the same synth flow to the chorus, another genius discovery in its self. Having only released a few singles they've already drawn mass attention. Whether Jungle desire all the speculations or not, this years climax is approaching heavy and fast. They better be ready for one hell of a following.
   


3. Eyedress.

Let's get out of London. How about Manila, Philippines. There's this guy who I follow on twitter, he always seemed to quote out really intellectual, deep meanings. So I was viewing his profile once and I saw a link to single, 'Nature Trips'. Ever since then it's been overly obvious how he is in a marveling world of synthed up successions. Each beat, every soundwave manipulating the next until you find yourself lost. But to Eyedress it'ss pretty clear that getting lost is the way to discovery. Take 'Bioluime' on EP 'Supernatural' ,  the ultimate tune that I've felt always in search for. A twinkling shatter with the beatified vocals to make up a truly surreal accomplishment, it reminds me of somehow those moments in time where you think are just too good to be true, this song is the perfect backing. Next up is 'Tokyo Ghost', another venture of revealing the true Eyedress. It's softer with the same airiness and a Japanese like piping whilst having a scattered beat continuous within the track. As discussed in earlier blog entries, 'No competition' proves that Idris Vicuna ( aka Eyedress) has seen some kind of inspiration from maybe EDM or most likely Dubstep, it's not overwhelmingly heavy, just what Eyedress wants to keep in the boundaries of at the same time as sounding like he's completely misplaced sanity into dizziness. 'Everything We Touch Turns Into Gold' is softer, with the similar spotlessly shiny rings over the record which in it's self is a masterpiece. As well as joining the NME awards gigs in and around London, It's just a matter of time before you'll be seeing the Eyedress evolution in and around the UK. His debut its due to be released this April, be expecting a magic build up.



2. Fake Club

Ok, let's get one thing straight. London this 2014 looks to have another thriving music scene. I want you to take a step up from grimey psych fanatics. Still keep it punk and really keep it rock. Then imagine 4 rocker Landann girls.  With my birthday passing I received recently a signed CD single of their pre recorded 'Midnight At KOKO', it's a winding world of therapeutic reminisces and well, this is pretty much as soft as it gets for Fake Club. I was almost annoyed at the fact that despite all the artwork, lipsticks and birthday messages along with their snarly single that it was only a single. Once again I journeyed into soundcloud and found 'Bullet Brain' which follows a bitterly brutal riff to follow up to Rosie's sniping vocals could be opposed with the lushious lip snarls of Lindsey Troy ( Deap Vally)  with the exception that somehow their meaning is somewhat darker and more conniving. 'Beauty Queen' is an unapologetic  'obsessed' anthem then , returning straight back to the screams 'They're the ones that got it' in bluntly blighty accents,they just wanna make me live straight back in London. 'Over and Over' has the same opening thrash accompanied by an unapologetic, menacing solo climaxing back to a perfected post college collab of sweaty headbangs and post punk stomp. 'Do What You Gotta Do' opens with voices then progressing in to a pure grit of stinging strings of  practically early Slash standard. I am as you may of guessed stoked for another sign of a single, EP or even as I know I am not alone in anticipating a debut. I haven't been this excited to see feminine fret ferocity live since the discovery of LA based rockers Lindsey and Julie. Fake Club- congrats you're a new rock obsession.


1. Radkey

It's been an epic journey of discovery, but after soundcloud entry, after HMV visits after twitter stalking I'm finally convinced I've found my sound of 2014. I give to you the Missouri trio of Radkey. After plugging in to two of they're righteously ram-packed EP's it's no surprise that I instantly felt a pukey punk love for them, here's why; debut EP, 'Cat and Mouse' starring one of my most anticipated track's 'N.I.G.G.A ( You know it's not okay') expresses exactly what you think it does, full of short yet spiked up solos it concludes a huge yell for the deep south depression they clearly, along others embark to challenge. Moving on to 'Devil Fruit' tunes such as, 'Start Freaking Out' rampage through a manic magnification of Nirvana like 'Territorial Pissings' . It's not just the fact that Radkey bring straight back the element  of post teen anx of spit, grudge and mutiny, but bring forwards the hopeful principal of putting pure rock back in the front of things.  The brothers are careless of reputations, remarks and opinions over the band, they rock out and they do it in one great downpour of breakouts, crowds and surfing. Radkey amp it up for 2014!! 



* Will review My Sound of 2014 next December!!!