How is this different to our Must of 2015 list? Well this is purely for emerging acts, where 2015 will be the year to set up their breakthrough in the following year. So think of it as a pre-must for 2016 list, of sorts.
Vote below for your three favourites (if you feel like choosing three of course). Now here are the band’s that Velvet are saying to take notice of (in no particular order, rather when I write them):
The Amazons
The Amazons are a prime example of Reading’s current, stunning indie scene, with their debut single, Something In The Water sounding similar to the indie heroes of the late 2000’s. It’s a tent ready classic, showing only positives for The Amazons potential.
Genre: Indie Pop/shoegaze
Residence: Reading
Must listen to: Something In The Water
https://soundcloud.com/theamazonsforever/something-in-the-water
Hunck
If you didn’t check out their Something Missing EP, then you’re a fool! But you can do so here. Hunck play around with texturing their sound, not by decorating their guitars, but by drawing upon more influences than you could imagine would work together.
Genre: Shoegaze/dream pop/psychedelic
Residence: London
Must listen to: Toy Trucks from Something Missing EP
https://soundcloud.com/hunck/toy-trucks
Girlpool
You know that LA has a lo-fi, DIY, garage scene right? Girlpool are one of the most recent acts to emerge from the city of stars, with their bass and guitar hooks looping over the city and over Leeds Gold Sounds Festival last November. This duo is definitely one to see live, largely for the screams of Jane.
Genre:
Residence: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Must listen to: Blah Blah Blah
Habitats
The rapid grooving beats of Habitats, is enough to summon up the golden rays of a Caribbean summer with their ‘tropical groove’ music. They’ve only got two releases out, but with over 100,000 plays on their debut track Diamond Days, it won’t be long until Habitats are bursting out to every city in the UK and more.
Genre: Tropical pop
Residence: Basingstoke (London)
Must listen to: Diamond Days
Acab Rocky
Their debut full length, Sara, earned a 9 on our end of year lists, now they’re ready to make 2015 a year for change. Acab Rocky hail from Victoria, British Columbia, and leading man Sam Wells, balances contemporary acoustic folk sounds, with the nostalgia of 00’s emo scene, on tracks such as Sara and Father.
Genre: Emo/Rock/Folk
Residence: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Must listen to: Father
Captivves
Reading is alive with the sound of soon to be illustrious acts. Captivves are next on this emerging bill. With one release, a double A side containing, Dive In and Don’t Defy Us, Captivves have only showed us a glimpse of their true potential. What we’ve seen so far though, is nothing short of astonishing.
Genre: Punk
Residence: Reading
Must listen to: Don’t Defy Us
Cloud Castle Lake
A few recognised organisations were getting buzzed about this band this year, with their debut EP, Dandelion, debuting the bands eclectic indie rock, boarding between Editors and White Lies, with a slight nod towards Radiohead. If they continuing creating masterpieces such as A Wolf Howling, then expect critical acclaim.
Genre: Experimental indie rock
Residence: Dublin, Ireland
Must listen to: A Wolf Howling taken from Dandelion EP
Jupiter-C
Space electronica anyone? Jupiter-C are an unusual duo, who focus on filling the void of space and time, with absorbing, harsh beats, that have the same gravitational pull of a black hole. If you wanted East India Youth, to sound more cryptic and dark, on his debut LP, then Jupiter-C are the one for you.
Genre: Space electronica
Residence: London, Liverpool & Manchester
Must listen to: Holiday
Grace Joyner
Everyone needs a singer songwriter on their list for the more tender, more mellow moments in life, where a thumping guitar solo just doesn’t say, emotionally varied. Grace Joyner’s delicate vocals, along with her well practised folk-pop style, creates a contrast from the sombre directness of other singer/songwriter acts, largely Daughter.
Genre: Singer/Songwriter
Residence: Charleston SC, USA
Must listen to: Young Thing from the Young Fools EP
Tigercub
Recently signed to Blood Red Shoes own label, Jazz Life, this Brighton trio have been ripping out their riff fueled, heavy rock for the past year or so. With recent single Centrefold, their seasoned choruses and louder than bombs guitars are sure to make a fuss in 2015.
Genre: Rock/grunge
Residence: Brighton
Must listen to: Centrefold
Tropic Of Youth
Care to guess the style? Tropical, indie pop, for lovers of the Summer and Skins; Tropic Of Youth’s style is ever so familiar, but in the sense of the pleasant familiarity you find when you go home after your first semester of university.
Genre: Indie tropical-pop
Residence: Sheffield
Must listen to: Hot Season from Sun City EP
Bad Sounds
Quite possibly the catchiest debut single, any band has made in a good while, Bad Sounds mean business. Living Alone is loaded with the funk and groove of the 60’s and 70’s, but feels closer to a clash of MGMT, Friendly Fires and Klaxons.
Genre: Indietronica-pop, funk
Residence: ???
Must listen to: Living Alone
Cilla Raie
An act like Cilla Raie is a rarity on Velvet. Her style of mainstream ready R’n’B isn’t something that normal catches Velvet’s attention, but the precision of her debut, self titled EP, combines chart ready hits with No Love and delicate executions on Masterpiece.
Genre: R’n’B, dance
Residence: London
Must listen to: Masterpiece
Autobahn
To truly appreciate Autobahn, you must see them live. Their branding of punk catches the current Leeds’ scene, but leans towards a noticeable similarity to early Horrors. Listening to Force Fed or Ulcer, the familiarity is uncanny.
Genre: Punk
Residence: Leeds
Must listen to: Pale Skin from Autobahn 2
PROM
With PROM you can expect to be hearing a lot about this duo in the forthcoming year. Their brand of vibrant electronica-pop is instantly recognisable, with lead single Flickers bursting with the energy of a top 10 single. Expect big things from this duo.
Genre: Electronica/pop
Residence: Brooklyn, NY, USA
Must listen to: My Line/Flickers from Keeping Company EP
The Creases
Australia, home of the great barrier reef and now The Creases. Making waves across the globe with their anthem in the making Static Lines from their Gradient EP, The Creases brand of shoegaze-indie pop, is just what the festival circuit will need in 2015.
Genre: Shoegaze/indie pop
Residence: Brisbane, AU
Must listen to: Static Lines
Native People
Can there ever be enough indie pop? Not for Velvet anyway. Native People hail from Folkestone in Kent, where their bubbling indie pop meets the southern perfection of math rock, with the jubilant energy of the current tropical, pop-groove trend in Oxford.
Genre: Indie pop/tropical
Residence: Folkestone
Must listen to: Calm Forever
Deadgroove
If you didn’t hear Deadgroove’s EP Cult Classic this year, well then you should have. Deadgroove are the latest to tackle the combination of hip-hop and rock, making strides into the heavier, riff-centric style of current chart toppers Royal Blood, on tracks such as The Chains and 90s Breed. Don’t just expect big things, expect monstrously huge results.
Genre: Hip-rock
Residence: Providence, US
Must listen to: The World from Cult Classic EP
Twin Graves
With their brand of 80’s influenced pop, Twin Graves hometown of Blackpool has met a new clash for Darlia’s rock. On debut EP, Walk in Circles, the magic of Duran Duran and Human League triumphed across the four tracks, ranging from bursting, contemporary hits Brother and Night Runner, to the anthemic closer, Last Sunset. So get Twin Graves on your radar okay?
Genre: 80’s indie pop
Residence: Blackpool
Must listen to: Love You To Death
Palm Honey
The third Reading act and the final on this list, Palm Honey’s blend of dreamy undertones and light rhythms, create a blend between the latest dream pop movements, with the more seasoned inspiration of late 00’s indie.
Genre: Indie pop/dream pop
Residence:Reading
Must listen to:
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