Emerging Icons is a site that's chock-a-block with fresh, new musical talent and it's a real pleasure to share some of our favourite finds with you.
Five amazing acts have really grabbed our attention this week with some brilliant tunes and awesome videos. Fancy. Have a read and a listen to their tracks and remember- if you like what you hear you can get it added to your own personal Emerging Icons playlist. That means you can listen to all of your favourite songs in one place... and on the go if you visit our shiny new mobile site!
Follow the links below to each artist's profile and just click on the musical note next to the tracks you like in their music player. Easy peasy...
So listen up new music fans- here are the Emerging Icons you really NEED to hear...
It always pleases us to see an artist daring to do something a little different. Bipolar Sunshine is the new solo effort of Adio Marchant- former member of Kid British- now fully dedicated to creating blissfully dreamy sounds that make you feel happy to be alive. While the lyrical content of 'Fire' may not be the cheeriest, the beauty that glimmers through its overall sound is something really special. Think 'the tide lapping at your feet', 'the sunshine dappled through the shade of the trees', 'the scent of warmth in the breeze'... that kind of poetic 'special'. It's a song that thrives on the stunning textures of the soulful Mancunian's vocal, gliding through layers of beats and ideas; guided by a steady, chilled rhythm. The gentle infusion of homophonic harmonies, gent;e rapping and other spoken samples all bring something new and we're absolutely loving it. It's caused quite a stir in the few months since its release so make sure you have a listen now...
If there's something we enjoy immensely, it's music that makes you go 'grr'. 'Boxcutter' is a beefy beaut of a tune, boasting serious basslines and some incredibly tasty stuttering guitar licks. The Bristol-based alt rockers thrive on a creative diet of riffs and noise which spawn a sound that clatters from being bluesy to stoner rock in monster fashion. Just before you go cowering in fear in a soundproof booth, there's a sweeter side to inform you of too... a melodic chorus that brings some added texture and tone; giving frontman Tom Hackwell's vocal a chance to shine. With a subtle gravelly quality so testosterone-laden that it might even give Brian Fallon a run for his money in the 'awesome manliness' stakes, we can imagine that Armchair Committee deliver a killer live set too...
If Tom Smith had a saucy electronic fling with Foals behind Editors' back, the repercussions would rather fittingly sound a lot like Affairs. The young indie five-piece have already found a decent level of success to date as a result of their appealing sound, securing rather impressive support slots with the likes of Alt-J and Polarsets recently. Evidently, the allure of their atmospheric synths proved far too good to resist. While it seems easy to point comparative fingers around willy nilly, there's still many aspects of refreshing originality to be said for a tune like 'Cressida'. Observe how there are even moments in the vocal performance veering so close to 'the operatic' that they could almost give Hugh Jackman a run for his money in his turn as Jean Valjean. If that ain't a beguiling enough description to get you to listen we don't know what is...
Someone who's managed to channel the miserable and the depressing to make something beautiful is punk singer-songwriter, LAC. Acoustic track 'Borstal Boy' is the first to be released from his upcoming EP of the same name, with the video taking on a 'This Is England' style narrative to a heartbreaking story. Having grown up in a forgotten corner of the 'Broken Britain' that many a tabloid has detailed, frontman Michael Davies was put through a lot in his life which has in turn inspired his writing. The sincerity of the tales told by this musician who saw music as his saviour add a new dimension to his heavily Strummer-inspired vocal tone- and it's incredibly moving. 'Borstal Boy' tells of his real experiences having found himself in a young offender's institute at fifteen years old and the loss of a friend he met there. Affecting and honest, its definitely worth a listen even if punk rock isn't your regular genre of choice.
With this week seeing the news that legends The Rolling Stones will be headlining Glastonbury, it would seem that the sound of classic rock really is in vogue. While we all wait for Jagger to warm up his signature moves at the world's most beloved festival, here's a band capable to scratch that itch for some good old fashioned rock n' roll. The Screaming Kicks are a Camden-based four-piece who have nailed a sound that pays homage to the icons of old, with The Faces, Zeppelin and Bowie all figuring amongst their list of influences. But this ain't no tribute act. Their sound is kept fresh n breezy thanks to the charisma, energy and sweat that goes into every note they play. If you like your tunes rugged and retro make sure you check them out...
There are loads more Emerging Icons on the site just waiting to be discovered. Click on the ACTS tab at the top of the page to start browsing! When you find acts you like, don't forget to let them know. Leave them some comments and BIG UP their tracks to help create a buzz on the site...
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