Dam Mantle
Dam Mantle operates at the fringes of beat-driven electronica, with atmosphere and texture taking pride of place over any real concern for the dancefloor. That’s not to say it’s all purity and light though, the Scottish producer knows how to up the tempo and get propulsive but there’s always a sense of reaching for something further than the basic templates of dance music. His We EP last year was an ambitious showcase for a producer not afraid to stretch out his sound and explore the more oblique elements of drum machines and synthesizers.
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Lemonada
Everyone’s been gushing about the current crop of young Irish electronic folks, and with good reason. Some names have begun stand out from the ever-increasing crowd of Ableton loopers, with Dublin’s Lemonada carving out an identity very much his own. His sound is one built on the no-limits post-Dilla work of Flying Lotus and combined with a growing penchant for the grubbier, grimier elements of hip-hop, gabba, juke and footwork. It’s frantic and a little messy, but all the more exhilarating for it. Nod ya head, if you can follow the beat that is.
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Kwes
Kwes is perhaps one of the most unique voices to emerge from London in recent times. Sliding nonchalantly between classic pop, r’n’b and modern electronic forms, his sound is quietly ambitious and subtly disarming. He titled one of the songs on his debut EP ‘Bashful’ and that sums it up in a word. There truly is no reason for modesty though as hidden behind the modesty and the whispers is a confidence and a talent that seem to be only beginning to flourish. Check out our recent interview with him for more.
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Blacklisters
Blacklisters will be the most insane set you see all weekend, we can promise you that. That’s their thing, being just a bit too “out there”. They make you question the threshold of human decency. It’s tough, dangerously loud and you will probably end up covered in some sort of slime/liquid by the end. Just check out the video for ‘Trickfuck’ to get an idea of the madness to expect.
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Girl Band
Teetering between abrasive bursts of energy like their early single ‘Twelves’ and a more (college) radio-friendly sound, Girl Band’s live performances are growing increasingly powerful as the four-piece continue to find their feet. It’s rare to find a group of musicians so young with such clear ideas of their roles within the band unit and when they are all working together, it is truly exciting. The definition of “ones to watch”.
