After catching the eyes and ears of our contributors during the last 12 months, Little Indie asked a few of our writers to name the artists they are getting excited about in 2019.
DANNY SHACKLETON
The Peach Fuzz
These Scouse newcomers have already made a splash on the scene last year with plenty of gigs in their home town as well as a few high profile tours with The Vryll Society and Clean Cut Kid. Their debut single ‘Destroy The Evidence’ being a personal favourite of mine of 2018; reminds me of the Manic Street Preachers during the ‘This Is My Truth’ to ‘Lifeblood’ era, but arguably better, which is high praise coming from a diehard Manics fan such as myself.
Afghan Sand Gang
Hailing from the new musical hotspot of Mossley, near Manchester, these have been slowly making their mark in the city and beyond with some very good releases, namely with most recent release ‘Glistener’, a swooning piece of electronica which is well worth a listen.
Fuzzy Sun
Signed to Blossoms’ own label ‘Very Cleaver Records’, Fuzzy Sun have been causing waves in and around Manchester with their brand of 80s indie but with a modern twist and with more and more high profile gigs coming up (partly due to the aforementioned signing), word is bound to spread, especially as they have some fantastic tunes so far.
Gang of Youths
Australian band Gang of Youths have been getting both critical and commercial acclaim Down Under with an absolutely fantastic second album, ‘Go Farther In Lightness’, leading them to sell out pretty much every venue they play in Oz. for some reason their success doesn’t seem to have reciprocated over here in the UK akin to how successful DMAs have been, but recent radio play for their single ‘Let Me Down Easy’ is sure to bring them to the attention of the wider public.
KIERAN O'BRIEN
Adwaith
Adwaith are an experimental post-punk band from Carmarthen. Having released their impressive full length debut ‘Melyn’ on Libertino Records last year, the band head out on tour with The Joy Formidable in early 2019. Combining heartfelt Welsh language vocals with intriguing melodies and rhythms, don’t be surprised to see the trio’s exciting sound making an even bigger splash next year.
Cousin Kula
Bristol-based psych-pop six-piece Cousin Kula whose expansive and swirling live sound impressed in their 2018 live dates at Cardiff’s Gwdihw and Swn Festival. Their debut EP ‘Oodles’ and melodic new single ‘Jelly Love’ showcase a band who have captured an array of influences and shot them through a focused psychedelic lens; 2019 could be the year their cosmic sound reaches a much wider audience.
Lunar Bird
Forming in Italy before moving to the Welsh capital, Cardiff’s Lunar Bird emerged from relative local obscurity in August 2018 with their excellent debut EP ‘Daydreamer’. All four songs on this release, particularly the excellent ‘Six Dull Dumb Eyes’, showcase a real talent for composing melodic and memorable space pop. With more releases surely in the offing, it seems only a matter of time before excitement about Lunar Bird spreads beyond South Wales.
Wasuremono
Bradford-upon Avon’s Wasuremono have been making waves on BBC 6 Music for a couple of years now; their debut album ‘Something Left Behind’ was released this year and produced a number of eminently danceable singles that received heavy rotation. Vocalist William Southward has an astonishing range which is utilised to full effect with the band’s expansive synth laden sound, and with new album ‘Are You OK’ penned for a 2019 release, the four-piece certainly have the talent to be one of 2019’s breakout bands on a much bigger stage.
STEVE WILLCOX
LibraLibra
This Brighton band came to my attention at Portsmouth's Dials Festival last year. Indie pop with big vocals from Beth Cannon that is reminiscent of Bang Bang Romeo’s Anastasia, but a lot darker and edgier.
Drusila
Alt-indie synth band from Portsmouth possess a great stage persona combined with lyrically smart unabashed danceable songs and a live show you won’t forget. Think Roxy Music having a party with AltJ and passing out on the dancefloor.
Bugeye
Croydon disco punks who throw their lot in the pot from sharp vocals, pop beats with attitude and four girls doing their thang. Oh... and lots of glitter.
Gulls
These Brighton almost spoken word indie punks captivated me during a local gig recently, using lyrics to convey political or social problems with danceable tunes. I think we’re going hear more from them in the future.
LINN BRANSON
GURU
If you like your indie rock dark, heavy and bordering on the psych-punk, then Brighton's GURU should be the band for you. With 'Medicine Man' and the blistering 'Consumer Helpline' putting them on the radar strongly enough to propel this four-piece hollering loudly for attention into 2019.
Fontaines D.C.
Dublin post-punk/garage rockers Fontaines D.C. turned 2018 into something of a breakthrough year after debut single 'Liberty Belle', followed by 'Hurricane Laughter' and the double A-sider, 'Chequeless Reckless'/'Boys In A Better Land', with the raw-edged and propulsive 'Too Real' showing the strength of vocalist Grian Chatten's demanding delivery.
Al Moses
Al Moses, the incendiary new band made up of four nineteen-year-old friends from the South Wales valleys, made their London live debut last October playing Little Indie's Blogtoberfest night. With its sneering vocals, sizzling riffs and stomping beat, their rollicking debut single 'I Want More' encapsulated their burning ambition.
Paris Street Rebels
Fierce, forceful and infectiously accessible, Ballingry, Fife four-piece Paris Street Rebels umoressed Little Indie immensely when they emerged onto the scene just early in 2018; their debut single - produced by Johnny Madden (of Baby Strange) and Chris Marshall - ‘Freakshow’, firing an incendiary five and a half minute burst of solid punk’n’roll.
SAM GEARY
Black Futures
The London force of electro psych-punk noise duo Black Futures burnt into the ears last year, with their live shows winning notice for its both aural and visual display - something which will no doubt be visible again on their February UK tour with Frank Carter.
slowthai
Tyron Frampton - aka slowthai - the 24-year-old from Northampton, delivers rap woven around intricate wordplay and observations on British life - and garnered him a fourth position place in the BBC Sound of 2019.
Easy Life
Leicester five-piece Easy Life exude a confident charisma, blending hip-hop swing, jazzy horns and the band’s innate ear for pop hooks. 2018 saw them release a debut mixtape 'Creature Habits', the superb end-year 'Nightmares’, as well as make their TV debut on 'Later...with Jools Holland' in October.
The Murder Capital
Recording with Flood (PJ Harvey, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Foals) wasn't a bad start for Dublin outfit The Murder Capital to make their debut with 'Feeling Faces, showing how they have risen to become one of Ireland's emerging hot properties - with the not-to-forget, gravel-edged vocals of James McGovern leading the way.
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