It’s the start of a brand new year which can only mean one thing: we’ve got 12 months of storming new releases ahead of us.
Now, being loyal music fans, we know you’ve done your fair share of list prowling thus far – from ‘Hot 100s’ to ‘Must-Hear Acts’ – but if we’re honest, it feels like this year’s list of offerings all sound same! Pretty much every ‘mainstream’ music site out there has compiled their own list of rising stars for the year ahead, with the vast majority overlapping in 99% of cases (that’s an exact figure, as calculated by our in-house mathematic gerbils and MENSA squirrels).
There’s no doubt many are producing cracking tunes and are deserved of their spot (we’ve probably even hopped on the bandwagon with a couple), however, what happened to supporting the little guy? I’m not talking about the vertically challenged among us, more the bands that don’t always have major label backing, the money to buy themselves onto international tours or are just focussing on roots-based music? Needless to say, we’re tired of the same old same old.
So, without further adieu, it’s time to discover our hot picks for 2017 (you can also catch it by subscribing to the world’s most epic Spotify playlist):
1. Royal Teeth
Having already garnered a loyal following stateside, Louisiana’s Royal Teeth are on the brink of something special. Made up of Gary Larsen, Nora Patterson, Josh Hefner and Thomas Onebane, this quartet are producing indie dance pop for the masses. Having extensively toured the US but never made the trip across the pond, a visit full of southern charm is well overdue. Check out more from their latest EP Amateurs now.
2. Twin Wild
2016 proved a storming year for the Twin Wild lads, encompassing the release of multiple singles and their debut EP My Heart. Comprised of Richard Hutchison, Imran Mair, David Cuzner and Edward Thomas, these London lads are blending seductively raspy vocals and roaring guitar lines with a pinch of something special. With a host of tour dates lined up for 2017, these chaps are hitting it big.
3. Hollow Twin
Continuing with the twin theme (because two are better than one, obviously), Vancouver-based Hollow Twin are producing exciting ripples from across the Atlantic. They first blew us away when we premiered their single “Bound By Blood“, a thunderous track invoking a feeling of desolate isolation and blending it seamlessly with an urgent and ever-building rhythm. It’s powerful stuff, one that we’re hoping is a sign of bigger and better things to come for 2017.
4. The Aces
The Aces are one of Utah’s best kept pop secrets – but not for much longer. Producing a sultry blend of retrograde indie pop (think HAIM meets Warpaint with a dash of Halsey), this is a band welcoming girl power back with force. Having signed with Red Bull Records, we suspect there are big things to come from a band producing top-notch quintessential pop.
5. Into The Ark
Currently making prime-time viewing on your telly box, Welsh duo Into The Ark had 3 judges fighting over them as they stormed through Saturday’s episode of The Voice UK. Blending soulfully raspy vocals with slick synths and pounding basslines, Dane Lloyd and Taylor Jones are set for big things in 2017. Check them out on February 7th at The Garage, Islington.
6. Sundara Karma
One of the bands that are hotly tipped for success by everyone and anyone (and rightly so), Sundara Karma deliver a dose of reverb-laden rock right to your door. Literally translating as “Noble” or “Beautiful” from Sanskrit, these chaps are blending hints of The 1975 with arena worthy choruses, there’s a lot more to come from these guys.
7. Sløtface
For those who’ve been living under a rock for the past 12 months, 2016 proved a pivotal year for the ardently feminist Sløtface. Having conquered both the UK and Europe with a string of tour dates, their first steps to world domination came with their recent EP Empire Records. With a string of live UK shows set for February, check out our recent interview with these Norwegian rebels.
8. Colour
Having put in a roaring live performance at our #Blogtober Festival live show back in November, Colour are a band going from strength to strength. Comprised of Tidd, Scott, Downey and Connor, these Northerners grabbed the attention of national big-hitters with their recent release Slow. With a new release in the works, head to Pledge Music to help fund the release!
9. Youth Club
credit: Sam Allard Photography
Hailing from the UKs prime seaside destination of Southend-on-Sea (a town giving Sweden a run for its money by churning out great music at a rate of knots), Youth Club are producing corking music you can really sink your teeth into. Blending tropical beats with an indie-pop edge, these genre spanning chaps are onto a good thing. Having spent most of 2016 churning out music and touring like it’s going out of fashion, this cheeky foursome are set for exciting things in 2017.
10. Fickle Friends
Creating a quintessential blend of sugar coated indie-pop with a wholesomely retro edge, Fickle Friends are setting the music world on fire. Hailing from the South of England, this Brighton bunch consist of Natti, Sam, Harry, Chris and Wilson. After a colossal year which culminated in an electric show at London’s Heaven, this is a band with big things in the pipeline for 2017.
