YASSASSIN
Gathered from all four corners of the globe, London based girl gang Yassassin took their name from a David Bowie song as a way of celebrating his legacy and they do this with glee! Delivering off-kilter pop with lashings of personality releasing an EP Vitamin Y in the autumn of last year and developing a reputation for riotous live shows and the songwriting to back it up. The serrated edges and bass bounds of ‘Pretty Face’ that dance across your ears and explode into singalong stomps could literally be a punky yet melodic anthem for the #metoo campaign and a large two finger salute to misogyny. Spiky, tuneful and bursting with attitude Yassassin are frankly a bloody brilliant proposition! (Bill Cummings)
HATCHIE
Hatchie is the world of Harriette Pilbeam from Brisbane Australia, rather than looking outwards for inspiration Pilbeam “instead turns her gaze inwards, making a soundtrack out of her daydreams, setting her emotional life to song.” Her second single ‘Sure’, the follow up to her debut release ‘Try‘, has captured our hearts; a gorgeous pop earworm carved out of gleaming glass, this gorgeously wistful melody cascading across a backdrop of shimmering guitars and shivering synths is a diamond cut of pop that’s had us swooning throughout the day! An impossibly catchy see-sawing chorus melody that has echoes of the Sundays or M83, her effortless vocal performance captures the bittersweet essence of what its like to fall in and out of love, to want to give it another try despite it all. Hatchie plays SXSW and The Great Escape in 2018, we’re desperately hoping for a debut album! (Bill Cummings)
KERMES
One of Leicester’s leading lights in its bristling live scene, Kermes deliver a hard-hitting, powerful stage show with songs that revolve around “transgender identity, depression, misogyny, anti-capitalism, queer relationships and the experience of being an increasingly visible target in an increasingly hostile world.” Not that the band haven’t retained an admirable sense of humour in all of this. Just witness the hilariously over the top smiley video to new single ‘The Argonauts’ as a perfect illustration of a serious band willing to not be serious in an attempt to prove that they are serious (that does make sense, honest!), and ready to move up to the bigger leagues. (Loz Etheridge)
IDER
IDER are the vocal, instrumental talents of Megan Markwick and Lily Somerville. 2017 started with the release of their excellent debut EP GMLAA featuring amongst a clutch of prodigious tracks the impossibly hooky sinuous snap of electro-pop cut ‘Face On’. Their most recent song the blossoming affecting twin melodies, weaving pianos and intricate percussion of ‘Body Love’ wraps itself around our cold hearts and won’t let go. With a slew festivals across Europe and two sold-out shows at East London’s Archspace, followed by a U.K./EU tour of packed-out venues with XL twin pairing Ibeyi. This past twelve months have confirmed IDER, this exciting shape-shifting pop duo as ones you have to keep your ears open for. (Bill Cummings)
GABI GARBUTT
Blending rabble-rousing punk, exquisite poetic overtones and the brass-powered euphoria of Northern Soul, Gabi Garbutt & The Illuminations features the former Sticklers front-woman working in collaboration with Sean Read of Dexys and the Manics’ live band. After announcing their arrival last year with shows supporting The Libertines and Frank Tuner, and the single ‘Armed With Love’, 2018 will see the release of the first full-length album, due to feature members of The Libertines, Graham Coxon’s band and CuT. (Ben Willmott)
OPHELIA
Ophelia are Samuel Taylor and Rebecca Van Cleave, and together they create some of the most beautiful melodies known to mankind. Lucky for us, they’re about to release their debut album Blackbox Memories, out 26th January. Although inspired by the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Blondie, and David Bowie, as well as a plethora of 1960/70s bands, the pair create something entirely other. Visually speaking, they keep things classic and simple as well as quietly stunning, as shown brilliantly in their video for ‘A Little Too Late’. They say Ophelia was born on the road, and judging by this, the road doesn’t look like it will end. (Toni Spencer)
