Introducing our second selection of ones to watch for 2025, read the first part here.
Disgusting Sisters
Disgusting Sisters are a Anglo-French siblings who use a wickedly funny streak to stick two fingers up to mansplainers, sneering looks and the daily judgment of strangers. They’ve been together for less than a year and already appeared at Reading & Leeds festivals, Left of the Dial and Pitchfork Paris. They released their brilliant debut single ‘Killing It’ on Speedy Wunderground at the tail end of last year.
Their debut single ‘Killing It’ is a mischievous manifesto, they say it’s a song about taking ownership of your life and – according to the lyrics – “clutching it tight by the nuts and ripping it.” Jiving somewhere between the nimble percussive new wave of the Tom Tom Club and the ironic side eye of Wet Leg, ‘Killing It‘ lays down a marker for the pair’s witty, blunt dissections of life lived increasingly under a lens, continually subject to the opinion of strangers. It’s the sound of sisters grinning through that judgement, delivering their withering side eye and laughing all the way to the afters. (Bill Cummings)
Christian Music
I saw them live early last year, and I remember watching them setting up onstage, thinking that they looked totally unassuming, one of them was even wearing a Crewe Alexandra top. Half an hour of standing, literally with mouth open like a cartoon character for the whole set, I could not believe that they could create such a racket. An absolute joy on record too. If noise is your thing then these are the band for you, although they are virtually impossible to Google (try Christian Music Stoke). (Steven Doherty)
Parenthesis Dot Dot Dot
Parenthesis Dot Dot Dot is the alter ego of English singer/songwriter and visual artist Tim Benton. A name inspired by the unspoken parts of ourselves that define us, and the eternal possibilities that open out from their existence.
Last year he released a smart video for his song ‘For The Time Being’ – attempting to do a classic music video on a budget, with some rather smart homemade tech and a dollop of humour. It’s a video that fits the song’s wry delivery, addictive art pop chorus, bubbling beats and a carousel of glittering synths, with shades of the bittersweet duality the likes of the Pet Shop Boys or The Beloved can capture, but really it’s carving its own niche. Last year he contributed a track for the legendary Lawrence from Mozart Estate’s last album and recently released his debut EP ‘The Raptor’.
His recent videos and live shows (solo and with full band) have enchanted and entranced anyone who upturned the particular stone they were playing under. He says of his plans this year “There’s a new Single coming out on March 21st entitled ‘A.R.T.’ closely followed by ‘The A.R.T. E.P.’ I’m putting the finishing touches to the hugely ambitious music video which involves over 60 self portraits that I’ve painted in various styles. Can’t wait to unveil it to the world! There’s also another EP to come in the summer.” Keep updated here. (Bill Cummings)
Welly
Southampton’s finest purveyors of smart, funny, silly, clever indie-pop have quite the year to look forward to. Having completed a massive tour of north and south at the tail end of 2024, they are off again on another headline tour in February, ahead of the release of their sensationally catchy debut album, Big In The Suburbs, a month later, and after being fortunate enough to catch them live twice before, the live experience is highly recommended too. (Steven Doherty)
Adult DVD
The Leeds party animals are an utter joy live. The band with a dubious name for google searches released their debut EP Next Day Shipping in 2024. The electronica combined with guitars and drums creates music to dance and grin too. The tight bouncing beats combined with humorous observational lyrics make them an essential listen in your ears in these tumultuous times. Check out ‘Doomsday Prepper’ if you need a lift. But don’t just take my word it. Get to a show. (Julia Mason)
Sonia Ahmed
Newport based Sonia Ahmed describes herself as a genre-hopping artist who transcends boundaries and celebrates her South Asian cultural roots. After the success of her debut single ‘Freedom’ in 2023, she released a run of excellent singles in 2024, including the addictive ‘Mango‘ that bounces on a grimy beat, riven with popping off with powerful self-affirmation and rule-breaking mischief, it’s crammed with elements of early Dizzee Rascal and even early Billie Eilish.
Ahmed transfixed with her awesome most recent single ‘Wicked Side‘ shaking skittering beats and spitting vocals that gradually explode with catharsis, and dashes them juddering synth lines, it’s a restless mix, that reminds one of the trip-hop of Tricky mixed gyrating with elements of hip-hop-and ragga that wouldn’t sound of out place on a M.I.A. It’s a vibrant declaration of exploding your darker and less inhibited sides. It also vividly depicts a promising artist with an innovative sonic palette and fiercely independent new Welsh voice. (Bill Cummings)
Radio Free Alice
The Australians played one of my gigs of the year at Edinburgh’s Sneaky Petes in 2024. By the time they had finished their set they couldn’t got off the stage as a queue of people wanted to shake their hand. There is a depth to their sound which is difficult to describe, and that’s a complement believe me. Highlight track ‘2010′ perfectly demonstrates Radio Free Alice sound with guitar riffs to die for and a need to hit repeat as soon as it’s finished. They released their second EP Polyester in 2024, which can mean only one thing, an album is hopefully next and a return to this side of the world in the not too distant future. Fingers-crossed. (Julia Mason)
em koko
The multi-talented em koko found her footing in Abergavenny and played bass and synth for leading South Wales musicians Alice Low and Minas. Her early releases have the artist putting that bass and synth expertise right at the fore “communicating dissociated messages of strength and encouragement from beyond the liminal veil of the electronic mainframe.”
Her debut EP ‘In Nowehere’ was full of promise, with Take me as I am’ finds em koko meditating on acceptance and safety, underpinned by a drum machine beat and throbbing baselines, layered synths and nagging fuzz box guitars it’s an enveloping and detailed atmosphere that taps into emotional depths and liminal in-between spaces of the early online world. Koko’s delivery is dissonantly cool and burns with emotive introspection, yet ripples with strength, command and self-discovery. Redolent of early Cocteau Twins shimmering against elements of industrial shoegaze and mysterious dream pop that conjures up the work of Warpaint or DIVV. With an appearance at Focus Wales and some support slots with the likes of Half Happy, em koko will captivate in 2025. (Bill Cummings)
