Welcome to the third of our ones to watch for this year, an eclectic list chosen by our editors and writers. Read parts one and two here.
Ain’t
It is. Don’t tell me it isn’t. They are one of the best new bands in the country. Ain’t (there it is again) only have two tracks to their name currently, but are forging a reputation on the live circuit. They make a righteous racket on stage with two guitars almost fighting each other whilst complementing. Angular and audacious.
They hail from little old Londinium, forged from the bars and toilets of East End pubs, flyers and footwear brought them together and a love of Smashing Pumpkins bonded them. They were in the studio towards the end of the year with Porridge Radio and Nilüfer Yanya producer, Oli Barton- Wood again. Expect new stuff in the coming months. (Jim Auton)
TTSSFU
TTSSFU (aka Tasmin Nicole Stephens) have been building a reputation in Manchester and 2024 was a year of growth for her – she’s signed to Partisan, played a string of festival dates (including as a Green Man Rising finalist), supported Soccer Mommy and Mannequin Pussy on their UK tours, all while her debut EP continues to pick up natural traction. They supported English Teacher on their UK tour last year and released the excellent EP ‘Me, Jed and Andy’. Inspired by the complicated romance between Jed Johnson and Andy Warhol, the EP also tackles Tasmin contextualising the anger, failure and disappointment
‘I Hope You Die’ is an intoxicating mix of scampering percussion, nimble bass lines like palpitating heart beats and glimmering guitars invested with ghostly fatalistic vocal swoops. It reminds one of early records by the Cure. It’s terrific. ‘Baggage’ chimes with the affection and devotion of a warm hug that wraps itself around your heart, it has echoes of tracks by Soccer Mommy. ‘Studio 54′, ‘meanwhile is’ is a haunting track with a thick atmosphere crafted with GarageBand in their bedroom.
Threaded with whispered and lucid vocals that speak to Andy Warhol, and whispy guitars and ghostly sonics, that swell into a beguiling and wistful moment. These songs suggest she has been listening to shoegaze, indie pop and gothic records, but wears these influences lightly and with a personality that suggests there is a depth and personality that is yet to be uncovered. (Bill Cummings)
Firehills
There isn’t enough heavy rock anymore. Emotional heavy rock. No, not Emo, you at the back, I mean EMOTIONAL HEAVY ROCK. There’s a difference. It’s not about being scared of teenagers or following black carnival floats about. No, it’s this. Wojtek Godzisz, principal songwriter and bassist for 90’s Britrock powerhouses Symposium new band, Firehills. At the time of writing we’re not sure if this is a studio project by him or a full band thing, but there is an EP launch gig, naturally at the Black Heart in Camden.
It’s big and heavy and powerful. Everything you’d expect from a Wojtek song. If you’ve been paying attention for the past 28 years. Which you might not have. But if you like your guitars a couple of layers thick and your vocals similar and soaring with the voice of Benny from Abba channelling Bruce Dickinson in his aeroplane, check this out.(Jim Auton)
Laughter
No, no, it’s no laughing matter, they are really that good. Discovered thanks to a Pandamonium lineup that I couldn’t attend but now seriously regret missing, they continue the heavy heavy monster show. One Step Beyond.
Just listen to ‘Group Bonding‘ There’s some cracking guitar shenanigans going on there. It’s like Garbage took on Matt Bellamy to do the axe histrionics but Shirley was still writing the songs and he was given free range on the verses but the chorus had to be a gorgeous shoegaze melodic elixir, which repeats and repeats and then they do a fade out. No one does a fade-out anymore. More bands need to do fade-outs. You know they wigged out for several hours after that. Sensational stuff. (Jim Auton)
Casino
The next big thing out of Liverpool, Casino arrived in 2025 having spent the previous year becoming a fully fledged kick-ass soul outfit with no peers. They have enjoyed great success with high-profile big support slots with both The Zutons and The Lightning Seeds, honing their songs in front of bigger and bigger audiences, culminating in a stunning headline set at their local 1000-holding O2 Academy, selling it out with ease.
Some headline festival slots in the summer as well as their debut album will see this soulful snowflake become a thundering avalanche. (Steven Doherty)
Aisha Kigst
Cardiff’s Aisha Kigs released her brilliant EP Fire Hazard last year, The standout track was the addictive ‘Unattainable’, effortlessly blending R&B, and hip hop sounds of the early naughties and garnishing it with her vocals that are at once powerful and rippling with soul. Taking clear inspiration from heavy-weights like Beyonce, Missy Elliot, Whitney Houston, and Janelle Monae. ‘Unattainable’ surfs from a looping beat, plucked guitar motif and excellently empowered lyrics, growing into an anthemic track that scratches for something just out of reach, with a string sting, dappling beats and a soaring chorus in the track’s second portion, It’s a refreshing melodic shot.
She introduced us to her vibrant tongue in cheek lyricism and rap abilities through her own take of Ms Dynamite’s ‘Dynamitee’ on SoundCloud in late 2020. Aisha has co-wrote and featured in collaborations with London-based rapper Noah Bouchard on ‘Red Wine Headaches’. Aisha Kigs performed her debut single ‘Dime a Dozen’ on S4C series Curadur (available to stream on BBC iPlayer). Kigs is a formidable emerging talent. (Bill Cummings)
Wax Head
This Manchester band caused utter mayhem at Left of the Dial in Rotterdam in October, and I suspect it’s how most of their gigs go. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly which box they sit in, which is always a good thing. Listening to their 2023 EP Salt Fat Acid Heat there are a multitude of soundscapes. ‘Jaws Wired Shut’ is an insane beast of a track, how can they play that fast! Wax Head don’t rely on vocals and lyrics, which seems to delight any crowd they play in front of. Drums, guitars, bass, keyboards – all pretty standard kit, and yet, Garage psych, a singing drummer, chaos and mayhem, It’s all in the mix. It’s fair to say expect the unexpected. But one thing is for sure. I can’t wait to see what they do in 2025. (Julia Mason)
WRKHOUSE
WRKHOUSE craft exciting bilingual alt-pop songs crammed with invigorating hooks, and synths underpinned by spacious inventive percussion, it’s a sound with undertones of the likes of Tears for Fears or Talking Heads, LCD Soundsystem, Foals, and 1975 but sounds refreshingly of now, infused with a bold imagination and delivered with a heart on the sleeve.
Formed by members Lewys Meredydd Siencyn, Gethin Meilir Elis, Iestyn Jones and Ioan Bryn, the Welsh four-piece delivers atmospheric songs that emphasise the beauty of the Welsh language with bilingual songwriting and swelling melodies. With their musical backgrounds ranging from classical to contemporary,
They released their debut EP, Out of the Blue, last year Conceived amidst the challenges of the pandemic while they were in university, WRKHOUSE’s ‘Out Of The Blue’ represents a significant evolution from their previous Welsh Language endeavours as they embark on a journey to explore their sonic identity. The EP delves into themes of liberation from the constraints of one’s life, whether it be in relationships, self-discovery, or artistic expression. They followed it up with the powerful riffing and urgent vocal tidal wave of ‘Take‘, which showed they have more than one string to their bow. (Bill Cummings)
