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The huge showcase of alternative and new artists – coming back to Brighton from May 14th to 17th – includes an impressive list of international acts coming not only from the US, Canada, or Australia, but also from China, Switzerland, Iran, and many more. Here, in no particular order, are five picks to get you started – although you will easily find a whole world of sound waiting for you over the four days of the festival!
1 – Dug (Ireland)
Dublin-based and with an American influence courtesy of California-born songwriter Jonny Pickett, the duo reflects the different heritage of its members by blending Irish folk sonorities with the structures, and often the vocals, of old-school Americana. In a line-up rich with interesting folk acts, this is a band that is doing something different by striking a difficult balance between the traditional – indeed, the almost philological – and the modern. Upon first listen, this is music that feels like it was made for an intimate pub session, and to an extent it is: there is a reason why this is an act that has quickly become popular in the Dublin live circuit. There is more to it, though: a deep love for the craft of storytelling through sound, a soulfulness that is best conveyed through acoustic arrangement, and a soulfulness which is sometimes missing from the more convoluted folk-rock experimentations. This is a beautifully woven tapestry of sound, confident in its craft and speaking straight to the heart of its audience.
2 – Nighticket (China)
Hailing from Beijing, this EDM duo creates music which is stylish, thrumming with energy, and with a very sharp edge. Nighticket brings an excellent introduction to the Chinese alternative music scene which is perhaps less-frequented still by European audiences, but a veritable hive of new ideas and subcultures, buzzing with innovation. Starting from a synth-pop foundation and hybridising it with house, techno, and even a touch of prog-rock, this is music that feels like the soundtrack to a possible future, similar to what cyberpunk literature and cinema have imagined but even more daring. The act name is especially well-chosen, since these tracks feel very much like a portrait-in-motion of night life, constantly speeding and in perpetual motion, replete with bright light and near-overwhelming sensations. It is music in which it is very easy to get lost, and getting lost in it is perhaps the best way of experiencing it.
3 – Silvurdrongur (Faroe Islands)
Once described – and with good reason – as ‘aggressively weird’, this one-man enterprise from the Faroe Islands is so much more than just music. The titular ‘silver boy’ forges new musical genres of his own while exploring the sonorities of the Faroese language, starting from a solid dance foundation that ventures into directions which become increasingly hard to define. This is electronica at its best: eclectic, intense, and with a deeply spiritual undercurrent running through it, pioneering a completely new sound which still proudly shows its very deep cultural roots. Look past the music and you will find a whole universe of interconnected art: past releases have been accompanied by poetry collections, photography projects, and even a short film. It’s a whole new universe waiting to be discovered, with stunningly immersive music as its gateway.
4 – Chameleon Lime Whoopiepie (Japan)
This is not your usual J-Pop. Orange-haired Chi- and her partners in crime, the aptly-named Whoopies no. 1 and Whoopies no. 2, are a solo unit that is as much an art project as it is a musical enterprise. Plunge into the world they have created and you might have the feeling of having fallen into a fever dream, albeit an oddly charming and comforting one. Startling, brightly-coloured visuals, a love of the whimsical and otherworldly, and a flair for the surreal provide an unexpected context for music which defies genre labels and delves into complex and sometimes dark topics. Flirting with hip-hop, hyperpop, and even punk, this is a remarkably layered sound which will catch you by surprise. It may feel too bright and cartoonish to be properly defined Lynchian, but it’s something David Lynch would no doubt have loved.
5 – Sirens of Lesbos (Switzerland)
This Swiss-based indie-pop outfit brings together influences from different corners of the world into articulate, intense music which draws its inspirations from topics ranging from Plato to the African diaspora. Sisters Jasmina and Nabyla Serag, who front the band, have their family roots in Eritrea and Sudan, and bring the sonorities of the rich musical scenes of those countries into a central-European, jazz-infused structure, creating something new, compelling, and cosmopolitan. If that is not enough, you can add a pinch of rap influence and a confidence of performance forged through years of intimate appearances at clubs throughout Europe – including iconic venues like Camden’s Jazz Café or Amsterdam’s Paradiso – and you will be guaranteed an intense, immersive experience from a band like no other.
Chiara Strazzulla
Image: The Great Escape Official Artwork
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