Weaving folkloric moods with various shades of modern genres, Java’s Senyawa have been navigating unexplored musical terrain for more than a decade. Their sound comprises of Rully Shabara’s deep vocal explorations and instrument builder Wukir Suryadi’s modern-primitive arrangements. In May they release their highly-anticipated new album, Vajranala, via state51. Exploring tribal sounds with industrial music, the result is like no other. Ritualistic and bone-shakingly powerful, Senyawa are ones to watch.
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The new project of Shane Lavers (an already established presence among the New York DIY scene) Chanel Beads captures the many contradictions of modern existence and the strange infiniteness of the digital world, utilising experimental audio collages, electronic violin, guitar and odd pop melodies, the project makes for a timeless, transcendental meditation on being. Chanel Beads’ debut album Your Day Will Come was released in April via Jagjaguwar and we’re so here for it. We can’t wait to see them in the field!
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Hailing from Hattiesburg (MI), experimental post-rock band MSPAINT boast retro synths, experimental electronica, and blown-out bass. Their breakthrough album Post-America was featured in Stereogum’s Best Albums of 2023 and pays homage to artists like DEVO and SOPHIE. With their frenzied rhythms, tranquil synths, blistering riffs and hopeful lyrics, these wonderful oddbods are certainly ones to watch.
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Dynamic music collective, Plantoid, weaves intricate melodies and lush textures into their sound. Plantoid are one of those bands that exceed the sum of their parts, with Tom’s lifelong guitar prowess, Louis’ jazz-infused drumming, and Bernardo’s intricate basslines, each member adds a unique layer. Plus Chloe’s ethereal vocals and lyrical depth elevate their music to new heights. Together, they blend old-school vibes with innovative flair, captivating audiences with their sonic journey all over the world.
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THE NONE brings together seasoned musicians Gordon Moakes (Bloc Party, Young Legionnaire), Kaila Whyte (Blue Ruth, Youth Man), Jim Beck (Cassels), and Chris Francombe (Frauds) to create uncompromising noise rock with a melodic centre. Embracing egoless experimentation and open collaboration, their name reflects their creative ethos. With debut shows and releases slated for 2024, their music will resonate with Shellac, The Jesus Lizard, Silverfish, and Unwound fans.
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At just 21 years old, Anastasia Coope’s talents as a musician, painter, and folk artist are formidable, but it’s her mesmerising baritone that may first draw listeners in. Using layered recording techniques, she builds vast vocal choirs that sweep, chant, and swirl through her music – creating a phantasmic ether around her spectral timbre. Hailing from the village of Cold Spring in upstate New York’s Hudson Valley, Coope cites Nico, Brigitte Fontaine, and Scandinavian choral music as inspiration. Her work bears the lineage of classic psychedelic folk and can sound, at once, persuasively vintage and strikingly new.
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H31R (pronounced heir/air) are an experimental electronic hip-hop duo comprising producer/composer JWords and rapper/vocalist maassai. Known for their boundary-pushing fusion of hip hop and electronica, they garnered attention with their debut album ve·loc·i·ty in 2020. Collaborating with rising artists like Semiratruth and Quelle Chris, they push the boundaries of genre, bridging the gap between hip-hop and electronic music.
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UK-based Still House Plants is made up of Jessica Hickie-Kallenbach, Finlay Clark, and David Kennedy. Bridging elements of sampling, slowcore, and repetition the trio craft sharp, fractious music. Their third LP, “If I don’t make it, I love u,” embodies their sound fully. It reflects their decade of friendship and persistent commitment to their craft, resulting in a generous, open-hearted album that demands less yet reveals more with each play.
Born in the U.S. but spending much of his childhood in Africa and the West Indies, as the child of a Jamaican intellectual and a would-be Marxist revolutionary, billy woods is a rapper who defies categorization. On the mic, his work is as eclectic. After spending much of the 2000s in relative obscurity woods stuck a nerve with 2012’s audacious mission statement, History Will Absolve Me. In 2013 woods and fellow NYC artist Elucid joined forces as Armand Hammer and released the incendiary Race Music. In the years that followed, woods has released a steady stream of critically acclaimed projects, both as a solo artist and with Armand Hammer.
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Twenty years into his solo career, and eight stunning solo albums and two Mercury Prize nominations later, the legendary Sheffield singer-songwriter’s lush, tender balladry is as recognisably Richard Hawley as his trademark quiff and glasses. His ninth record, In This City They Call You Love, out later this year, shows that he’s an artist who will continue to push to find new and unexpected ways to shape his sound. We were lucky enough to have him play here in 2008 and now, 16 years later, we’re thrilled to be opening up our door (sorry) to have Richard here again.
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