Described by The Guardian as “folk with the crushing power of heavy metal”, Lankum were originally formed by brothers Ian and Daragh in the early 2000s. Since then they have gone on to become a leading light in contemporary folk music. Their powerful and haunting album False Lankum (Rough Trade Records) ranked number one in The Quietus and Uncut’s Best Albums of 2023 and was the first folk album to be nominated for the Mercury Prize in 11 years. Having played the festival in 2017, as well as a truly special sold-out show at the Roundhouse in 2023, their live sets are nothing short of soul-stirring.
Duo Georgia Ellery (also of Black Country, New Road) and Taylor Skye have been making waves with their boundary-pushing electro-pop since they formed in 2016. Jockstrap blew our minds when they played the Boat Stage at End of the Road Festival in 2022 – a performance which Clash Magazine called a highlight of the festival. Their dazzling Mercury Prize nominated 2022 debut LP I Love You Jennifer B garnered critical acclaim in The Guardian, NME, and Pitchfork. If you weren’t lucky enough to witness them live in the forest in 2022, now’s your chance.
It’s been seven long years since Ty Segall played at End of the Road; a leader of the psych-influenced garage rock scene that erupted in California in the late 2000s, the prolific multi-instrumentalist has released fourteen studio albums alongside various EPs, singles, and collaborative albums. Rooted in garage and psych, his surreal and transportive melodies have granted him cult status. Last time Ty played he “[opened] up a sonic portal on the Garden Stage.” Let the portal re-open!
Formed in New York in 2016, indie-pop trio Nation of Language merge retro analogue synths with 80s new wave power pop – think the likes of New Order or Kraftwork – with an effortlessly modern style. Their 2023 album Strange Disciple was produced by LCD Soundsystem’s Nick Millhiser and described by NME as “pouring out pristine lyrics, retro propensities and imaginative soundscapes all at once.” Their atmospheric and highly danceable live sets are a dream.
CasIsDead is the masked alter ego of the rapper and producer previously known as Castro Saint, Castro, and Cas. The Tottenham native debuted during the mid-2000s and since then the mysterious rapper and MC has returned, in 2023 he released his debut album Famous Last Words via XL Recordings which DIY Magazine called one of the year’s most compelling and engrossing albums – not just in UK rap, but in British music in general.
Hailing from rural Niger, prodigious Tuareg guitarist and songwriter Mdou Moctar has garnered cult status with his contemporary take on Saharan music, melding Van Halen level guitar shredding with field recordings, drums rhythms and poetic meditations on love, religion and inequality. Mdou Moctar’s 2021 album Afrique Victime is a stunning showcase of “wild, virtuosic Tuareg blues” and the band’s legendary live shows are energetic, passionate and powerfully punk.
Welsh psych-pop wizard Gruff Rhys has been gracing End of the Road with his magnetic presence since 2011. The Super Furry Animals frontman, composer, filmmaker and author has had an incredible career, with his much-anticipated new album Sadness Sets Me Free due for release via Rough Trade Records in 2024. This will be his 25th album in his 35-year career. A round of “applause” for this hero of modern pop, we’re delighted to welcome Gruff back.
Exploring themes of queer joy, sex and rebellion, Swedish experimentalist and The Knife co-founder Karin Dreijer has been a leading light of radical rock and electronic pop for over a decade.
Their landmark 2009 debut album put them on the map as a solo artist, and in 2023 they released their seminal album Radical Romantics (a huge favourite of ours) whichis full to the brim with disorienting synth-pop and heartfelt yearning, capturing“the full cataclysmic event of being a human and experiencing love”.
Known for their sonically and visually immersive and utterly spellbinding live shows, Fever Ray is one of the utmost trailblazers of experimental electro-pop. We’ve been dreaming of this moment for a long time.
With her catchy hooks and clever wordplay, CMAT has quickly become a household name in pop. Drawing inspiration from Dolly Parton to Bob Fosse, her sound is refreshing yet nostalgic and explores themes of love, heartbreak, and self-discovery with witty honesty and vulnerability. CMAT’s chart-topping 2023 album Crazymad, For Me, is an entertaining, absurd and heartfelt abstract-pop masterpiece, and her live shows are truly what dreams are made of. Sparkly cowboy hats at the ready!
As the name suggests, Phosphorescent’s music glows with a soft light. We’ve been admirers of Nashville-dwelling songwriter Matthew Houck’s flourishing Americana and alt-country for a long time. With an impressive body of work including fan favourites “Song For Zula” and “Wolves”, Houck recently announced his first new album in five years, Revelator, due for release in April via Verve Records. He last graced us with his presence in 2016 with a triumphant set on the Garden Stage and a special secret midnight set. 2024 awaits.
