30 Bands You Need To Check Out At SWN

1
 

Radkey
Fresh from supporting fellow sibling rock band Drenge on their headline tour, the brothers Radke play tracks from their recent storming EP ‘Devil Fruit’.

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Radstewart
They might be joining the legions of bands with terrible pun names but don’t write Radstewart off just yet. Underneath the moniker is a group who could be Britain’s answer to Parquet Courts.

3
 

Clipping
Flying over from LA, this rap trio use glitchy, minimalist beats as the bed to their lyrics, forming something that sounds thrillingly experimental. They rarely visit the UK so see them while you can.

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4
 

Telegram
Booked for a BBC 6Music session before they’d even played a gig or put a track online, rising East London band Telegram quickly grabbed attention with their take on Gorky’s Zygotic Mynki and Super Furry Animals’ psych-pop. Find out what all the fuss is about at Swn.

5
 

Crushed Beaks
A duo formed by South London residents Matt Poile and Alex Morris, Crushed Beaks deal in rough and ready garage rock, as evidenced on their debut EP ‘Tropes’.

6
 

Temples
Usually found wearing something sparkly and looking like they’ve just stepped out of a time machine from the ‘70s, Kettering neo-psych quartet Temples add a touch of glam to the kaleidoscope with tracks like ‘Colours To Life’ and debut single ‘Shelter Song’.

7
 

Drenge
Beloved by both politicians and the indie fraternity, over the past year Eoin and Rory Loveless have become renowned for shows consisting of sludgy and supreme rock, along with some of the best stage banter in Eoin’s bursts of scathing dry wit.

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8
 

The Wytches
The Hate Hate Hate-signed trio tackle the current psych trend and come up with something doomier, angrier and more terrifying. Let Halloween come early and shriek along with singer Kristian Bell.

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Fryars
The solo project of Ben Garrett, Fryars makes tender piano-led electro-pop. Catch him to see recent EP ‘Radio Power’ played live, along with other highlights like the gorgeous ‘On Your Own’.

10
 

The Yawns
With a debut album recorded over a month last December, Glasgwegian five piece The Yawns sound as lethargic as their name would suggest, making brilliantly laidback garage-rock.

11
 

Gulp
Super Furries’ bassist Guto Price joins up with Scottish singer Lindsey Leven to indulge in some Celtic psychedelia that the pair themselves have described as “cosmic-pop”.

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12
 

Waxahatchee
The project of Katie Crutchfield, Waxahatchee won hearts earlier this year with their debut album ‘Cerulean Salt’, featuring lashings of delicate and intimate lo-fi.

13
 

Nadine Shah
The north-eastern singer-songwriter has been compared to the likes of PJ Harvey and, on her debut album ‘Love Your Dum And Mad’, backed those claims up with a record of dramatic, haunting indie.

14
 

Wolf Alice
With the North London quartet hoping to record their debut album soon, their set should act as the perfect preview for what it could sound like. New tracks ‘Your Love’s Whore’ and ‘You’re A Germ’ are guaranteed highlights.

15
 

Oliver Wilde
Part of the burgeoning Howling Owl collective along with Towns and Spectres, Bristol based Oliver Wilde has gardnered acclaim for his debut album ‘A Brief Introduction To Unnatural Lightyears’. Unlike the rest of his peers, though, he’s leaving the ‘90s resurgence alone and marking himself out as a Nick Drake for the 21st century

16
 

Outfit
Producing one of 2013’s most underrated albums in ‘Performance’, Liverpool’s dreamlike Outfit come with stories of playing house parties in mansions full of artists. Their set at Swn might not be quite as extraordinary as that but expect the songs to be just as luxuriously strong.

17
 

Babe
A supergroup of sorts, Babe are fronted by Gerard Black of Francois & The Atlas Mountains and come with additional help from Aidan Moffat, members of Chvrches and more.

18
 

Cheatahs
Recalling early ‘90s grunge and slacker-rock, Wichita-signed Cheatahs have supported the likes of Milk Music and The Cribs in their short time and released one of the finest EPs of last year in ‘Cored’. Get to know them now.

19
 

Pawws
Solo star-in-waiting Lucy Taylor is the next in line of great, honey-voiced electro-pop focused ladies. Expect her to perform new track ‘Outside’ with as much grace and elegance as on record.

20
 

Nai Harvest
The Sheffield duo recall ‘90s emo like cult favourite Cap’n Jazz on their debut album ‘Whatever’. Expect intricate guitar hooks and big vocals.

21
 

Pinkunoizu
After stumbling across them at this year’s Glastonbury, the Danish punks have had their praises sung by The Horrors’ Tom Cowan. With his band known for their impeccable taste in music, endorsements don’t come much better than that.

22
 

Raisa K
You might know Raisa from her contributions to Micachu and The Shapes but she also does her own thing, making experimental pop that’s as out-there and innovative as you’d expect.

23
 

Dutch Uncles
Playing tracks from their recent album ‘Out Of Touch In The World’, find Duncles (as they’re affectionately called by their fans) pulling out impressive dance moves, jerky oddball pop and maybe even a cover of Grace Jones’ ‘Slave To The Rhythm’.

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Swn

Bo Ningen

What’s the vibe: The best in new music with a Welsh slant. Radio 1’s Huw Stephens is one of the curators of Swn so you know the line-up is bursting with fresh gems for you to find. There’s also slightly bigger faves, like Drenge, Gwenno, Goat Girl, Dream Wife and more, for when you want something a little more familiar.
Who: Boy Azooga, Yassassin, Yves, Bo Ningen (pictured), The Go! Team, Martha, Cowtown, Snapped Ankles, Great News, and more.
Where: Cardiff, various venues.
When: October 17-20.
Tickets: Day tickets range between £15-25, while a two-day ticket is £35 or a four-day pass is £60, all available here.

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