Five artists bringing avant-garde experimentality to Truck Festival 2024
Truck Festival returns to the sunny fields of Oxfordshire this weekend, boasting a line-up of some of the best new and established artists in the indie sphere.
Spread across five stages offering everything from indie soul and punk to comedy and karaoke, this year's festival will be marked by headliners Jamie T, Wet Leg and The Streets, with support from Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Soft Play, The Kooks, Idles, Yard Act and The Snuts, to name but a few.
But it's not just about the big names - in its tradition of championing upcoming talent, Truck is once again paving the way for a whole load of budding acts to make their mark on the festival - we suggest catching Luna Lake, Julia Sophie, Personal Trainer and Fat Dog.
Below, we’ve also curated a selection of Best Fit’s must-see recommendations for the weekend; artists who’ll undoubtedly push the boundaries of avant-garde, alternative indie.
Been Stellar
Emerging from the gritty core of New York City, Been Stellar tap into the disaffected sound and spirit of luminaries like Sonic Youth and Interpol, as well as the nihilistic yearning of Iceage and The Bends-era Radiohead, to make their bruised, jagged post-rock. After signing to Dirty Hit, the five-piece released their Dan Carey-produced debut album Scream From New York, NY earlier this year to critical acclaim.
Ebbb
A new project comprised of members from Enter Laughing, Kyoto Kyoto and Butch Cassidy, Ebbb’s blur of sublime vocals, intense techno-inspired beats and a mix of ambient electronics has established a lore on the capital’s underground circuit. The elusive trio stepped from the shadows back in June to release their debut EP, All At Once, via Ninja Tune. Self-described as sounding like “Brian Wilson meets Death Grips”, producer Lev Ceylan says that he likes that their music “can't be pigeonholed. We really do love plot twists – where it just explodes into something completely different.”
mary in the junkyard
Like their friends in Ebbb, Mary in the Junkyard have become a bit of a word-of-mouth underground phenomenon. It’s not just for their heady, experimental indie, but also their drive to make their live shows as immersive as possible. Papier-mâché sculptures and extravagant outfits visually colour the trio’s performances as wide-eyed creativity oozes.
Heartworms
Another Dan Carey / Speedy Wunderground signee, Heartworms - the solo project of singer-songwriter Jojo Orme - has become one of the scene's gothic post-punk favourites. Citing Kraftwerk and PJ Harvey as key influences, the crux of Orme's music as Heartworms is poetic lyricism, wrapped in dissonant instrumental distortion. Defiant, dark, brooding and not to be missed.
Mandrake Handshake
Oxford-hailing nine-piece Mandrake Handshake perform what they call ‘Flowerkraut’: a hedonistic, feast of Krautrock, art-pop and psychedelia, spiced with enigmatic grooves and improvisations. Taking inspiration from cult pillars including The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Spacemen 3, Stereolab and Broadcast, their kraut jams are just as risk-taking and expressive as their collective imagery.
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