20 of the most exciting bands on the planet to see at The Great Escape in Brighton this weekend
The UK's very own version of SXSW kicks off this Thursday, showcasing the most exciting bands around right now - and we've chosen twenty of the best.
Soleima (Denmark)
Copenhagen-based Soleima is the moniker of singer-songwriter Sarah Mariegaard who’s been making left-field pop gems for a couple of years, having previously been a member of Danish hip-hop collective Flødeklinikken. Her mini-album NO. 14 is an odyssey of crossover joy and experimentation with the straight-up banger “Cracks” and sparse electro-ballad “This Life” book ending the project. Undoubtedly cool, Soleima is part of an exciting, emerging electro-pop scene in Copenhagen, alongside off bloom, Vera and more, who know how to bring the party when it comes to their live shows. Expect sax solos and more.
Shows: Thursday, 10.15pm, Queen's Hotel
Hare Squead (Ireland)
Irish hip-hop three piece Hare Squead, pronounced Hair Skwed, are pretty hard to define, and quite rightly. Their music contains flashes of soul, hip-hop and R&B, but moreover there’s an undisputable pop element that makes the group even more exciting. Standout single “Herside Story” may already sound familiar to you, thanks to a rework which featured on Goldlink’s latest album. With just a handful of tracks on streaming services, it’s worth having a search online to rediscover older highlights and watching videos of the group’s party-ready anthems going off live.
Shows: Thursday, 9.30pm, SHOOSH
s a r a s a r a (France)
Electronic experimental singer-songwriter s a r a s a r a’s 2016 debut album A m o r F a t i is a collection of strange, but wonderful songs released on One Little Indian. With a whisper-like vocal evoking Fka Twigs when she’s at her quietest, production not dissimilar from some of Björk’s most recent work, at the core of her music there’s always a song and story. The world of s a r a s a r a may be ruled by technology and programming, but no matter how left-of-centre and avant garde things maybe, her music making will always be an introspective, important outlet.
Shows: Friday, 8.00pm, Latest Music Bar
Debrah Scarlett (Switzerland)
Debrah Scarlett’s saccharine vocals have a slight edge to them, an eldritch edge which lends her pop an otherworldly quality. The 23-year-old Norwegian/Swiss singer’s incredible voice caught the attention of a nation when she joined Mørland to represent Norway in the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest, but it’s her debut solo outing “Cynical Youth” which caught our attention. The track, taken from her latest EP DYS(U)TOPIA, is a stunning ode to an ode to growing up between places and never quite fitting in. She absolutely captivating and not to be missed.
Shows: Friday, 12:30pm, Marine Room at Harbour Hotel and Friday 19, 12:30am, Brighthelm Centre
Molly (Austria)
“On a cold foggy November afternoon in 2014, Molly was founded in a little basement amid the Alps” … or at least that’s how the story goes! Far from an alpine chill though, the Austrian duo’s warm fuzzy textures recall dusty plains and dessert tripping. Dreamy shoegaze for the new age.
Shows: Thursday, 12:00pm, Prince Albert and Friday, 8:30pm, Queen’s Hotel
Fazerdaze (New Zealand)
Amelia Murray’s Fazerdaze project began as a string of late night bedroom experiments. Those recordings, written and produced by Murray herself, soon turned into her self-titled EP and captured the attention of all those with a hankering for dreamy, DIY champer-pop. With debut album Morningside out now via Flying Nun, the New Zealand born artist has captured such a specific moment in time, creating something intimate and altogether beautiful.
Shows: Thursday, 1:30pm, Queen’s Hotel and Thursday, 11:30pm, The Arch
Cut_ (Netherlands)
Dutch duo Cut_ are just one of many incredible acts to have emerged from the Netherlands of late. The pair create a delectable blend of dark electronic beats and bright pop hooks, those opposing energies twist and turn, constantly dragging the listener to unexpected territory. It’s slick and understated, elegant and so much fun.
Shows: Friday, 12:00pm, Komedia and Saturday, 2:30pm, Horatio’
Mikko Joensuu (Finland)
Once you know Arctic Cowboys are a thing, then the Country drawl of Finnish singer songwriter Mikko Joensuu comes as less of a surprise. Joensuu is much more than just an imitation of Western American legends, his voice is so unique and his story telling set so far apart. His third album Amen 3 (the follow up to Amen 1 and Amen 2) has such an impossibly big sound, thankfully that sound will be done justice in One Church.
Shows: Saturday, 20:15, One Church
DGS Samurai Champs (Canada)
Merv xx Gotti came up in the same rural Regina music scene as Andy Shauf. Rejecting the steady diet of country music fed to the general populous they honed their craft with fellow like-minded youth in backrooms, garages and basements. These days the sounds are very different - Shauf turned folky while Gotti channelled his infectious energy into the hip-hop and R&B scene, forming DGS Samurai Champs with Saskatoon new wave rapper Jeah. While the spectacular acrobatic hardcore punk moves remain in place as Gotti paces the stage, growls are replaced with anxious, soulful post-R&B With heavy hooks and Jeah’s dark, hard raps the duo have an infectious presence that is a sight to behold. On this evidence the future of Canada's Urban music scene might just lie in the wheat fields of Saskatchewan.
Shows: Friday, 4.00pm, Green Door Store and Saturday, 8.30pm, SHOOSH
Casi (Wales)
From the ethereal grandeur of "Lion" to the industrial-electronica of "The Beast", Casi Wyn is throwing herself into a world of experimental pop. Raised in North Wales and now living in Hackney, London - Wyn creates magical moments with her music. Signed to Chess Club Records (MØ, Tove Styrke) and having received early support from BBC Introducing Wales, her live set at our Five Day Forecast back in January showed us Casi's pipes are every bit as good live as they are in the studio.
Shows: Saturday, 9.15pm, Coalition
The Great Escape runs from 18-20 May across various venues in Brighton.
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