Sŵn Festival 2012: Essential Picks

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Last year’s Sŵn Festival was nothing short of brilliant. We hosted a stage, drunkenly stumbled down chip alley and most importantly saw some amazing bands. Naturally when it was all over we couldn’t wait for the next one. Luckily we’ve only got a couple of days left before it starts all over again and this year we’ve got two stages, the full line-up of which you can now see above) and even more amazing bands to check out. We tried to keep this list to a manageable 10 but we’re pretty sure we’ve gone way over, but with the likes of Foxes, Faye, Among Brothers, Peace, Deptford Goth and AlunaGeorge all making appearance what were we supposed to do?! Check out our essential performance picks taking place from 18-21 October.

Gulp
Thursday @ Solus, 8.15pm & Ten Feet Tall, 10pm

Super Furry Animal’s man Guto Pryce gets his side-project kicks with Scottish born singer Lindsey Leven in the beautifully tripped out, understated romantic pop of Gulp.

Foxes
Thursday @ Buffalo, 10.15pm

Continuing on a pop kick but with a seriously amped up late night disco edge is 22 year old Louisa Rose Allen, aka Foxes. Irresistible, sultry and pitch perfect, much like our next act.

Faye
Thursday @ Buffalo, 11.15pm

Having released her debut single ‘Water Against The Rocks’ via our very own Best Fit Recordings earlier this year, Faye continues to deliver infectious, synth driven, power-house pop numbers wrapped in distinctly Swedish textures and the kind of slick precision that could only come from being involved in the industry since the age of 12.

Cut Ribbons
Friday @ Dempseys, 10.45pm

Llanelli locals and Kissability signings Cut Ribbons offer up anthemic guitars and euphoric indie-pop in equal doses.

Jewellers
Friday @ O’Neill’s (St Mary St), 7.00pm

Newport’s answer to Gold Panda, electronic duo Jewellers offer up slinky, minimal beats best suited to crowded, dark dancefloors illuminated by the occasional flashing light.

Mazes
Friday @ Great Hall, 7.15pm

Spiky post-punk guitars and rattling west coast garage rock Jack Cooper and co promise a carefree, head-rush of a show.

Deptford Goth
Saturday @ Buffalo, 2.30pm

South London’s Daniel Woolhouse delivers beautifully crafted, fuzzy, hypnotic beats as Deptford Goth.

PINS
Saturday @ O’Neill’s (St Mary St), 6.15pm

Recent Bella Union darlings, PINS definitely fulfil half the festival’s buzz factor by themselves, but more than just a buzz band PINS offer up bewitching textured pop, permeated with rumbling drums and perfect brooding vocal harmonies.

AlunaGeorge
Saturday @ Buffalo, 6.30pm

Aluna Francis and George Reid’s fresh take on R&B fuses funky bass lines and saccharine bubble gum pop vocals effortlessly.

Face + Heel
Saturday @ Buffalo Bar, 8.00pm

London/Cardiff duo Sinead Mcmillan and Luke Taylor’s warm ambient creations are the perfect soundtrack to those hazy, early morning after party hours.

Childhood
Saturday @ Clwb Ifor Bach (Upstairs), 8.15pm

‘Blue Velvet’ has just about everyone in 2010 raving about Childhood, then without warning they seemed to vanish into the overly stuffed Christmas ether but the shoegaze indebted duo are back, ready to officially release the aforementioned track in November via House Anxiety.

Bright Light Bright Light
Saturday @ Buffalo, 9.15pm

Shimmering, 80s inspired electro pop from Welsh born Rod Thomas sounds almost as if it was designed for a Saturday night and the picturesque, slow motion nostalgia that can inspire.

Among Brothers
Sunday @ O’Neill’s (St Mary St), 3.00pm

Blissful, chamber pop reaching romanticism from Cardiff’s very own Among Brothers.

Swiss Lips
Sunday @ Clwb Ifor Bach (Upstairs), 5.45pm

Straight-up indie flecked dance pop from Manchester five-piece promises to get any dancefloor moving, even if it’s still only early evening.

Luke Sital-Singh
Sunday @ 10 Feet Tall, 7pm

The forlorn heartbreak held within Luke Sital-Singh’s voice and gently plucked acoustic guitar strings will provide a rare and much needed moment of respite.

Rozi Plain
Sunday @ 10 Feet Tall, 8.00pm

Purveyor of alt folk-pop, Winchester born Rozi Plain is set to release her sophomore album Joined Sometimes Unjoined via Fence Records on 22 October, so why not help her celebrate.