Co-inciding with the year anniversary of this sites conception a year ago, I’m introducing a new feature to counteract the ephemera (something that disappears quickly) of writing about new bands. Basically, I write about a lot of new music, but rarely get the chance to talk about what these artists go on to do, release, who they get to dance to their funky music.

A similar thing will probably happen again every few weeks so that all the bands and artists I write about won’t get so lost in the tubes the internet.

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Slow Club: Good friends of mine. It began at very little and sacred folk night called “Cool as Folk”, blowing away everyone there, touring everywhere (Including my house) and playing with some of the beautifulist faces in British music and all sorts of popstars. They have since recorded a live session for Radio 1, and have their debut release (7″/ Digital Download) out on one of the UK’s finest labels, Moshi Moshi. Their sublime folk-pop will tour the country will the glee and happiness of a 100 men all opening a cold beer similtaneously.

MP3: Slow Club - I’m Alive (live in my living room)

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Sky Larkin:

“Frequently overwhelming, dark, upbeat, frantic and utterly charming.” said I. Toured with Broken Social Scene, been let of out of their cold northern cage by the kind Dance to the Radio records, run by Whiskers from Forward Russia. They are playing of a dozen dates this summer culminating with a set at Leeds Carling Festival. They’ve been on Radio 1 and NME, and you should expect more flights of fancy (gigs) this summer.

MP3: Sky Larkin - Somersault (Notes!)

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Los Campesinos: It love at first listen for me and L.C “tangled melodies that unravel themselves to reveal a 7 headed, multi-coloured, glokenspiel wielding indie pop behemoth”. I stood on the rooftop and shouted about them. They played with Broken Social Scene too, NME + Radio 1 kiss and hugged their grandoise take on indie-pop and they signed to Wichita after major label clamour, simply because they were nicer. Scheduled to play Loolapalooza, Glasto and some U.S dates this summer.

MP3: Los Campesinos - Don’t Tell Me To Do The Math

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Robin Allender: “a Bristol based musician who will wrap you in his story from the moment the vocals appear on your doorstep, unannounced, drenched from the now clearing rainclouds”. He has an album out in July on Dreamboat Records. He is currently playing with Gravenhurst, who are signed to Warp Records.

MP3: Robin Allender - School Field

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Essie Jain: Haunting and daunting, the best singer-songwriter of the last year. Daytrotter got to the bottom of it, “Jain’s measured and immaculate voice pours over you and dries slowly like melting candle wax, which you can break out of, but it feels better to just wear that windbreaker of a plastic coat.”

MP3: Essie Jain - Haze

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Magic Arm were loved by grizzly bear and I called them “lo-fi ambitionalists” which means less and less the more I think about it. They have a record out on the 11th. I looked forward to it the more and more I think about it.

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Here’s to another year, and more frequent updates, here’s to British music.

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