Reading & Leeds Festival – Day 1

8 stages, 200+ acts and 170,000 people over 2 venues … Can only be Reading & Leeds Festival! The iconic festival returns to Richfield Avenue in Reading and Bramham Park in Leeds this weekend, for one of the biggest summer festivals. This year sees the introduction of 2 new stages: BBC Radio 1 Dance Stage and the BBC Radio 1Xtra Stage. Headline acts over the 3 day festival include Green Day, Biffy Clyro and Eminem! With Green Day set to headline Main Stage on Friday, check out some of my top pics for Day 1 at Reading!

Major Lazer: Radio1/NME Stage 

Major Lazer (AKA American DJ/Producer Diplo and Walshy Fire) are primed to take over the Radio 1 /NME Stage with their infectious reggae rhythms and dancehall vibes; just in time for Notting Hill Carnival this weekend!

Having played at all the major festivals this year including, Coachella, Ultra and Lollapalooza, Major Lazer have been extensively touring with the release of their second album ‘Free The Universe’ in April, featuring a whole host of collaborations from Flux Paillion, Danielle from HAIM, Wyclef Jean, Santigold and Bruno Mars.

With reggae and dance hall firmly at the helm, expect big tracks such ‘Get Free‘ ft. Amber Coffman of Dirty Projectors, ‘Jah No Partial’ ft Flux Pavillion, ‘Bumaye’ (Watch Out for This) ft. Busy Signal & Flexican and their latest single ‘Bubble Butt.’ No Major Lazer gig would be complete without some custom dub plates, energetic dancers’ twerking and inflatable Zorbs… what more could you ask for? Upcoming UK dates include Warehouse Project in Manchester and Brixton Academy London in November.

– Other acts to check out on the Radio 1/NME Stage are: Skrillex, A$AP Rocky, Peace and Bastille

Bondax: R1 Dance Stage 

Lancaster based producer duo Bondax, made up of George Townsend and Adam Kaye, are set to bring their infectious house vibes to the new R1 Dance stage.

Another firm favourite with R1, the duo’s latest single ‘Giving It All’, received its premiere with Pete Tong and served up some irresistible summer house vibes, silky R&B vocals and infectious beats to match.

With an infectious track record including ‘Gold’, ‘Baby I Got That’ and their recent remix of Blackstreet’s ‘No Diggity’, the duo have a busy weekend in store with performances at Reading & Leeds, Sw4 and Creamfields. You can also catch them at Bestival before they embark upon their own UK tour.

Robert DeLong: R1 Dance Stage

Having started off the year being MTV’s artists to watch for 2013, Robert DeLong released his debut genre-mashing album in February.

‘Just Movement‘ explores electro, house, moombahton, dubstep and indie pop; a truly unique masterpiece. Delong’s one-man band style performance infuses synths, acoustic drums, drum pads, infectious beats, MIDI effects and even game controllers into his live set – definitely one to act to check out.

Having already received great support from Radio 1′s Huw Stephens, Phil & Alice and featured as Zane Lowe’s ‘Next Hype’ with lead single ‘Global Concepts‘, it’s only right Delong takes to the R1 Dance Stage for one collective dance party!

– Other acts to check out on the R1 Dance Stage: Sub Focus and Iggy Azalea.

CHVRCHES: Festival Republic Stage

Electro pop trio Chvrches, started off 2013 being shortlisted for BBC’s Sound Of 2013 and placing 5th.  Having released a string of impressive singles including ‘Gun’, ‘Recover’, ‘Lies‘ and ‘The Mother We Share‘, the Glasgow based trio consistently deliver infectious melodies infused with dark synth-pop textures and sweet piercing vocals from Lauren Mayberry.

The past year has seen the group tour in the UK, US and Canada as well as performing at festivals such as T in the Park, Field Day, Benicassim and Latitude.  While their highly anticipated debut album ‘The Bones of What You Believe’ is expected later this year, you can also catch them at Electric Picnic in Ireland, before they return to the UK in October.

– Other Acts to check out on the Festival Republic Stage: Crystal Fighters, MS MR, Half Moon Run and The Strypes.  

Toddla T Sound: 1Xtra Stage 

Radio 1 DJ & producer Toddla T is set to bring his distinctive Toddla T Sound to the 1Xtra stage. The collaborative project, made up of Serocee, DRS, Shola AMA and Toddla T combines an energetic live DJ set with live vocalists, amazing visuals and plenty of garage, house and dancehall vibes.  Recent Toddla T Sound tracks include ‘Shabba’ and ‘Flash’.

With two studio albums under his belt, ‘Skanky Skanky‘ and ‘Watch Me Dance‘, the Sheffield DJ has a busy weekend in store, with sets planned at Creamfields and Notting Hill Carnival (Ninja Tune and Big Dada present: Carnival and Notting Hill Carnival ft Annie Mac, Breach and Stylo G.)

You can also catch Toddla T Sound at Warehouse Project, Ibiza Rocks and Bestival .

– Other acts to check out on the 1Xtra Stage: Wiley and Stylo G

Lauren Aquilina: BBC Introducing Stage 

18 year old Lauren Aquilina  is set to headline the BBC introducing Stage.

The BBC Introducing Stage, supports unsigned, undiscovered and under the radar musicians and gives artists the opportunity to perform at major festivals including, Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds as well as recording sessions at BBC Maida Vale Studios. Previous artists that have emerged from BBC Introducing include: Bombay Bicycle Club, Ed Sheeran, Florence + The Machine and Jake Bugg.

Lauren’s first independently released EP ‘Fools’ reached the top 10 on the iTunes album chart, while her follow-up EP ‘Sinners’ was released in July. With over 2.5 million YouTube view, 22k Facebook likes and strong backing from BBC, Lauren is set to embark upon her second headline tour this September. Her exquisite vocals and piano-led melodies are sure to see her grace many main stages in her already promising future.

Check back soon for more Top Pics for Day 2 & Day 3 of Reading!

Barclaycard Mercury Prize – Albums of the Year (Part 1)

The shortlist for the 2012 Barclaycard Mercury Prize Albums of the Year, were announced earlier this week. Celebrating the best albums from UK and Ireland, host Lauren Laverne read out the 12 nominations. Previous winners include PJ Harvey, The xx, Elbow, Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand and Dizzee Rascal. Lets have a look at the first 6 albums up for contention …

1) Alt-J (∆)  – An Awesome Wave

** Updated** – Winner of the 2012 Barclaycard Mercury Prize

‘An Awesome Wave‘, the debut album from Alt-J, was released in May 2012 through ‘Infectious Music’. It features the singles ‘Matilda’, ‘Breezeblocks’ and the stunning ‘Tessellate’.

The band consists of Gwil Sainsbury (guitarist/bassist), Joe Newman (guitar/vocals), Gus Unger-Hamilton (keyboards) and Thom Green (drums), who together deliver a strong and captivating debut album that spans across a multitude of musical genres, including their uniquely dubbed “folk step”. Each track is fresh and exciting, while lead vocals from Newman guide us through the album effortlessly with his poignant intimate lyrics.

The band had a great presence throughout the summer festival season, including performances at Latitude, Bestival, T in the park, Reading and Leeds and have plenty of upcoming  tour dates on the horizon.

2) Ben Howard – Every Kingdom

Every Kingdom, the debut album from English singer song-writer Ben Howard, was released in October 2011 through ‘Island Records’. It features the singles ‘Old Pine’, ‘The Wolves’, ‘Keep Your Head Up’ and ‘Only Love’.

Bens clear influences from Bon Iver and John Martyn, has resulted in a debut album that’s both engaging and emotional. His folk style incorporates delicately plucked guitars, simple percussion, soothing vocal harmonies, and a collaboration with India Bourne on cello. From the up-tempo tracks of ‘Keep Your Head Up’, to the more personal and restrained numbers of ‘Everything’, ‘Every Kingdom’ is a perfect balance of light and shade.

In April 2012, Ben launched his music in the US followed  by a successful performance at SXSW in Texas. During the Summer, Ben captivated the crowds at Radio 1 Hackney Weekend, T in the Park and Electric Picnic. Be sure to catch him at one of his many upcoming UK and Irish dates.

3) Django Django – Django Django

Django Django’s self-titled debut album was released in January 2012 through ‘Because Music’. It features the singles ‘Default’ ‘Waveforms’ and ‘Hail Bop’.

The psychedelic quartet consists of David Maclean (drums), Vincent Neff, (vocals and guitars), Jimmy Dixon, (bass) and Tommy Grace (synths). The album uniquely infuses musical genres to deliver such a distinct sound – Whether it be the synth-pop vibes of ‘Hail Bop’ to the tribal beats and chanting of ‘Skies Over Cairo’, each track is fresh, imaginative and bursting with colour.

Their new single ‘Life’s A Beach’ will be released on October 31^st, while a full tour starts October 20^th in Norwich.

4) Field Music – Plumb

‘Plumb’ is the fourth album from brotherly duo Peter and David Brewis. Released in February 2012 through ‘Memphis Industries’, it features the singles ‘(I Keep Thinking About) a New Thing‘ and a ‘New Town’.

With fifteen tracks in just 35 minutes, ‘Plum’ is quite complex and  constantly changing with its use of instrumentation and different rhythmic devices. The album can be described as ‘progressive pop’ that spans across a multitude of different influences, from the Beatles, to Talking Heads.

The duo recently performed at Bestival, with their upcoming UK tour starting October 3^rd in Aberdeen.

5) Jessie Ware – Devotion

Jessie Ware, one of the most promising new acts from South London, released her captivating debut album ‘Devotion’  in August, through Island Records/PMR. Featuring the singles 110%, Running and Wildest Moments, Devotion takes us on a musical journey of R&B, pop, soul and electronic music

When you’re debut album is produced by Dave Okumu (The Invisible), Bristol electronic producer Julio Bashmore (Au Seve), and Kid Harpoon (co-writer of Florence + The Machine: Ceremonials), you know you’re building pretty solid foundations for a debut release. Each with their own individual style, yet never taking away from Ware’s unique form that makes ‘Devotion’ a real stand-out album.

From the defined beats of ‘Wildest Moments’, to the 80’s inspired synths of ‘110%, Jessie manages to keep it fresh by making it so relatable and personable. You really feel like she’s singing from her soul as she opens up about these personal moments in her life.

After an exceptionally busy summer, including performances at BBC Radio 1 Hackney Weekend, Ibiza, House Party live on channel 4,   Jessie kicks of her headlining tour of the UK in November.

6) Lianne La Havas – Is Your Love Big Enough

In July 2012, Lianne La Havas released her stunning debut album through ‘Warner Bros Records’. The album features the singles ‘Is Your Love Big Enough?’,’ No Room For Doubt’, ‘Forget’ and ‘Lost & Found’.

From the delicate guitar accompaniment of ‘No Room For Doubt’, to the edgy and powerful vocal of ‘Forget’, Lianne highlights not only her soulful voice, but her talent as a songwriting. Citing Nina Simone and Lauryn Hill as her main influences, the South Londoner sings with such honesty as she invites us into her world with each new track.

Lianne started off the year on a high, after being shortlisted for the BBC Sound of 2012 and supporting Bon Iver on tour. Her next performance is at the iTunes festival September 28th, followed by a UK tour starting October 5th

The Cast Of Cheers – Human Elevator

The Cast Of Cheers have fastly become one of the most exciting new bands of 2012. In 2010, they released a self-recorded demo titled ‘Chariot’ and since then, have gone from strength to strength, while supporting bands such as Blood Red Shoes and Two Door Cinema Club. Their highly anticpated album, ‘Family‘ was released in the UK in July and their new single, ‘Human Elevator‘,  is set for release August 20th.

Human Elevator is an instantly catchy track with angular guitar riffs and provides us with a chorus that will have you singing along in no time.

The Dublin four-piece  band have just been added to the NME Generation Next Tour alongside Howler and Gross Magic. You can catch the band performing at Reading and Leeds and supporting Two Door Cinema Club in the Academy Dublin. Full list of upcoming performances can be found here.

Have a listen to the Le Galaxie Remix of Human Elevator and get your free download below:

Tribes – Coming Of Age

Indie Rock band ‘Tribes‘, have released their track, ‘Coming Of Age‘, as a free download. The song, which has always been a fan favourite, yet never recorded, gathered a lot of support during previous live performances, that they decided to do a full band recording and release it for free.

Earlier in the year, Tribes took part in the NME Awards Tour 2012, along with Two Door Cinema Club, Metronomy and Azealia Banks. Their debut Album, ‘Baby‘, delivered some great tracks, such as ‘We Were Children‘ and ‘Sappho‘. Currently in LA, at the legendary Soundcity Studios, the band are working on their highly anticipated second album. Speaking to Huw Stephens on BBC Radio 1, front man Johnny Lloyd commented:

‘The album is a bit more rock and roll and a bit looser… We feel very confident about it and can’t wait for people to hear it.’

You can catch Tribes on the Radio 1/NME Stage at this years Reading and Leeds Festival. Don’t forget to download your free copy of ‘Coming of Age‘, from the bands Facebook page.