• HEAVY LUNGS •
Born from friendship this loud and proud Bristolian quartet formed in May 2017. With a thirst for artistic and sonic self-expression, they burst onto the post-punk scene with a frenetic bang, their debut EP “Abstract Thoughts” kicking off their journey in a stream of static aggression. Since their packed out show at Crofters Rights, they have set their sights on delivering a loud and agile performance. Their music style and attitude reflects this perfectly, going as far as to record an EP in three days.
“It’s not about what happened in the past, or what you think might happen in the future. It’s about the ride, for Christ’s sake. Irving Feffer said that. We like to think he was right”
However, what these guys don’t take lightly is their respect for each other. The bond that these four share is palpable, showcased in their EP “Straight To CD” released February 2018. They described their relationship with each other as “aggressively caring” which is evident throughout the collection of true blue tracks. Even with all of the love they put into this EP, they still maintain their take no prisoners attitude. “This is the EP your mother told you to worry about. Forget your fears and open your ears”
The love this band receives stretches further than just that of the four members: Danny Nedelko (Lead Vocals), George Garratt (Drums/Backing Vocals), James Minchall (Bass), Oliver Southgate (Guitar/Synths/SFX). The band’s lead singer has close ties to band IDLES, their second single from their second album “Danny Nedelko” being solely inspired by the frontman. A politically charged and dynamic track about immigration and the struggles of discrimination within the UK.
In turn, Heavy Lungs released “Blood Brothers” an ode to lead singer of IDLES Joe Talbot. Both bands combined the two tracks into a 7″ ‘Split Single’ released on 30th November 2018. A physical representation of the respect and friendship that both artistic talents have for each other. Together, the bands sold out a UK tour, receiving huge appraisals up and down the country.
• BESS ATWELL •
Bess Atwell is “your new ethereal folk-pop princess” (Wonderland Magazine). In 2015, not long after dropping out of university to pursue music, Atwell garnered the attention of major news outlets after a slew of showcases for The Great Escape Festival. The Independent and The Guardian were among those impressed by the artist’s performances, describing her as “a promising folk poet of suppression and inner anxiety” and “a gifted singer-songwriter with a voice like slow, cool water”.
The release of debut album ‘Hold Your Mind’ in 2016 saw Atwell attract the attention of critics and public alike while picking up radio plays on BBC Radio One, Two and Six Music together with live sessions for Steve Lamacq and Jo Whiley’s shows. Atwell spent the following year gigging, including several sold out headline shows.
The former solo project has now evolved into a full band sound, soaked in four-part vocal harmony fulfilling Atwell’s desire to create a more dynamic live show, with traces of traditional folk music. Atwell’s single ‘Grace’ is the more restrained, intimate successor of her August offering ‘Swimming Pool’, both of which have been added to the playlists of BBC Radio 6 Music.
This month Bess revealed details of a new EP to be released later this month! ‘Big Blue’ was recorded last summer at Soup Studios in East London with producer Giles Barrett (John Grant, Johnny Flynn, Goat Girl). Bess and her band worked on the arrangements in their hometown of Brighton before taking them into the studio for four ambitious days of tracking. Of the EP Bess says “I wanted to release a small project which would hopefully represent a refinement in my sound. The 5 tracks explore conflicting themes on identity, romanticism and reality”
Fans of Sharon Van Etten, Fleet Foxes, and The National should heavily underline Bess Atwell’s set on their festival plans this year. Check out her most recent single ‘Cherry Baby’ below.
• MISSIO •
Bearded besties Matthew Brue and David Butler became the duo MISSIO back in 2015 when Brue invited Butler to collaborate on a few songs for his solo project. In Butler’s converted garage/home studio they began crafting their brooding, synthesised sound, releasing hit tracks such as “I Don’t Even Care About You,” “I Run to You,” and “Can I Exist?” which eventually led them to making their debut appearance at SXSW Festival in 2016.
Snapped up and signed by RCA Records in 2017, MISSIO coined their sound to a soulful, alternative and EDM landscape which blew up upon the release of their attention grabbing single ‘Middle Fingers’. The track featured on their debut album Loner and topped the “Alt-18 Countdown” on Sirius XM’s Alt Nation in addition to placing Top 10 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart.
These musical misfits continued to ride the wave of success and embarked on an 18 month road trip to which their latest album ‘The Darker The Weather, The Better The Man’ was born. Paying homage to Brue’s roots of suffering with mental illness and in alignment with the utterly honest theme of most Missio tracks, he recalls: “We were driving through East Washington, it was snowy, beautiful, and really quiet. Those words, ‘The Darker The Weather, The Better The Man’ came into my mind. Being an artist, I feel like that’s where my psyche is a lot of the time. For some reason, I believed the more struggles I had personally, the better my art was. In retrospect, I know it’s bullshit. Regardless, it was the first song we wrote.”
Take a listen to their track “Everybody Gets High” (which has almost hit 37 million views on YouTube) and make sure to check them out at this year’s festival!
