• PICTURE THIS •
It’s been an astounding year for Jimmy Rainsford and Ryan Hennessey aka Picture This. With a #1 Debut EP in the Irish charts and a sold out nationwide tour under their belt, the band have signed a major record deal with Republic Records – the biggest record label in the world. The boys will now be homed with the likes of The Weeknd, Ariana Grande and Drake.
Jimmy and Ryan joined forces at the end of October 2015. Upon hearing Ryan’s unique voice after spotting him performing in local pubs and venues, Jimmy invited Ryan to join him in his studio to record some tracks. After quickly hitting it off the duo decided to make the partnership more permanent and Picture This was born.
After last year’s huge sold out tour which saw the band play to over 10,000 people, we’re delighted to have the guys playing all three dates of Dot To Dot Festival as part of their, almost completely sold out, 2017 tour.
• ALL WE ARE •
Since releasing their Dan Carey produced (Kate Tempest, MIA, Hot Chip) debut album on Domino/Double Six in February 2015, All We Are have been lighting up festivals all over the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe with their psych driven atmospheric shows and groove based anthems.
As their debut proved, the Liverpool 3 piece – Richard O’Flynn (drums), Guro Gikling (Bass) and Luis Santos (Guitar) – embraced everything groove based and psychedelic about music, from soul, hip hop to pop music crafting an intoxicating album full of warmth, emotionally astute lyrics and irresistible rhythms.
With their second album ‘Sunny Hills’, due for release on 9th June, drawing influences from post-punk, early 80s/90s electronic music and more, including recent personal observations and experiences, expect a darker, yet brighter, punchier and evermore urgent All We Are filling the void.
Check out the hilarious new video for their huge new single ‘Human’ here:
• NILÜFER YANYA •
Growing up in the heart of London, 21 year-old Nilüfer Yanya’s exploration of music was immersive from the very start. After discovering classical piano at secondary school in Pimlico, a little later at Saturday music school Nilüfer’s relationship with the electric guitar grew and was taught by Dave Okumu of The Invisible.
“I had some great teachers and really got into the idea of writing my own songs, being in bands and playing the guitar,” says Nilüfer, “when I first started writing music I listened to a lot of indie guitar bands such as the Pixies, The Cure and Bloc Party, but since then my influences have widened and now include more soulful artists, like Nina Simone, Jeff Buckley and Bill Withers.”
Calling to mind artists as diverse as Tracy Chapman, King Krule and Portishead, each track Nilüfer writes leaves a perfect imprint of simplicity. She takes her inspiration from iconic songwriters such as Nina Simone and Jeff Buckley as well as modern influences Conan Mockasin and Rosie Lowe
The subject matter of songs is subservient to mood, beauty and feel. “I don’t have a definitive process of writing but normally I will come up with the main pattern, then the melody and the words follow,” Nilüfer explains.
Nilüfer’s music incorporates the city’s urban edge with beautiful wandering guitar lines, downtrodden soulful and jazz flickered melodies, on top of minimalist and atmospheric beats.
