Dot To Dot Festival, the award-winning festival with a reputation for bringing the hottest new talent to city-centre stages, have added a further 25 artists for their 2022 event, taking place on 28th and 29th May 2022 in Bristol and Nottingham respectively.
Joining headliners SQUID and other previously announced names including grime MC GHETTS, Brighton-based rap and production duo FRANKIE STEW AND HARVEY GUNN, Radio 1’s Sound of 2022 long lister BABY QUEEN, and the “beyond-his-years” songwriting talent of ALFIE TEMPLEMAN are post-punk/brit-pop genre clashers FEET, British indie-pop band SWIM DEEP, grime-punk duo BOB VYLAN, uber talented lyricist-producer-singer-songwriter JESSICA WINTER and many, many more.
FEET burst onto the scene, fresh out of Coventry University, in 2019 with What’s Inside Is More Than Just Ham; an album brimming with earwormy hooks and moments of wonky, idiosyncratic excitement that earned them high praise from the likes of NME, DIY and Radio 1. Post-lockdown, the band have comeback with Peace & Quiet, a boisterous single that maintains their playfulness but streamlines it into something more direct, a genre they’ve labelled as “Crease Pop”. Expect hooky choruses that maintain an edge without self-indulgence.
Fresh from their latest release, Familiarise Yourself With Your Closest Exit in March, SWIM DEEP have also joined the line-up for Dot To Dot’s 2022 edition. The EP featured collaborations with Mancunian singer Phoebe Green, Brisbane based dream-pop artist Hatchie and Thai duo Dept. The Birmingham-formed band have been touring the UK, Europe, America and Asia consistently over the last 8 years, drawing on influences from Thailand in particular for their dreamy musical output.
With recently released sophomore album, We Live Here, under their belts, Grime-punk duo BOB VYLAN join the line up, too. Their poignant lyrics tackle and offer a stark criticism of racism in the UK, over a mix of urgent metal guitars and trap beats. There are not many bands that blur the lines between punk and grime as effectively as the London pair, outspoken and engrossing in equal measure, their lyrics effectively convey angst towards the system.
Multi-hyphenate JESSICA WINTER sits outside genre, scene or group, defined not by sound but by song. Jessica’s inspiration is drawn from robust daily experience and traverses sounds from the 80s to present day. Previously supported by Dazed, Radio 1, and 6Music, as well as touring with genre-defying Death Grips and Lynks, Jessica Winter is one to watch at D2D.
Also joining the D2D bill for 2022 are: experimental hip-hop/electronica collective NUKULUK; expansive, cosmic alternative grime artist BXKS; Pitchfork-fave LA indie-rock/pop act IAN SWEET; intense song-writing with a rock crunch from MYSTIC PEACH; indie-pop infused with 80s funk sounds of multi-instrumentalist WAX WORKS; 20-year-old ETTA MARCUS, and her shimmering guitar lines coupled with dark, mesmerising vocals; Radio 1 play-listed artist, drawing inspirations from Bob Dylan and J Dilla, JOEL BAKER; a blend of R&B, pop and alternative from Essex girl with Trinidadian heritage, CHRISSI; opalescent soundscapes with heart-on-sleeve vocals from 6Music favourites, BLEACH LAB; 19-year-old GRETEL HANLYN’s rich, husky vocals; anthemic indie band RETRO VIDEO CLUB; dynamic alt-pop rockers KING NO-ONE; lo-fi and experimental sounds melded with punchy alt-pop from LAUNDROMAT; 5-piece indie rock band BRIDGES, who draw on influences from Manchester Orchestra and The Gaslight Anthem; Manchester based singer-songwriter TIM GALLAGHER, renowned for his falsetto vocal tone; cutting-edge hip-hop artist JESHI; offbeat rhythms and mustbejohn’s relatable, catchy and fresh sound; genre-shifting riffy earworm curators, PORCHLIGHT; 21-year-old musician from Hackney TYCHO JONES; New Wave’ vocals, guitar and synth led duo NIXER; and all-female indie/alternative best friend duo PRIMA QUEEN.
Dot To Dot Festival prides itself on seeking out the freshest emerging musical talent, with said ethos ringing true across the previously announced 2022 line-up through to these latest additions. Director of Live at festival organiser DHP Family, Anton Lockwood, said: “We’re extremely pleased with one of our most diverse line-ups to date. I have always said that Dot To Dot is all about seeing your favourite band as headliner and your new favourite band earlier in the day. That certainly looks set to ring true this year, and I’m looking forward to catching some of the earlier slots by artists that will no doubt be headlining in years to come.”
The tradition is of course front and centre with SQUID headlining the festival in Bristol and Nottingham. The English post-punk band are currently riding high on the success of their debut album Bright Green Field, released to much critical acclaim last year, including a perfect-score review in NME and a 6th place ranking on Rough Trade’s albums of 2021.
Squid previously appeared further down the festival bill, performing in earlier slots on smaller stages at the 2019 event. Dot To Dot Festival booker Joshua Ward reiterated that this approach is a major part of the festival’s ethos, saying: “D2D has always been about celebrating the best new musical talent on offer, and one of the best parts of that is seeing artists grow and develop from performing lower down our bills to becoming potential headliners.”
Other previously announced artists include: self-described as “the UK’s alt hip-hop version of avengers assemble”, NINE8 COLLECTIVE; tropical indie-pop three piece CASSIA; JANE WEAVER with her extensive decade long back catalogue of synth sounds, dream pop, folktronica; producer, singer, songwriter and visual artist NIA ARCHIVES; Irish five piece JUST MUSTARD, who draw on influences from shoegaze, post-punk and noise rock; JOCKSTRAP who have been building a buzz with their strange but sophisticated sounds; and brother duo EVERYONE YOU KNOW’s unique blend of post-millennial British influences.
Further previously announced artists are: Five-piece shoegaze outfit BDRMM; indie pop clique THE LET GO; dance-floor music creators PORIJ; hip-hop producer-turned-twisted musical anarchist OLIVER MALCOLM; Irish multi-instrumentalist FAR CASPIAN; lo-fi guitar driven UNSCHOOLING; synth-punk operation POWERPLANT; LIME GARDEN, who harness catchy melodies and ear-worm hooks; the ungodly fusion of HONEYGLAZE; Parisian rave artist GODFORD; tunes exploring diverse from MISO EXTRA; pop and old school dance collaborations of piri & tommy; hotly tipped 4-piece COACH PARTY; unique and atmospheric hip-hop rapper ayrtn; the emotional resonance of GABE COULTER; folk-pop duo MEMORIAL; fresh and exciting sounds from ROSE GRAY; bright guitar hooks with darker lyrical sensibilities from PRIESTGATE; the fuzz-pop madness of ISLAND OF LOVE; singer-songwriter EWAN MAINWOOD; emerging rap talent, ASHBECK; melodic post-punk quartet LOOSE ARTICLES; R&B, gospel and electronic pop from SIPHO; danceable sounds from MANDY, INDIANA; Post-punk Dublin band ODD MORRIS; plus the complex, sweaty rhythms twinned with impish humour of KEG.
With “Early Bird” tickets now sold out, tickets for Dot To Dot are priced from £25 and available now through alt. tickets: www.alttickets.com
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