I hope you've enjoyed reading my 2021 top 10 albums, EPs and singles posts. Absolutely all of the artists I've mentioned also deserve closely following next year, too, but I wanted to put together this list of other artists who are doing great things - not all newcomers but, in their own contexts, they're going from strength-to-strength. (Note: These are not ranked, but are in alphabetical order.)
Arcade State One of Glasgow's finest groups of musicians, this band caught my attention quite late in the year. They write catchy, broad and emotive tunes, and beyond this have created a great presence for themselves on social media, getting stuck in to various charitable projects and supporting other musicians in a big way. They show huge promise with their releases to date and I can't wait to see where they go next. [Read my thoughts on one of this band's releases, here]
Car Park I saw this London-based band at Twisterella festival in October and was really impressed by their power and fabulously appealing song-writing. They proficiently fuse elements of dream pop, alt-rock and slightly slacker punk influences. I've been following them since the festival, and frankly I'm a bit surprised not to hear of them more widely. Here's to that changing in 2022. [Listen to the band's latest release, here]
Crawlers Crawlers' October release 'Come Over (Again)' is a total banger of a tune, with a hugely satisfying build, starting all the way from an acoustic guitar opening. It's a good starting point to get a sense of what this Liverpool-based band are all about. Their musical output exudes energy, attitude and a refreshing take on indie/rock punk. They're exciting and genuine - a band who are definitely on the up. [Listen to Come Over (Again), here]
The Crayon Set This Irish band puts such diversity of sound into their music, and that's what caught my ear first. They have a fresh sound, and write some really banging tunes. I enjoy the way they bring in contributions from different members, often switching between male and female vocals. Let's get them across the Irish Sea for some UK gigs next year. [Read my thoughts on this band's previous releases here]
Eleri Angharad Welsh artist Eleri is another person I've been following for a while, but have just had time to write a full post about. I also like the diversity of her style - she's primarily an Americana/country artist and performs live in that style. But I absolutely love the fresh sounds of her Nightclub Floor EP, particularly 'Delete It', which falls squarely into the alt-pop genre. Yet another one on my must-see-live list. [Listen to Delete It, here]
Jen Dixon A singer-songwriter from the northeast of England (and another person I was so happy to hear live on the fringes of Twisterella), Jen writes catchy tunes with clever but honest lyrics. Her voice has a lovely clarity to it, and I enjoy the way she brings her whole self to her projects - surfing, chickens and surfing chickens (on her T-shirt). It would be great to see awareness of her art spread further in 2022. [Read my thoughts on one of Jen's releases, here]
MarthaGunn An electro-influenced, guitar-rich band, with a strong vocal lead. Most of their songs are just so, so good - extremely accessible but interesting, engaging and euphoric, and filled with lots of subtle touches, some almost imperceptible but nevertheless essential. In my view, those elements are what sets them apart from many other of their peers [Read my thoughts on hearing the band live, here]
Little Comets The band's Peterborough gig is a strong contender for my gig of the year, if I was forced to choose one. They're a group of very talented musicians who are obsessively focused on producing exactly the right sound, while not giving a single damn about conforming to genre-norms; and they're another I'm genuinely surprised not to hear or see more of in the 'mainstream'. [Read my thoughts on hearing the band live, here]
Pillow Queens 'Liffey' popped up on a random playlist early in 2021, and was another hard-hitter of a song for me that year - pulsing and passionately delivered. They're honesty and tempered rawness is inspiring. Pillow Queens seemed to be on a wave of success earlier in the year, and I hope this wave can continue, and more so, in 2022. I'll be watching out for them (and doing my best to catch them live). [Read my thoughts on one of the band's songs, here]
The Wind and The Wave I feel eternally grateful for TW&TW - their folk/roots-influenced indie music seemed to reach me just when I needed it. I remember binge-listening to their rich back catalogue at the height of the lockdown early in 2021. Patty has one of the best voices out there, and this works perfectly with Dwight's harmonies and musical talent. The duo are right near the top of my must-sees next time they're in the UK (or perhaps the next time I manage to get to Texas ...) [Read my thoughts on one of this band's releases, here]
HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
Art School Girlfriend AKA insanely talented multi-instrumentalist Polly Mackey; synth-based, subtle and emotion-rending
Chris Greig & The Merchants More Glasgow talent; melodic, soaring and crossing the pop/rock borders
clipping Awe-inspiring, dark and supremely skilled rap, delivered by one heck of a nice guy
Das Kapitans Prolific doesn't begin to describe this band; they and the music are loud, rebellious and fun
Emily Carr Leicester local singer-songwriter, producing beautiful, original compositions
The Innocence Mission Intriguing, haunting, deceptively simple US-folk
Let's Eat Grandma Innovative, heartfelt avant-pop; always taking new directions (and an album due in April 2022)
Lissy Taylor Singer-songwriter from Stoke crafting her own distinct sound
Quiet, The Art An Edinburgh duo weaving tapestries of beauty and peace seemingly from thin air
Silver Haar Anthemic, melodic, Scottish alt-rock; another silver lining from lockdown
Test Card Girl An exciting solo project from Manchester-based Catherine Burgis
Wyldest Shifting easily across genres, always displaying skill and creativity, and now with a Lanterns On The Lake support run on the CV
YNES North American-alternative, Brit-punky, iconic and outspoken - making the most of a Coventry via Canada background, YNES carves a special path at every turn