Futuresounds: 2012 Tips / Ones To Watch [Full List]

Words: Saam Das

For the lazy/organised among us, you may wish to sample our list of twelve tips for 2012 all in one ago. In which case, you're actually in the right place for once. Honourable mentions appear after the jump. And if you wanted to check last year's for comparision, then here's our Futuresounds of 2011.

Part 1 - Alabama Shakes, Alt-J, BASTILLE
Part 2 - Charli XCX, Daughter, Friends
Part 3 - Michael Kiwanuka, Niki & The Dove, Oliver Tank
Part 4 - Spector, The Staves, Team Me

2012 Ones To Watch / Tips: Spector, The Staves + Team Me

Words: Saam Das (unless otherwise stated)

And so concludes our brief foray into "tastemaking" for the forthcoming months. Will any of the twelve bands/artists we've chosen actually manage to become commercially, or even critically, successful? We're not so sure. But the reason we've chosen them is that we want to support them. The idea is that perhaps you'd like (at least some of) them to do well too.

Ones To Watch / Tips 2012: Charli XCX, Daughter + Friends

Words: Saam Das (unless otherwise stated)

Part two of our bands to watch for the next ten months or so. Or longer? Part three to follow shortly. Part one comprised of Alabama Shakes, Alt-J, and BASTILLE - tipped by Emily Solan, Jack Thomson and myself respectively. Here, Emily Arc and Rajan Lakhani get some choices in. And me.

Top 50 Albums Of 2011: 10-1 [Part Four]

Words: Saam Das

And lo, our list of the fifty most stupendous albums of 2011 finally comes to a close. Thanks to all our contributing writers, namely: Rajan Lakhani, Simon Opie, Emily Arc, Jon Sidwell, Emily Solan, Jack Thomson, Raman Kamboh and Kieran Toms. Some honourable mentions which didn't quite make the list include efforts by: Laura Marling, Oneida, Oneohtrix Point Never, The Antlers, Low and Metronomy. Feel free to add any others we missed out in the comments below.

Links to the other parts: 50-31 // 30-21 // 20-11 // 10-1

Top 50 Albums Of 2011: 20-11 [Part Three]

Words: Saam Das

Our top fifty albums of the past year continues in this penultimate post. We'll wrap this up tomorrow.

Links to the other parts: 50-31 // 30-21 // 20-11 // 10-1

Top 50 Albums Of 2011: 30-21 [Part Two]

Words: Saam Das

Our top 50 albums of 2011 list continues....

Links to the other parts: 50-31 // 30-21 // 20-11 // 10-1

Top 50 Albums Of 2011: 50-31 [Part 1]

Words: Saam Das

Some magazines did their albums of the year list back in November. Albums of the past 11 months, more like. We've decided to take our time, while aiming to be equally comprehensive in the manner of our poll - I asked the FG team for their list of albums of the year and the resulting posts exhibit democracy in action. Further parts are due shortly.

Album Review: Joss Stone - Best Of Joss Stone 2003-2009

Joss Stone - 'Best Of Joss Stone 2003-2009' (UK Release: 3 Oct '11) // Words: Emily Arc

How old do you have to be to release a ‘Greatest Hits’ album? 24? Yeah, thought not. Though Joss Stone recently released a new album in July on her own label, previous label Virgin/EMI are releasing this Best Of. “Including hits and standout album tracks” - she doesn’t have enough hits to create a full album’s worth so that, along with being 24 and with so much time ahead of her, leads me to say what everyone else is thinking. Money.

Album Review: Kill It Kid - Feet Fall Heavy

Kill It Kid - 'Feet Fall Heavy' (UK Release: 19 Sept '11) // Words: Emily Arc

Bath based Kill It Kid released their self titled debut in 2009 and now, after leaving the violin behind, they’re back with follow up 'Feet Fall Heavy'. This album sees the band further showcasing their love for the Deep South with snippets of field recordings from renowned folklorist Alan Lomax, adding all round authenticity to the record.

Live Review: Slow Club @ The Kazimier

Slow Club & Stealing Sheep live at The Kazimier, Liverpool (23 Sept '11) // Words: Emily Arc

The Kazimier. Potentially one of Liverpool’s best music venues, so where else to house the fantastic Slow Club, right? Right. Set out like a theatre, with wooden beams and balconies, hundreds of cans of Red Stripe flying around, a backstage that was upstairs and a huge glittered gold drum kit, the scene was set, and the atmosphere was positively buzzing.

Album Review: Big Deal - Lights Out

Big Deal - 'Lights Out' (UK Release: 5 September '11) //
Words: Emily Arc (Guest contributor)

2011 seems to be the year of boy-girl duos (see Tennis, Cults, Summer Camp, Best Coast, Cat's Eyes etc) and though Big Deal have already gained comparisons with the folk-rock Slow Club, the duo of Alice Costelloe and Kacey Underwood just seem to be their distant relations in the boy-girl genre.