Surfacing: Clean Cut Kid [New Band]

Words: Saam Das

Liverpool apparently have some sort of history of producing big bands, and Clean Cut Kid look like the latest to make it off the conveyor belt and into wider society. New track 'Vitamin C' bravely embodies both an off-kilter nature reminiscent of the likes of Field Music and outright pop melodies, delectably delivered by the boy-girl vocals.

On Camera #25: Spy / Black Coal, Thin Ice / Kingsman / Son Of A Gun / The Clangers

Words: Saam Das & Maxamillian John

In Cinemas: 'Spy' (2015) + 'Black Coal, Thin Ice' (2014)

Surfacing: True Adventures [New Act]

Words: Saam Das

Samuel Leonard Keith Leonard (no typo) is the man behind True Adventures, and his magnificent beard certainly recalls the imaginery of a true adventurer. Working with fellow Norfolk outfit Wooden Arms and Wild Beasts collaborator David Pye, True Adventures has delivered a debut single of considerable clout. Listen to the folky 'North Atlantic Ocean', and a couple of live tracks, below.

Surfacing: The Wretched Desert [New Band]

Words: Saam Das

When he's not busy drumming away for US legends Jimmy Eat World, Zach Lind is busy teaming up with his wife Holly on their musical project The Wretched Desert. Mixing electronic and psychedelic elements, with a more traditional rock attitude, listen to their newly released debut 'Street Lights' EP below.

Listen: RAC - Back Of The Car (Ft. Nate Henricks)

Words: Saam Das

Andre Allen Anjos has this incredible ability to consistently capture and channel an effervescence rarely seen outside outright pop smashes. He's back at it again with 'Back Of The Car', teaming up with lo-fi artist Nate Henricks, to deliver a bouncy new RAC soundtrack to our summer.

Festival Preview: Eight Acts To See At Bushstock 2015

Bushstock Festival @ various venues across Shepherd's Bush, London (13 June '15) // Words: Saam Das

The Communion Records-led Bushstock Festival enters its fifth edition in 2015, with over thirty bands playing across six venues in West London. We've already highlighted some excellent bands on the line up in previous festival previews - Sophie Jamieson and The Amazons in our AYL Festival round up, and Matt Woods and Port Isla in our preview for The Great Escape. Here's a fresh batch of additional festival recommendations:

Festival Review: Dot To Dot Bristol 2015

Dot To Dot Festival @ various venues across Bristol (23 May 2015)

I'd never really been around Bristol before attending the tenth edition of Dot To Dot Festival, which has grown from its Nottingham beginnings into a triplet of offerings in its existing home, Manchester, and Bristol. Despite a relative lack of knowledge geographically, I managed to make my way across several venues, catching a series of upcoming acts.

Surfacing: Robert Dylan Thomas/General Grime

Words: Saam Das

It's hard to escape the fact that drummer Robert Dylan Thomas had to quit The Maccabees in 2008 to enter rehab. Since then, he's been drumming with various collaborators including appearing on 'Later With Jools Holland' with The Agitator. Now stepping up in a General Grime solo guise, with a debut EP scheduled to drop later this year, Thomas continues on a redemptive musical journey.

Listen: Sigma Ft. Ella Henderson - Glitterball (Radio Edit)

Words: Saam Das

I love a tasty slice of anthemic pop, and both Sigma and Ella Henderson delivered suitably delicious pieces in 2014 with 'Changing' and 'Ghost' respectively. Now their powers have combined on new single 'Glitterball', which pretty much has #1 smash spread all over it.

On Camera #24: The New Girlfriend / Pitch Perfect 2 / Murder In Successville / Big Hero 6

Words: Saam Das

In Cinemas: 'The New Girlfriend' (2014) + 'Pitch Perfect 2' (2015)

Festival Review: The Great Escape 2015 (Day Three)

The Great Escape Festival @ venues across Brighton (14-16 May '15) // Words: Saam Das

Gloriously sunny weather greeted revellers on the final day of 2015 The Great Escape, a long way from the inclement weather that made day one of the festival a challenge. The music remained of a high standard throughout, and while Northern outfit Cape Cub may well have been better suited to moodier weather, their Dome Studio Theatre performance is excellent regardless.

Festival Review: The Great Escape 2015 (Day Two)

The Great Escape Festival @ venues across Brighton (14-16 May '15) // Words: Saam Das

A late running train scuppers my chances of catching Sasha Siem but at least the weather in Brighton is considerably better than day one of the festival. Glaswegian C Duncan became my first port of call, where he kicked off proceedings at the Brighthelm Centre. Coming across somewhere between Grandaddy and Beach Boys, it was a promising start to the day.

Festival Review: The Great Escape 2015 (Day One)

The Great Escape Festival @ venues across Brighton (14-16 May '15) // Words: Saam Das

"I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes...". WET. WET. WET. Within six minutes of getting off the train at Brighton station, I found myself bleeding from an umbrella battered by the inclement weather. Thankfully, things got better. And not just in terms of stemming blood loss. Camping out in the relatively arid Green Door Store, the combination of free pastries and the bouncy indie-pop of Toronto's HIGHS immediately raised spirits.

Listen: Dive In - Can't Hold Me Down [EP Preview]

Words: Saam Das

Did I miss the memo? Since when do Glastonbury trio Dive In sound like Passion Pit? It's a fantastic revelation that we've discovered via their latest track, the glittering 'Can't Hold Me Down'. Listen to that below, alongside other EP track 'Eighteen'.

Festival Preview: Alternative Escape 2015 @ Brighton [Seven Acts To See]

Alternative Escape across various venues in Brighton (13-16 May '15) // Words: Saam Das

We went to the very first edition of The Great Escape back in 2006. It was quite a limited affair, with not much on during the day for the average punter. That's changed greatly over the years, and the strand of the festival known as The Alternative Escape has really developed. With tickets now sold out for the main festival (preview of that here), The Alternative Escape is a great way for anyone to rock up to Brighton and see some top acts for very little, or even nothing at all.

Listen: Thomston - Expiry Date [New Track]

Words: Saam Das

New Zealander Thomas Stoneman has been steadily building up momentum over the past year, and has unveiled the newest track in his arsenal - the yearning 'Expiry Date' which has quickly followed April's 'Backbone' EP. Listen to the new track below, alongside a couple of tracks from his previous releases.

Listen: LORIS - Crazy [New Track]

Words: Saam Das // Photo: James Lyttle

We stumbled upon Belfast electro-pop trio LORIS as we were investigating the terrific-as-ever line up for The Great Escape, and while they just missed out on our festival ones to watch, their latest track means that we'll be doing our utmost to check them out in Brighton. Listen to the pulsating 'Crazy' below.

Surfacing: CHI [New Artist]

Words: Saam Das

The UK General Election has resulted in a majority Conservative government, much to the surprise of many. Indeed, much to the anguish of many. Which makes it appropriate to feature Ella Chi, who is stepping out on her own with the suitably titled folky debut solo track - 'Hard To Be Happy'.

On Camera #23: Rosewater / Cobain: Montage Of Heck / Beyond Clueless / Arnie

Words: Saam Das

In Cinemas: 'Rosewater' (2014)

Surfacing: Cape Cub [New Artist]

Words: Saam Das // Photo: Amy Spires

For better or for worse, my stubborness related to "mystery acts" stopped me from writing about North-East act Cape Cub when they emerged late last year with the beguiling 'Lantern'. The veil of obscurity is slowly disappearing however, and Chad Male's outfit have put out their first material of 2015, in the form of the atmospheric 'Swim'.