IN ASSOCIATION WITH Student Guide | MUSIC
MUSIC Clockwise from top: Honeyblood, TeenCanteen, Ella the Bird
P H O T O © L A U R A C O U L S O N
RISING STARS
Scotland’s music scene is bursting with talent. Nina Glencross picks out just some of the local artists you should be adding to your playlist
W ith the country’s music landscape going from strength to strength, deciding which new releases or local gigs to check out can seem a bit daunting. To ease the pain, here are a few
acts to get you started.
Exploding onto the scene last year with euphoric single ‘Out of the Blue’, Glasgow synth pop trio Prides recently performed at the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony and are showing absolutely no signs of slowing down. Glasgow garage girls Honeyblood have been cruising the scene for a while, building an admirably strong fanbase at home. Now with their long-awaited self-titled debut record out, everyone wants a piece of the noisy duo.
Sometimes, however, you just need a good dose of i lthy electro thunder. That’s where Roman Nose come in. Like a Caledonian Daft Punk, this masked duo create face-melting techno so intense, only some sweet singer-songwriter can bring you back down to Earth. Ella the Bird may be just that girl. Her enchanting, breathy vocals on acoustic ditties such as ‘All Dressed Up’ and ‘Laugh and Die’ will soothe any blues you didn’t even realise you had.
Possibly one of the i nest indie pop bands to come out of Edinburgh in recent years, the Spook School create insanely catchy pop gems. Their lyrical explorations of growing up, relationships and being transgender are engaging and refreshing and their live shows are always a treat. Then there’s TeenCanteen, a band whose sunshine pop is as sweet as their perfectly crafted vocal harmonies. Based in Edinburgh, the all- female quartet gained a huge following based on their live shows alone. Despite its growing popularity over the past few years, Scottish hip hop still hasn’t fully received the recognition it deserves. For Glasgow duo Hector Bizerk, however, it’s not for lack of trying and their Scottish Album of the Year award nomination was a huge testament to their ongoing hard work.
If you fancy more of an 80s post-punk vibe, check out Glasgow’s Casual Sex. As the name suggests, theirs is a sleazy yet sensual sound, incorporating the Eno-esque goodness of Roxy Music with a more angular rock band feel, à la Franz Ferdinand. Finally, never ones for being pigeonholed, Edinburgh duo Birdhead merge new wave, krautrock and techno with garage, punk and blues. It sounds messy in theory but, in practice, it’s a beautiful disaster.
18 Sep–16 Oct 2014 THE LIST 117