THE INVISIBLE
This London 3-piece are difficult when it comes to selecting an appropriate hole of pigeon-proportions, such is their mixture of sounds and influences.They don’t so much shun the regular TV On The Radio and Talking Heads comparisons, rather they suggest they’re a little bored of them. Perhaps it’s part art-rock and perhaps it’s part soul, but we’re confident they make bold, personal music for a warm afternoon. They arrive at Loop having already completed a Spring tour supporting Doves and a selection of early summer festival appearances, including Glastonbury. (MB)
FANFARLO
You would be forgiven for thinking this charming collection of Londoners were from the other side of the Atlantic, so strong are the Arcade Fire and Modest Mouse influences. We consider this no bad thing at SOURCE, particularly as the singer also sounds just like Alec Ounsworth from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. They should be in full swing having released debut album, Reservoir, in late May. Also in attendance will be the usual array of instruments – many of which we’ve never heard of! Totally endearing. (MB)
CASIO KIDS
These Norwegian hipsters return to Brighton only a couple of months after their achingly cool performances at the Great Escape, two gigs and a DJ set. These guys worked hard – they must truly love us here in our little seaside city. Expect another highly infectious bouncy show which crosses the sounds of Hot Chip with Architecture In Helsinki, to deliver a blast of Nordic electro pop that sounds much more impressive live than their subtler recordings. (DV)
JAMES YUILL
Folk delivered with an electro sledgehammer, James Yuill sets us up with his well crafted and sublimely intricate ditties before unleashing some techno-heavy big beats. His live shows sound like he’s remixing his own material as he goes, whilst his acoustic guitar hangs round his back ready to be whipped round for the comedown moments. Expect to be delightfully entertained as Mr.Yuill switches from troubadour to all out dancefloor protagonist. (DV)
SQUAREPUSHER
Little good has come from the toxic bosom of Chelmsford, annual host of V, the world’s second worst music festival after 2008’s universally panned Amputationstock. Spare a thought, then, for unfamous son Tom Jenkinson, aka Squarepusher, surely Earth’s greatest all-singing, all-dancing, jazz fusion, music concrete performer. He’s come a long way since emerging on Warp in the mid-’90s in the thundering slipstream of Aphex Twin, mutating from a drum’n’bass producer armed with wicked bass skills to a fully realised, pioneering electronica one man band. Tonight, expect to be reminded of his irrational genius, whilst disturbing childhood memories of Level 42’s Mark King loom large. (BG)
FUJIYA & MIYAGI
It’s taken a while but Krautrock is finally getting some props. “Brand Neu!”, a compilation in thrall to the motorik pioneers, was recently issued with Holy Fuck, LCD Soundsytem and Primal Scream’s titanic “Shoot Speed/Kill Light” amongst the cuts. Also in there beside Oasis and Kasabian (the label head has since been shot), was Fujiya & Miyagi’s “Electro Karaoke”, which is so kosmische it should have been called “Krautrock Karaoke”. If 2007’s barnstorming Loop show is anything to go by (one man scaled the marquee and almost fell to his death attempting to fly), this is a band so close to take-off it hurts. (BG)
FEVER RAY
The female half of The Knife, Karin DreijerAndersson brings her full band to the Corn Exchange, fleshing-out her unsettling modernist pop with a promise of visuals and stage-wear that could, considering her predilection for dressing like a bird of prey, be utterly terrifying. (SH)
ESSER
Big in barnet as well as tunes, the former Ladyfuzz feller may look like a Hollyoaks version of Morrissey, and is hawking some beyond catchy and into irritating singles, but he’s pulled-off some charmingly enthusiastic shows in the past: notably tearing it up in a Concorde 2 broom cupboard for At Home By The Sea last summer, when lesser, more uppity bands (hello Magistrates) threw a strop at the size of the ‘stage’. Watch that hair gel though. (SH)
MUM
Experimental Icelandic troubadours Múm (‘moom’) set the forefront of cinematic soundscape heavy with soaring harmonies and a warm, rich electronic thread. However, numerous line-up changes, most notably their former lead singer, have seen the band inevitably changing their style to well received musical departure, capturing their life-affirming performances in their live show. Electronic washes, haunting melodies and whimsical cries go some way to creating something of a religious experience to be shared by all under the sun. (AS)
TELEPATHE
You’ve probably worn out the good tunes from the various EPs awaiting the eventual release of Dance Mother, but does the David Sitek production translate to a decent live show? Well, it could go either way really. Synth-heavy avant-pop creates a layered fabric of dreamy sound on headphones but the hauntingly subtle twinges can be lost in performance. But with their love of the beat and tracks Can’t Stand It and Chromes On It! in their arsenal, all should be fine. (AS)
MIRRORS
New band hype comes at two levels. This most obvious one is the press going crazy about some outfit that doesn’t deserve it (those idiots!). But before that happens there’s the secret scramble when the industry throws money at new blood. You might not have heard of them yet but Mirrors are the band that everyone wants right now, only this time it’s obvious why the chequebooks are being flexed. Sounding like OMD, with hints of The Dream Academy and the Human League, they don’t draw from a particularly wide pallet but they’ve got songs – real, sing-in-the-shower songs. Their Kraftwerk-esque live show is impressive too. (JK)
EMILIANA TORRINI
Cute as a button, Emiliana’s stage presence is breathtaking. Sure, we love her quirky new songs, and the older melancholic folky stuff, but that’s only one reason to catch her live. The between song banter leaves you feeling such affection for the ex-Icelander that she could warble out of tune and no one would care. That her delicate voice is more than up to the task is simply a bonus. Expect a life affirming set of hummable songs. (JK)