Last week, millions of music fanatics had their beat-loving brains blown clean out of their daisy-chained heads with overwhelming bombardment of spring festival lineup announcements. An array of household names like Outkast, Vampire Weekend, Zedd, Ellie Goulding, and Muse swept the headline spots of fest-giants like Coachella and Governor’s Ball and were expectedly of prime importance upon ticket purchasing.
After hastily snagging a spot at the beachside Hangout Music Fest, I began to dust off some favorite tracks from my die-hard Killers and Jack Johnson-obsessed phases and revisited other favorites by The Avett Brothers, The Black Keys and Pretty Lights. After neurotically examining Hangout’s big-artist roster, my eyes naturally trickled down to the performers of, let’s say, smaller font.
Despite their comparatively modest fan-bases, the up-and-coming acts are a large part of the festival scene’s explosive, avant-garde appeal. Don’t get me wrong. I’m just as amped to jive to “Hey-Ya” as the rest of ‘em, but the little guys are what keep the ever-evolving music scene interesting. Ergo, I’ve explored, head-bobbed and rated my way through 2014’s up-and-comers to determine the newest names percolating through the spring festival circuit. Read, listen, enjoy and repeat.
Chance The Rapper
Chance’s fresh, youthful sound is a refreshingly current addition to the hip-hop game. With beats inspired by soul and jazz genres, the 20-year-old, hot out of Chi-City, merges old-school instrumentals with Weezy-like vocals to create a vibe all his own. After releasing his mixtape “AcidRap” last spring, the rapper has built his following primarily via word-of-mouth and has collaborated with players like Twista and Hoodie Allen to keep his name on the map. You can listen to the album in its entirety here. Fans of Kendrick Lamar, be sure to keep an ear out for the “Poetic Justice”-esque “Pusha Man” and prepare to hear it live at Governor’s Ball, Hangout, Coachella, Counterpoint and Firefly fests.
STS9
Sound Tribe Secor 9 has a beautifully complex sound that closely coincides with the vastly hip psychedelic-electro genre that has permeated the music scene over the past five years. Self-described as “post rock dance music”, STS9’s buttery sound is reminiscent of funky-synth giants Pretty Lights, Lotus, and Disco Biscuits. Tracks like “Golden Gates” and “Scheme Reprise” exhibit space odyssey energy that simply cannot be disliked. The group already has a heavy presence amidst the festival craze and can be heard live at last year’s Wakarusa here. Catch them this year at Hangout, Counterpoint, and again at Wakarusa.
Moon Taxi
If Kings of Leon had a love child with Matisyahu, that groovy, little rock fetus would be named Moon Taxi. After being turned onto them by my sister a while back, I simply can’t get enough. The indie-rock group merges their twangy Nashville roots with handsomely blended acoustic guitar and electric piano to create an invigorating, new sound. If you’re a fan of jams like Kings of Leon’s “Revelry” or Young the Giant’s “Cough Syrup”, prepare to audibly rejoice to tracks like “Mercury” and “Square Circles”. Then get your ass over to Hangout, Counterpoint, Wakarusa, or Tortuga to hear the real thing.
Wild Belle
Not a lot of artists can say that they’ve merged the genres of electronic, folk, and reggae and gotten away with it. Wild Belle, on the other hand, can. Siblings Elliot and Natalie Bergman, also hailing from Chicago, are in a league all their own when it comes to diving head-first untouched, musical waters. Tracks like “Keep You”, “It’s Too Late”, and “Shine” integrate the steel drums of Soja with the futuristic synth of MGMT and unexpected vocals a la Regina Spektor to create bizarre, perfect bliss. Natalie’s vintage, soft-jazz voice is both nostalgic and innovative, and honestly unlike anyone else’s today. Be sure to take a listen at Shaky Knees, Hangout, or Governor’s Ball in the coming months.
Tom Odell
One of my favorite things about British songwriters is their ability to make the word “fuck” sound endearing. Weird quality? Maybe. Give Tom Odell’s “Another Love” a play or two and you’ll see what I mean. If you fancy the heart-wrenching, break-up lyricism of staples like Ed Sheeran or Ben Howard, Odell is without a doubt, your cup of tea. His swoony, royal voice coupled with somber piano instrumentals won him two Brit Awards this year (think the Grammys of the UK) and are featured on tracks like “Another Love”. Hangout and Coachella attendees, check out his website for a portrayal his dark, romantic demeanor.
Childish Gambino
After a four season long stint on NBC’s hit comedy, “Community”, actor Donald Glover trashed his scripts and reinvented himself as hip-hop artist Childish Gambino. Needless to say, his identity crisis served him well. His latest album, entitled “Because the Internet” is evocative of Kid Cudi’s wildly popular “Man On the Moon”. Gambino’s vocals fuse Big Sean’s quirky, spoken tone with Kendrick Lamar’s spasmodic variations on tracks like “3005”, “Sunrise”, and “Crawl”. His instrumentals combine tribal drum percussion, synth, and classical components and, naturally, his rhymes are ironic and fresh. He’s invading Firefly, Governor’s Ball, and Hangout this year, so brace yourselves.
Wild Cub
This indie electro-pop group has a revamped ‘80s-inspired sound and boy is it marvelous. Upon initially hearing them, my individual loves for St. Lucia, ALO, and Coldplay intermingled amidst infectious guitar hooks and upbeat, easygoing lyrics. Front man Keegan DeWitt’s voice is a dead ringer for Chris Martin’s, as heard in their songs “The Water” and “Thunder Clatter”. Wild Cub will be playing at Hangout, Firefly, and Counterpoint so make haste and tune in, fest lovers.
Hunter Hunted
Hunter Hunted can best be described as soft indie rock. Tracks like “Gentle Folks” are the kind of sunny day, top down, cruise music that you can enjoy for its simplicity and upbeat appeal. Imagine a happier, less emo Death Cab For Cutie mixed with Local Natives and BAM! You’ve got Hunter Hunted. Marching-band percussions, pleasant acoustics, and gentle vocals organize their mellow vibe. Give their self-titled EP a listen and find them on the stages of Firefly, Gov Ball, and SxSW.
Wild Child
Ukulele, meet Ingrid Michaelson’s voice. Now go talk to the gushy, boy-girl lyricism of Zoe Deschanel’s duo, He and She. You’re left with Wild Child’s folk-bubbly, puppy-love sound. The group’s catchy sensation is based upon sweet, sentimental songwriting, toned-down instrumentals, and heartfelt dynamism between Kelsey Wilson and Alexander Beggins. Whistle tunes like “Pillow Talk” and “Silly Things” are sure to make you smile at Wakarusa, SxSW, and Firefly.
Tourist
Fans of Ellie Goulding and Passion Pit are destined to love instrumental electro group Tourist. Tracks like “Placid Attack” are perfect to study or zone out to and feature heavy ‘80s pop influence scattered with hip-hop reverberation. Catch them at Counterpoint, Wakarausa, and Gov Ball this year.
Headliners may be the main influencers in selecting which music festivals to attend this season, but new faces are what keep us captivated and coming back for more. If you’re planning on braving the beaches, valleys, and wilderness for three days of audio euphoria, be sure to take full advantage of all the melodic opportunities that await you. Whether you’re making the local trek to Alabama or Georgia, or jetting off to Cali or NYC, all bands are created equal. Go out and seek the next great thing, flower children.
