Tuesday, 3 December 2013

The UK Blog Sound Of 2014 - Long List Revealed

The Concept

The idea of the UK Blog Sound Poll first started back in 2011. The idea wasn't to criticise the BBC poll (this year's was released yesterday), but simply a chance to offer an alternative, and to give some much deserved emerging talent some extra publicity.

Previous lists have shown the A&R talents of its contributors, with the 2011 list contained some interesting alternatives to the BBC list, including Mercury Prize winners Alt-J and Bastille who have found huge commercial success in the UK in 2013. The 2012 list was more similar to the BBC list with Haim being the runaway winners, followed closely by Chvrches.

This Year

2014's poll is the biggest yet with 59 blogs each nominating their 3 favourite emerging artists (blog list at the bottom of the page). All bloggers are based in the UK, though the choices of music can come from around the world -it's worth noting that this year however, 15 of the 16 artists are British.

The Longlist

Here are the 16 bands which made the long list. I'm really happy that two of my choices have made the cut (the wonderful Sivu and Marika Hackman). The winning act and close runners up will be revealed on the 2nd of January in a short list of three. 

Why not give some of the below a listen and find your new favorite band....

BANKS  
Sultry electronic music with a hint of soul from Los Angeles - the only non-UK act on the list.

Cinematic and vast indie rock from Manchester

Singer songwriter with a bluesy voice

Dark and fiery indie rock band

Genre hopping sister duo from Cornwall

Raw d-i-y indie rock two piece from Glasgow

Edgy sweetly melodic pop duo from Brighton

Endearing East London singer who sits somewhere between pop, indie and folk

Previously known as Wall, creator of delicate, brooding, intimate pop

Singer songwriter with haunting folk references

Dreamy sounding band that combine electronics, acoustic music and ambient atmospherics with near operatic vocals.

Brighton duo that play gritty lo-fi rock with attitude

Stripped back acoustic singer songwriter

Idiosyncratic singer songwriter

Calm, atmospheric folk musician

Edgy rock band who take references from grunge and indie.


Let me know what you think of the list, and please use the hashtag #blogsound2014 so we can get a real communal discussion going.

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