London – Los Angeles alt-pop band Hey Violet is set to release its debut album, From The Outside, on 16 June. The band recently released a further taster in the shape of single “Break My Heart”, the video to which strongly focuses on lead singer Rena Lovelis in a kind of high school crush of mood-swinging emotions. The song augurs well for a collection of strong hooks and sharply played out dynamics. “We have been writing and performing music together for over two years now and this album represents us finding our true sound as a band,” Lovelis commented as a reminder of it being very much a collective effort with bandmates comprising her sister Nia on drums, Casey Moreta (lead guitar), Miranda Miller (keys, vocals) and Iain Shipp (bass) all playing their part.
Another with a debut album in the offing is new Sunday Best signing Laurence Galpin who trades under the moniker of Laucan. The label originally formed by Bestival’s Rob da Bank is known for its leftfield leanings and Laucan’s debut, FramesPerSecond, due on 21 July very much upholds that tradition. The UK artiste has shared a striking video to accompany his cinematic new single “Symptom” which marries pastoral folk to a Bon Iver-ish soundscape and highlights his emotive falsetto. The album follows soon after the release of Laucan’s Up Tomorrow EP and features Andrew Phillips of Ninja Tune post-rock duo Grasscut as collaborator. UK readers can catch Laucan on selected live dates in May in addition to slots at the Deer Shed and Moseley Folk Festivals.
Fans of Philadelphia four-piece, The Districts, will need to wait a further month following the announcement that the band’s third studio album, Popular Manipulations, will drop on 11 August. Meanwhile the new single “Ordinary Day” grapples with notions of alienation, loneliness and the routines of life, characterised in the video by the anonymity of masked figures and a decidedly serious-looking band. The song has an epic quality that bodes well for the full works. The Districts has a really full book of gigs from now till September, taking in the US, UK and Europe and including festival spots at Lollapalooza, Osheaga, Leeds and Reading. A complete listing can be found on the band’s Facebook page.
Tamsin Wilson, London-born/New York-based vocalist and lead songwriter with Wilsen, will perform solo as support to American singer-songwriter Diane Birch during her UK & European May tour. Her debut album under the aegis of Wilsen, along with bandmates Johnny Simon (guitar) and Drew Arndt (bass), titled I Go Missing In My Sleep is out on 28 April. “Final” is the latest song from the album to be premiered. Lyrically a dialogue on the nature of loss, it’s delivered with telling serenity and knowing: “There is no reason and no rhyme / for those we love and those we bid goodbye”.
Be sure to follow Best New Bands on Twitter.
Tony Hardy
Tony’s great passion in life is music and nothing gives him more pleasure than unearthing good, original new music and championing independent musicians. His association with Best New Bands brings great opportunities for this. He also writes for Consequence of Sound and is a judge for Glastonbury Festival’s Emerging Talent Competition.
Latest posts by Tony Hardy (see all)
- New Bands At Glastonbury: Haim, London Grammar And More - June 28, 2017
- New Bands At Glastonbury: Father John Misty, Alt-J & More - June 26, 2017
- New Bands At Glastonbury – George Ezra – Royal Blood & More - June 25, 2017
Pingback: Plan Your Great Escape - Best New Bands