Features

Ryan Keen

Emerging singer songwriter Ryan Keen has had the kind of year that most upcoming acts could only dream of. In the last 12 months he has been the special guest on Newton Faulkner's tour, collaborated with Wretch 32 and supported Plan B at the iTunes festival – becoming the only unsigned act to appear on the month-long bill. We caught up with him before his headline slot at London Folkfest to watch him perform his track Old Scars.

By Anita Awbi 29 Jul 2013

Katie Riding, Independent Label Market

This week we asked Katie Riding, co-founder of Independent Label Market, music PR and artist manager, to tell us the tracks she’s been rating lately. From the nimble techno of rRoxymore to the slick pop of Lulu James, or the twitchy beats of Zomby to the gentle lullabies of Annie Eve, there’s something in here for everyone. So get stuck in and tell us what you think...

By Anita Awbi 26 Jul 2013

Slow Club

Charles Watson and Rebecca Taylor are Slow Club, a boy-girl duo who’ve left their twee beginnings behind to grow muscular pop muscles via a relentless live schedule and two studio albums. M quizzed Charles on the importance of gigs, Back to the Future and Wings.

By Jim Ottewill 25 Jul 2013

Samantha Whates

The music of Scottish-born Samantha Whates has as much in common with the leftfield melodies of Scandinavian musicians Olaf Arnalds and Sindri Már Sigfússon as it does the urban folk songs of her London peers. She seamlessly marries tradition with innovation, bringing a timeless quality to her sparse acoustic music. Watch her perform Granny's House at Regent's Park on a sunny afternoon.

By Anita Awbi 24 Jul 2013

Foundation Five: Sweet Baboo

Sweet Baboo makes the sort of colourful psychedelic pop that refuses to fade with repeat listens.

By Anita Awbi 23 Jul 2013

Latitude Festival

With thousands of revellers descending on Southwold, Suffolk, this weekend for Latitude Festival, we take a look at all the acts who will be delighting crowds in the sunshine over the next three days. With a line-up that boasts Kraftwerk in 3D, Bloc Party, Disclosure, Foals, Hot Chip, Jessie Ware, alt-J and much much more, it was tricky to pick our favourites for the playlist this week...

By Anita Awbi 19 Jul 2013

New Build

New Build are Al Doyle and Felix Martin from Hot Chip’s ‘other’ band but their mix of electronics and pop hooks is getting tongues wagging all on its own. We quizzed Al about the group, their music and how it feels to get props from your musical heroes…

By Jim Ottewill 19 Jul 2013

Pet Shop Boys: pop time lords

As Pet Shop Boys release their 12th studio album Electric this week, Russell Iliffe takes a look at the singles that have helped the pair to achieve their status as pop time lords.

By Anita Awbi 18 Jul 2013

Dutch Uncles

Manchester’s Dutch Uncles are a young group looking likely to leave their mark on 2013 with their third (and arguably best) album Out of the Wild. We quizzed frontman Duncan Wallis on why songwriting needs to be dangerous and what it’s like being the third best band in Marple…

By Jim Ottewill 18 Jul 2013
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