Europe’s industry and talent festival is just around the corner once again. ESNS (Eurosonic Noorderslag), taking place in Groningen, is the place to spot next year’s biggest acts. With over 300 musicians from across Europe, playing a variety of sounds and styles, Eurosonic plays hosts to the bands of the future. With so many acts on offer, we went through the line-up to pick out our not-to-be-missed favourite acts to catch across the forthcoming week.
Kara Delik
Germany
The anatolian-krautrock trio blend together classic 70s Turkish psych-sounds with German deutsche-welle, layered with lots of dubby reverb. Consisting of three-Berlin based musicians, each coming from other successful projects [Istanbul Ghetto Club, Henry Fonda, Laura Lee & The Jettes], the project is a culmination of each member’s individual, musical skill set, adding to the band’s variety in sound. With tinges of post-punk and psychedelia, the band’s energy and creativity make them stand out on stage, swapping vocals, and switching rhythms at the drop of a hat.
Meule
France
The shadow of King Gizzard hangs its net above the weavings of this French- psych trio Meule. Blending together a hypnotic and trippy tapestry of synthesisers, drums, and guitars, Meule can be described as contemporary-electronic prog nerds for the rock kids. Experimental, rock, and extremely technical, Meule never fails to wow with their two drum kit set-up, and bountiful wires and knobs that make up their sci-fi modular system. Throw in a few guitar solos, some next-level time signatures, and you end up with something that Pink Floyd would have been proud to have released.
Loverman
Belgium
The solo project of Belgian artist James de Graef, formerly of Shht, in an intimate, gothic insight into personal tenderness, dictating the world of breaking-up. Reflecting the styles of Leonard Cohen and Nick Cave, Loverman’s deep-vocal, folk tones are cinematic, painful and poetic, creating atmospheric dulcets that are minimalistic, raw, and heartbreaking all at the same time. His work is condensed as a twilight poetry, a myriad of words that pain the human soul under duress, undressing the painful world of love and suffering.
Sami Galbi
Switzerland
Somehow this Swiss-Moroccan wonder-producer has managed to blend together the funk sounds of north-african desert blues with club music and west-coast hip-hop. Naturally the artist found a home on Swiss label Bongo Joe, where he uses synthesizers, drum machines, and guitar effects, to create an energetic swag built on his north-african heritage where it is fused together with a whole world of contemporary pop sounds. High energy and full of dynamism, Galbi has created something that is both popping and infectious.
Indian Wells
Italy
The deep progressive electronic sounds of Italian producer Indian Wells, aka. Pietro Iannuzzi has been released by the likes of Max Cooper’s Mesh, Friend of Friends, and other such experimental labels. His oscillating, warm synth sounds explore the artist’s geographical, social and political isolation, while building upon his skilled sound design work. With well-earned comparisons to the likes of Jon Hopkins and James Holden, Indian Wells finds himself in a league of excellent talent, with only bigger things to come.
Musspell
Romania
Like a pagan-shoegaze soundtrack to an occult mystical movie, Romanian trio Musspell blend together melancholic, dream-pop, synths, and ritualistic chanting motifs. They are a band like no-other, that manifest natural, ethereal sounds and mystic concepts through a haunting and spell-binding succession of vocals. Prepare to be bewitched, and put under the spell of this melancholic, electronic Romanian group, who will wow with devilish surprise.
