Friedberg
What do we love more than a badass all-female rock band? A badass all-female rock band fronted by a self-confessed master of cowbells. Gone are the days that critics misjudge the holy instrument, thanks to Anna Friedberg and her London band the cowbell is getting a cool re-brand as part of their punchy alt-rock sound. Reminiscent of fellow indie rockers Wolf Alice and Black Honey, their debut EP YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH sees edgy guitar riffs and percussion cutting through an ethereal haze. Although not word-count friendly the EP title is the perfect summary of how you will feel whilst listening. Go for the air-punch.
Charlie Bereal
The name Charlie Bereal may be unfamiliar to most, but hidden under a modest Spotify following and independent-artist guise lies a Grammy-award winning producer/multi-instrumentalist. Bereal’s skills as a guitarist have brought him to work with the likes of JAY-Z, Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Jamie Foxx and lots more big names. Listening to his solo material, it’s easy to see why. His three latest singles are blessings of honest, heart-warming soul that sound straight out of the 60s, and hopeful indicators that more magic is on the way.
Patawawa
Derbyshire’s answer to CHIC. These indie-funk purveyors have been on our radar since we first laid ears on ‘Touched by Love’; a feet-shuffling track that offered us a sense of normality during the summer of 2020. Now, with much excitement, the trio from Matlock have released their highly anticipated debut album Power-Up. 47 minutes worth of vibrant, up-beat funk to make us feel like we could be dancing on a beach whilst sipping mojitos. Along with other groovy bands such as Franc Moody and Parcels, Patawawa are lighting up the nu-disco scene.
Spang Sisters
We’ve had Scissor Sisters, we’ve had The Pointer Sisters but now it’s time for Spang Sisters. Hailing from Bristol and in fact not sisters at all, the duo comprises of Jules Gibbons and Rachid Fakre. With laidback psych-rock at its core, their two latest singles ‘The Ballad of Joyce Vincent’ and ‘Jenny’ are an offering of hot buttery delights, perfect for fans of that old dog Mac Demarco. They have previously described their sound as ‘warm hot dog sauce drizzled over a French baguette’, and nothing we write is ever going to come close to that. Album set for release May 21st.
DREYA MAC
West London rapper Dreya Mac made her presence clear last year with her head-turning single ‘Skippin’. She’s now grabbing 2021 by the snapper-slappers; bringing her style to the COLORS Studio and demonstrating her ferocious flow on new track ‘BAG’. Dreya’s confidence jumps out of her straight-talking bars, and ‘BAG’ is bursting at the seams with an explosive energy. Already booked for Reading & Leeds, this is going to set crowds on fire and burn the covid right out of them.
Picture source:
We Need More Cowbell 