NEXT BIG THING – MUSIC

Presented by Altec Lansing

Sleepyhands 220x129 NEXT BIG THING MUSICSleepy Hands

Sydney seven-piece Sleepyhands play intricate, layered, dreamy, sophisticated indie pop in a similar vein to Band of Horses and The Middle East. With the help of Jonathan Boulet, the band have recorded their debut 5 track EP – a release that has already attracted a good amount of media and radio attention. With recording completed before playing their first live show together, Sleepyhands are now starting to make waves in the live circuit after playing 2 sold-out shows alongside Former Love Pirates and Ernest Ellis.

The Jezabels 220x224 NEXT BIG THING MUSICJezabels

Very few bands have made more of an impact in the last year or so than Sydney 4-piece The Jezabels. Having recently released their third EP Dark Storm, The Jezabels are well on their way to stardom with plenty of sold out shows, festival appearances, high profile supports (Tegan & Sarah, Katie Noonan, Josh Pyke) and radio attention under their belt. The Jezabels’ unmistakable sound has been described as moody, mysterious and epic, yet buzzing with the quartet’s ever-present knack for an irresistible pop hook. Having also completed a successful US and Canada tour this year, they’ve come a long way from their humble beginnings at the 2007 Sydney Uni band comp.

Straight Arrows 220x164 NEXT BIG THING MUSICStraight Arrows

Having released one of Sydney’s most exciting albums of 2010 and recently signed to Rice is Nice, Straight Arrows have well and truly broken out of the underground and are poised to take the country by storm. They’ve steadily developed buzz around town with a string of lo-fi 7’’ releases and a killer live show, and now Straight Arrows have a more polished, full length debut (and FBi album of the week) to brag about. The future is definitely looking bright for the hardworking poster-children of Sydney’s lo-fi garage world.

Ghoul 220x163 NEXT BIG THING MUSICGhoul

Experimental four-piece Ghoul made an immediate impact with their mini- album, Mouthfull of Gold, as their buzzing arrival onto the scene took place in 2008. Having distributed this release free at their shows and on Myspace, Ghoul began to really stand out in Sydney’s crowded indie scene. Before long, the band were sharing stages with some of Australia’s experimental luminaries including PVT, Pikelet and Seekae. PVT’s Laurence Pike describes the band’s music with adoration, “abstract, atmospheric, intensely rhythmic and at times defies conventional structures, yet it’s fiercely melodic, inventive and accessible, maintaining a focus worthy of repeated listening.” They have a debut LP due out in early 2011.

jinja safari 1 220x146 NEXT BIG THING MUSICJinja Safari

It’s been a whirlwind year for newcomers Jinja Safari. Having only met in early 2010, co-frontmen and multi-instrumentalists Marcus Azon and Pepa Knight have attracted much media hype, and for good reason. From their first live show in a secret coastal forest back in May to the release of the self- titled debut EP only four months later, Jinja Safari are now hot property, with multiple major festival appearances lined up. These guys are wasting no time cementing themselves as a band to keep a close eye on in 2011.

guineafowl 220x330 NEXT BIG THING MUSICGuineafowl

Another newcomer to the Sydney scene in 2010, Guineafowl was immediately recognised as a special talent. Starting out as a solo project, Guineafowl quickly grew to a sextet as the layers and textures of the songs cried out to be brought to life on the live circuit. In a matter of months Guineafowl have made the leap from playing backyards and house parties to filling live venues and supporting internationals like The Magic Numbers and Fanfarlo. The band’s swirling harmonies, entrancing percussion and sampling and undeniably catchy guitair riffage speaks for itself. Guineafowl are the real deal.

Spooky Land 1 220x220 NEXT BIG THING MUSICSpookyland

Spookyland is 19-year-old Sydney songwriter Marcus Gordon. Don’t let his age fool you though – Spookyland’s music is sophisticated well beyond his years. While pursuing his own original brand of neo-folk, Spookyland takes cues from the likes of Dylan, Lennon and Cave, and the result is an utterly compelling journey through narratives of love, hate and everything in between. With the debut EP Killin’ One Bird With Two Stones released in 2010, the amount of talent that goes into the careful crafting of each song becomes apparent. This is music to be listened to over and over, take from it what you will, just take from it!

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