Tracks Of The Week, 29.01.16 - GigslutzGigslutz

2015 was a good year for Norway, and it doesn’t seem they’re done with dishing out new bands quite yet. With their album out now, Norwegian indie-rockers Sauropod describe ‘Sunny Day’ – the last track to be released – as “Short and sweet like the hours of daylight this January“; while describing January as ‘sweet’ may be a bit off, it’s certainly right for the track.

Taking influence from everyone from Nirvana to FIDLAR, ‘Sunny Day’ is a minute and a half of bashful, energetic, sunshiny indie rock. The influences are clear, but Sauropod merge them in a completely fresh way. Their more organic way of recording is clear in the music – it’s spontaneous, noisy, perhaps a bit messy but never in a bad way.

Sauropod’s debut album, Roaring At The Storm, is out now via Riot Factory.

Nothing’s better at beating the January blues than some feel-good, infectious tunes and OhBoy! are giving us just that. Released on 22 January, their debut single ‘The Carrot and The Stick’ perfectly sums up the band’s sound: ‘slacker noise pop’.

Endlessly catchy, and refreshingly carefree, ‘The Carrot and The Stick’ has stacked up plays on Radio 1, 6 Music and XFM – it seems no one can get enough and it’s no mystery as to why.

The Northampton five piece combine sunshine and a little bit of peculiarity with their driven guitars and pop-drenched vocals to create something pretty special. ‘That Carrot and The Stick’ has definitely secured them as one of 2016’s ones to watch.

Shields are going against the grain: while other artists are publicly denouncing music streaming services, Shields have seemingly been shaped by these, taking influence from diverse and obscure artists. Though they’ve toured with the likes of Placebo and Everything Everything, their sound is unique – to place them in a genre would not only be wrong, but pretty impossible.

Latest single ‘Face To Face’ perfectly captures their ability to combine alt-pop instrumentation with delicate harmonies; it’s intricate, eclectic and original, gaining support from sources as diverse as their influences – the likes of Kylie and Zane Lowe both giving the band praise.

How We Can Fix It, the new album from Shields, is out 26 February on Kaleidoscope Records.

Securing his place as a formidable front-runner on the UK music scene, Stealth is making himself known with his debut EP Intro. Having made a name as one of the most sought after voices in dance music, co-writing with drum & bass heavyweight Netsky Vs. Metrik, and appearing on Nitin Sawhney’s latest track, Stealth is ready now to take a new direction.

With his neo-soul/bluesy hum, Stealth pulls on heartstrings with ‘I Don’t Need Your Love’, solidifying the knowledge of his vocal talent and proving his songwriting strengths. Though he’s been compared to the likes of Hozier and James Bay, as well as Plan B and The Weeknd, it seems unfair to do so – he’ll no doubt be far above these established talents in no time, and his unique brand of soul is something else, something truly captivating.