Transparent Media Group/AWAL, Contact: Brad Taylor,
Big Machine Media - +44 (0)20 3178 2441 Release: March 15
Ready to follow on the UK chart success of similarly positioned bands like 3Oh!3 and Cobra Starship, Family Force 5 from Atlanta, Georgia release their debut EP over here
next month. To date, extensive touring has helped the band's independent release sell over 100,000 records and build an
impressive online fanbase. This release comes as they play UK dates with Cobra Starship and their own headline show at
Shepherd's Bush Empire. Taken from the Dance Or Die EP, Fever has already got plays from Fearne Cotton and Jo Whiley at BBC
Radio 1. However you might categorise this hybrid of styles, as radio-friendly party anthems go, this certainly has crossover
success in its sights. JF
London gig: February 10, Shepherd's Bush Empire W12
Dramatico, Contact: Andrew Bowles,
Dramatico/Press: Sue
Harris, Republic - +44 (0)20 8960 7449 Release: single March 22/ album April 5
Recorded in Sweden with producer Björn Yttling of Peter, Björn and John, ‘As Day Follows Night’ is Sarah Blasko's third album but the first to have a full release in Britain after
Dramatico signed her late last year.The album reached gold status after three weeks on release in Australia and has since won
Triple J's J Award for Australian Album Of The Year, and Best Female at the ARIAs. We've been fans of Blasko's captivating voice
for a while now, first featuring her in
2006. We Won't Run is the first single from this album, which is deserving of the praise it has received so far. Early support over
here has come from Lauren Laverne on BBC 6Music. Blasko joins The Temper Trap on their UK tour in April after some media
showcases later this month. JF
London gigs: February 18 BBC Club, W1 (lunchtime showcase) / February 22 Madame JoJo’s W1 (evening showcase). Contact
Sue Harris for guestlist.
Asylum follow up their Top 3 hit from 3OH!3 with McLean’s debut single
proper My Name. One of most popular UK music videos on YouTube after its release last week, My Name is also the VIP track across
4Music, The Box, Smash Hits and Kiss, making it the highest climbing video on TV charts this week. Choice FM and BBC 1Xtra added
this to their playlists last week, following on from their support for McLean’s set-up record Broken last year. Originally produced by
Slick & Magic in London, ‘My Name’ was finished in LA by Dylan ‘3D’ Dresdow (Black Eyed Peas). Dredsow is just one of an array of
A-list producers that have made contributions to McLean's debut album, with singles still to come from Fraser T. Smith, Naughty Boy
and Kuk Harrell (recent Grammy winner of Song of the Year for Beyonce’s Single Ladies). McLean's powerful voice (see here for further evidence) leads a slick and commercial urban pop
sound, and it sounds like a winner to us. Watch the video here. JF
After their two top ten hits in January from Example and Sidney Samson, US DJ Steve Aoki's I’m In The House is shaping up to be another chart success for
Data. The track was added to the C list at Radio 1 last week following a strong specialist plot and daytime support from Fearne
Cotton and Greg James, who have both made it their ‘Record Of The Week’. It has also been added to the Kiss playlist and
Galaxy’s specialists have been supporting at regional radio. As MD of Dim Mak Records he has released records from Bloc
Party, Gossip, Klaxons and MSTRKRFT, now Aoki himself, with the help of [[[zuper blahq]]] (rumoured to be will.i.am), has a
real chance of UK crossover success with this bombastic tune. JF. Video.
Roadrunner, Contact: Warul,
Roadrunner Records - +44 (0)20 8567 6762/Press: Nienke Klop, All
Press - +44 (0)20 8969 3636 Release: January 31 (digital)
The second single to be taken from Kids In Glass
Houses' second album Dirt, which is out March 29, Matters At All builds nicely on where the previous
single Young Blood left off. BBC Radio 1 support has come from Fearne Cotton, Zane Lowe and Nick Grimshaw
as well as The Rock Show. Ian Camfield and Steve Harris at XFM have played it and it's on the playlist at
Kerrang! Radio. The album, produced by Jason Perry (The Blackout, McFly), and indeed this single should help
to bring their slick, punchy rock to a broader audience. The band are main support for Lostprophets on their
UK tour this month. JF
London gig: February 11, Brixton Academy SW9 (w/ Lostprophets)
Counter/Ninja Tune, Contact: Dan
Moore, Supervision - +44 (0)20 7688 9000/James Heather, Ninja
Tune - +44 (0)20 7820 3233 Release: out now (ltd ed 7
There's yet another independent success story flying high in the
US at the moment in the shape of Ninja Tune-signed Bath band
The Heavy.
They have just reached No11 in the US Billboard Heatseekers &
Independent charts for
their Jim Abbiss-produced album The House That Dirt Built,
which was released last September. On the US iTunes charts, it
climbed to No36 in the
album charts and No4 in the rock charts. The recent flourish is
due to their performance (which got an unprecedented encore)
of this stomping track on
The Late Show with David Letterman. In the
UK they have performed on the Jonathan Ross BBC
Radio 2 show and received a a 5* live review from The Independent. There's
also a superb package of remixes for this track, the best-
received of them from Joker. A full European
tour is underway – see
their MySpace for details. JF Video.
London gig: February 15, Barfly NW1
Dandy Andy, a collective of musicians, DJs and producers based in Paris, release
My Lonely Valentine on the recently launched Poplife label. One of the
producers behind the track, Kasper Winding, was also behind UK Top 5 hit Speechless by Mish Mash. It's a brilliantly big electro pop track
which morphs into what Popjustice rightly calls 'elegant contemporary disco splendidness'. Radio plays
so far have come in the shape of Steve Smart's Weekend Floorfiller on Kiss, support on Galaxy and a place on the A-List at Gaydar Radio.
Mixes come from Sunfreakz, Ace of Clubz, Twin Maniacs and Beardy Kids. JF
Kicking Ink, Contact: Leo Walton, Darling
Department - +44 (0)20 7379 8787/Brad Taylor, Big
Machine Media - +44 (0)20 3178 2441 Release: single February 1, album April
'A delightful balance of noises' is how Clash Magazine described this, Mr Fogg's new single. It is a beautifully twisted and brooding affair. The EP it comes out on is backed by a string ensemble
reworking of Keep Your Teeth Sharp by Icelandic composer Ólafur Arnalds. There's further Scandinavian connections to his work, with debut album Moving Parts
produced by long-term Bjork-collaborator Valgeir Sigurdsson. Specialist support for Mr Fogg has come from Rob Da Bank, Huw Stephens and Annie Nightingale at
BBC Radio 1, Janice Long at BBC Radio 2 and Tom Robinson on BBC 6Music. Watch the video below and also the videoblog. Another mix from Ninja Tune producer Poirier is available here. JF
London gig: February 16, Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen N1
Back Yard, Contact: Chris
Kershaw, Back Yard - +44 (0)20 7722 7522/Press: Julie Bland, Family -
+44 (0)20 7729 5963 Release: March 8
With his previous single Diminishing Returns currently airing on
E4's trailer for the new series of Skins, Ali Love's
follow-up is attracting plenty of fans on music blogs. Love
Harder made the most-blogged chart on The Hype
Machine when the extended mix and remixes from the
likes of Jaymo & Andy George, Mighty Mouse and Prins Thomas
were unleashed. BBC Radio 1 support has come from Annie Mac
and the In New DJ’s We Trust show. A dark disco track utilising a
classic 80's bassline to wonderful effect, Love Harder is the
infectious title track from an album that is due in June. JF
London gig: January 28 Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen N1
Goldhawks' second single has an instantly familiar ring about it, establishing their arena-sized ambitions with this polished widescreen rock effort. Where In The World sounds to us like a radio hit waiting to happen. The Guardian's Paul Lester sums up their sound perfectly in his New Band of the Day column. London dates coming up include XFM's All Day Exposure, one of HMV's Next Big Thing gigs and a spot at Club NME - all ahead of their national tour support for Courteeners in March. Their debut album Trick Of Light follows in June. JF
London gig: January 30, XFM All-Dayer at Barfly NW1. Video.
Glasgow band Gogobot have been picking up fans through quite a bit of radio play lately. They've also been building their live reputation since they formed in late 2008. Early support has come from BBC Radio 1 Scotland's Vic Galloway, Jim Gellatly (through his excellent show for Radio Magnetic) and Steve Lamacq on BBC Radio 2. They've played a residency at Glasgow Carling Academy, a sold out headline spot at King Tuts and supported Glasvegas on tour. Songs like 'Is This Love?' are perfect for the radio, while others we've heard (like 'First Class Fool' on their MySpace) show a dark side. The calibre of songwriting on display across their work is worth paying attention to. Gogobot are available for records and publishing. JF
London gig: February 11, Scala N1
Fruit Pie Music, Contact: Kumar
Kamalagharan, Fruit Pie Music - +44 (0)7973 453 138/Cat Hockley, Fifth
Element PR - +44 (0)20 7722 0000 Release: February 1
After their debut single caught the attention of Scott Mills on Radio 1 and Tom Robinson on 6Music,
South London band Mirrorkicks are enjoying
even further support with this, their second single. 'Anything' was added to the XFM playlist with
support from John Kennedy, who has also invited them to play his club night next month. Songs like
this show a nice twist on some classic rock and pop influences and justify the early enthusiasm
shown at radio. An album is due later this year. JF
London gig: February 2, single launch at Water Rats WC2. Video.
"Going To The Casino (Tomorrow Night)" by Philadelphia Grand Jury
unsigned, Contact: Martin
Novosel, Boundary Sounds - +44 (0)7503 302 116/Hayley
Connelly, Little Press - +44 (0)7834 524 915 Release: available to sign
http://www.myspace.com/philadelphiagrandjury
Australian duo Philadelphia Grand
Jury's self-
released debut album Hope Is For Hopers went to No 1 on the
Independent album charts upon release
last year. It found many fans at radio and in the press over there
and it's not difficult to hear why on
Going To The Casino. It's a fast, tight, hook-filled affair with all
of the songs we've heard so far. They
are due to move to the UK in late April just after playing SXSW.
Too Pure will then release a 7" single in
May. Their album will get a UK release after that, but they are
available to sign. Live agent is Tom Taaffe
at ITB. JF
We first featured Tinie Tempah back in August last
year, when he was the subject of interest from quite a few labels. This is his debut for Parlophone, who won
the race to sign him. Tipped across a variety of polls and features including MTV, HMV, BBC 1Xtra, The Sun,
Telegraph and RWD, to name but a few), this has had early playlist support from BBC 1Xtra and Kiss. It was
also Nick Grimshaw's Record of the Week on BBC Radio 1. Tempah recently joined N-Dubz on their UK tour
and joins the line-up for The Sun’s 'Bizarre Prezents' tour next month. Produced and co-written by young
producer Labrinth, Pass Out possesses enough fine pop hooks to become a radio favourite. JF. Video
London gig: January 28 MTV Presents at Dingwalls NW1
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