MRD Sound of 2014...

To conclude list season, we have a small  non-numbered Sound of list. This time it's not the best music of 2013 at all, just forget about 2013 - it's over. MRD Sound of 2014 is all about 2014, and what the year can bring in terms of music quality, from the underrated, the unchartered, and the typically undiscovered artist who will either be releasing an EP / album, or we expect to see a significant interest in. Some of these have been mentioned on Music Review Database before, but that comes with our futuristic predictions. We want to push these artists and force them down your ears; well we would if we could - you can do what you want at the end of the day... SO take some time to read through our Sound of 2014 list, experience some new sounds if you're unfamiliar with these - and on behalf of MRD, have a happy new year!
~Eddie Gibson

Vök

 

Iceland's rich music heritage and extravagant statistics on population + musicians = a position on our Sound of 2014 list. Confused? Don't be - Icelanders either listen to music, or perform music; and when the two are combines, well artists like Vök are formed. This dynamic duo are skilling in the production of minimalistic music in the form of The XX, via their experienced standard of performance through keyboards, eelctric guitar, sacophone, and of couse voice. I first discovered Vök from a recommendation - Sin Fang, another talented Icelandic artist. Then I wrote a few Discovery reviews on the two-piece, before asking them to curate one of our days for MRD's 2nd Birthday Week. They created a fantasic mix - listen here - and answered a few questions I threw at them - read here - before signing to local Icelandic record label Record Records a few days later. Vök released their debut EP in late 2013, and are expected to create quite a storm in 2014 after their exposure from performing at Iceland Airwaves - with the possibility of a debut album in 2014. If you're just looking for the next big icelandic artist, look no further.

Novella

If you're a regular reader here, and you don't know who Novella are - then you've missed some seriously important posts over the years. Novella are a London quartet, who play 80s/90s influenced nu-gaze (as the genre is titled these hip days.) They're on course to release their debut album in 2014, after recording demos and are (expecting) to record in January. They released their debut EP in 2012, and have since released a few strong singles - and a tape caseete of demo recordings. They're not quite the complete package yet, but with their intelligent EP behind them and a unitary following, Novella can take off and be the Trailor Trash Tracy's of 2014 (who are releasing their sophomore in 2014 as well.) Krautrock is the in-sound for lovers of post-punk and shoegaze today, so it will be intersting to see where Novella take their sound on their debut.

SKATERS

Never has indie rock been more important for an up and coming band. The genre is dying, and its being taken over my more futurstic and modern sounds capable of creating an underground hit without the need of an electric guitar. Britian's 'indie rock saviours' Palma Violets failed to live up to the hype built up by the press, though they never would have made their debut album count. Over in the US of A, The Strokes are fading away, and the once popular order of indie rock has become nothing but a printed term to refer to 00s music. The 80s / 90s past of indipendant rock still shines through in today's neo-psychadelia, which seems like the only way forward for the once strictly one direction indie rock artist. Arcade Fire, an arhytpical indie rock band of the 00s have changed direction. Is it selling out? I think it's anti-establisblment that so many artists classified as indie rock are changing their course, and improving on a pretty standard sound with electronics / fuzz / brass. It's no wonder why New York City based trio SKATERS are using electronics to forumalate their own direction in the present. They've already released their debut EP, for free, and have signed to major - WMG - meaning instant popularity once their debut is released. But SKATERS deserve the time and money they will ievitably recieved in 2014. Listen out for SKATERS, because their Mission of Burma / The Clash driven sound is the new LCD Soundystsem for fans that have grown tired of The Strokes.

Charlotte OC

Every so often, artists slip through the picking order of the majors, and even the minors. Charlotte O'Connor was signed to Columbia Records, wrote and recorded an album, which was shelved - meaning O'Connor's hard work and expectation had been taken from underneath her. Columbia dropped O'Connor, and she went to work for her Mother for a few years. But that's not the end, rarely do aetists who come so close fade away without a flicker of audience care - because O'Connor's audience was there, but in pop, perhaps her audience was more focussed on artists already established, than one being suddenly put to them on behalf of Columbia. She's now known as Charlotte OC, a shorter, more stylstic artist name; and ready for the years of indipendant music and artisty ahead. Her debut EP was released in November, with the idea to record a debut album in 2014, possiblt for a mid - late release. Charlotte OC takes a page out of Alicia Keys soulful piano heavy book, with a clear taking of the minimalistic and dark singer-songwriter pose of Leonard Cohen, and more applicable - Kate Bush.

We Were Evergreen 

 

We Were Evergreen are one of the few artists I saw at the 2012 Cambridge Folk Festival who had a dedicated, youthful, and vibrant audience who knew all the words to their songs. The French trio know how to please their fans, so they play to a quite specific type of indie pop supporter - the twee fans. We Were Evergreen have released two EPs, both ave been recieeved well. Now fans await the details of their debut album which is expected to be out in 2014. The trio make the list for their devastaingly catchy indie pop which is the sad lyrics // happy music concept made famous by Belle & Sebastian. We Were Evergeen are like the Belle & Sebastian of Paris - just without the story-telling ability yet. This genre is still alive and kicking, and We Were Evergreen can be an important 2014 artist if they sucsesfully release their debut album, I can't wait for it.