Pulse: New Music You Need in 2015 #1

 Calling Apollo

Now, some of you might remember CALLING APOLLO from way back in August when we made them our NEW BAND OF THE MONTH. If you don’t remember, then you’re about to get reacquainted, and if you aren’t already familiar with them, you’re about to, and you’re going to keep doing so through 2015. With their brilliant combination of progressive and technical musicianship, ambient and spacious soundscapes, alongside classic emo/screamo songwriting – I’m sure of it.

Since our initial PIECE on the band, they have been directing all their energies into writing and recording their latest EP. It’s currently, as yet, unreleased but having been recorded with the Romesh Dodangoda at Long Wave (who’s had a bit of a magic touch with bands like Funeral for a Friend, Kids in Glass Houses, Bullet for my Valentine, The Blackout, and Twin Atlantic), it’s going to start 2015 with one hell of a bang.

Rapsody

Rapsody started out as a member of North Carolina’s Kooley High, but launched herself solo back in 2008, under the guidance of 9th Wonder. Ever since then Rapsody has been pumping out mixtapes upon mixtapes, a handful of EPs, a debut album, and with each successive release Rapsody has honed her chops; developing a skilled lyricism that boasts intricacy and literary prowess.

Essentially Rapsody’s a deft tongue for rhyme, rhythm, wordplay, and metaphor, but more than that she knows good production, good beats, and how to work it on top of them. Speaking of the production that Rapsody gets behind her rhymes, it’s an inspired twist of classic old school hip hop soul, dark funk rap, and ultra modern sheen ferocity. Just what 2015’s gonna want and need.

Sylvan Esso

Two piece Sylvan Esso initially came to life out of an experiment of combing live parts, think Frankenstein’s monster made with fresh meat. You see, folk singer Amelia Meath met an electronica producer called Nick Sanborn, and decided to hand him some of the song she’d written, that she performed with her Mountain Man trio, for him to mangle, and scramble, and cut and paste, and remix.

However, the pair felt the end result was more than just a remix, but something in its own right. That something became Sylvan Esso, and 2014 has seen them release Syvan Esso’s self-titled debut album which is the living and breathing monster that started coming together from that first exchange. House, folk, electronica, country, techno, indie pop, and instrumental hip hop all get cut up and combined together. The result is a stunning debut album, with a uniqueness and something genuinely new.

Burning Peacocks

Paris based Burning Peacocks are the duelling musical talents of Alma Jodorowsky and David Baudart, who have literally just recently released their self-titled debut EP. An eclectic release that sees the duo play around in elements of dreamy folk-pop, new romantic hinting at synthpop, gothy chamber pop funk, and some country tinged art pop, because why not?

Alma may seem familiar to some as she is also a model and actress in her own right, and is also the granddaughter Alejandro Jodorowsky – legendary film auteur. However, to focus on that fact is to detract from the impressive musicianship and gleeful experimentation on display in Burning Peacocks. If you’re to discuss Alma for one thing it should be for her hypnotic and ethereal singing.

Casey Veggies

Plenty of you will already be familiar with Casey Veggies already, what with his having released a considerable array of mixtapes since 2007 and also his friendship with Odd Future leading to is cropping up for guest verses a number of times – most notably with Earl Sweatshirt where his abilities really shone through.

It’s 2015 that is going to be his year though, so if you weren’t familiar for the aforementioned then it’s time to take notice, and if you were get ready for this next year seeing the release of his first debut album proper. With hardcore horde of fans on the underground already, this debut album will take him over ground and cement his place in the hip hop establishment.