ROCK
Fans of the lo-fi indie scene in Scotland will be more than familiar with Glasgow trio Algernon Doll. Members Ewan Grant and Owen Wickstead have turned their attentions towards an entirely noiser project though.
If classic garage rock is your thing then WOMPS will be a band to keep your eye on over the next year. Live A Little Less is an ambitious and energetic debut single that veers every which way with mini-riffs and drum fills, before settling on an earworm of a chorus.
FOLK
They’re listed under “folk” here for context, but Glasgow-based indie-folk quartet Earths recall a plethora of names on their tongue-twisting single Kangerlussauq.
The high-end vocals and driving bassline bizarrely recalls arena-pop heavyweights The Temper Trap to begin with, but the song gradually evolves into a piano-centric indie-rock tune.
It all makes for a sound that’s fresh and adventurous, and confirms Earths as a Glasgow band to keep an eye on.
REGGAE
Dundee collective Pictish Clan have yet to fully break onto on the surging Scottish reggae circuit, but their members continue to drop bouncy dubs and remixes. Yah Israel’s effort War Pon Drugs is but the latest banger from the east coast clan.
Yah may be young but his energy and commitment shines through on this classic “riddim” from Lionriddims. He also manages to come across as lyrically relatable, combining classic Jamaican patois with more contemporary Scottish colloquialisms.
ELECTRONIC
You might think Canadian trio Terrace are having a laugh when they talk about “pulling strongly from their deep roots in House, Techno, Funk, Disco, Britpop, Post-punk and Ambient.”
A good proportion of those sounds are nowhere to be found on dreamy new single Special Place. Though I’d be surprised if this track does any numbers in the UK, its blend of surf guitars, techno beats and saxophone still make it one of the most invigorating crossover singles of 2015 so far.
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