In 2010, I didn’t really come across tons of new artists or bands that had launched in 2010, but I did find a lot of that had been going for a while that I stumbled across and absolutely fell in love with. Here are my top five new fav’s of 2010!
St Vincent
I discovered St Vincent quite early on in 2010 but after buying “Marry Me” I felt slightly underwhelmed on first listen. It wasn’t until I bought “Actor” her second album that it suddenly fell into place and overnight she clicked with me and from there its’ been heaven. Many walks to work have been under the guise of “My Lips Are Red” and “Marrow”. What it has taught me is that an artist that is so diverse sonically sometimes needs time to breathe and grow with you before you appreciate them fully.
Arcana
Arcana had been on my radar of bands to listen to for about two years but thanks to a friend I met through a mutual love of Hannah Fury, I was submerged in their material. Within three weeks I’d bought all their albums. Much like Dead Can Dance but more akin to their Dying Sun era, Arcana can fill the speakers with all kinds of chamber music and still have more for a grand finale. So atmospheric and timeless – each track feels like you’re gaining a piece of hidden knowledge.
Adam Fielding
I discovered Adam whilst on a forum looking for examples of a home recording studio before I took the plunge and bought it. I heard Adam Fielding’s track “Lightfields” and I was mesmorised. Ambient soundscape indie rock is about as good as I can describe the whole album – it’s unlike anything else I’ve experienced. Immediately I snapped up his back catalogue which is a bit more electronic than Lightfields but certainly didn’t let me down. Adam’s just been signed to record label so that can only be a good thing!
Camile
Very rarely has French music really taken me by storm but when I came across Camile thanks to an Amazon recommendation I was immediately hooked. Using her vocals for the vast majority of her wall of sound, Camile expresses herself in grunts, burps, screams, woofs, meows, gargles, splashes of water – all kinds of fun things. Her live performances are stunning too. Now if only she could release a live DVD! Too much fun!
Jordan Reyne
Jordan weaves a beautifully delicate basket of acoustic lullabyes drenched in fierce factory ambience and when merged together with her strong vocals, it becomes a potent mix. “How The Dead Live” is one of my favourite albums of 2010. This is one lady who deserves much more applause in the future.