Music News - St. Jerome's Laneway Festival - Line-up Announced!
02 October 2014 - 0 Comments
“..the Laneway-Auckland Anniversary fixture continues to cement itself as one of summer's new year highlights” - Under The Radar
“Laneway has cultivated a brand distinction of its own (less obliquely, it’s now got a reputation for being a good time).” - Radio NZ National
Prepare yourselves for the 2015 Laneway Festival line-up; one of our favourites yet.
Traversing seven cities and three countries, the festival has well and truly settled into its home in each state. From the grassy knolls and towering silos at home in Auckland, to the sparkling backdrop of the Maribyrnong and Port Rivers in Melbourne and Adelaide and the idyllic spiritual homes of Brisbane, Sydney and Fremantle, the event is a true highlight on the Singapore, New Zealand and Australian music calendars.
For previously announced details of dates and venues head here.
In alphabetical order:
Angel Olsen - Angus and Julia Stone - BANKS - Belle & Sebastian - Bespin - Connan Mockasin - Courtney Barnett - Eagulls - FKA twigs - Flying Lotus (Layer 3) - Future Islands - HEAVY - Jakob - Jon Hopkins - Jungle - Literal F*ck - Little Dragon - Lykke Li - Mac DeMarco - Perfect Pussy - Princess Chelsea - Quarks! - Race Banyon - Ratking - Royal Blood - Rustie - SOHN - St. Vincent - Tiny Ruins - Vic Mensa
For the Australian line-up, please head here. The Singapore line-up is here.
ANGEL OLSEN quietly released one of our favourite records of the year. Burn Your Fire For No Witness is an elegant, timeless LP, one that covers the terrain from sparse, haunting folk to rollicking indie rock and won adoring praise everywhere (including a Best New Music stamp from Pitchfork). The former backup singer for Bonnie Prince Billy is capable of silencing entire rooms with her penetrating voice and charismatic presence and we can’t wait to see her this summer.
Australian brother-sister folk-blues duo ANGUS & JULIA STONE join us in Auckland in 2015. After spending the last few years working on solo albums, the pair team up again for their Guardian-approved, self-titled third LP (co-produced by none other than Rick Rubin). This follows their 2010 shiner, Down The Way which topped the ARIA Album Charts and won them five ARIA Awards, including Album of the Year and Single of the Year. Check out their dynamic video for hit single ‘Heart Beats Slow’ here.
Noted for her eerily striking vocals, the magical BANKS continues to rise at a meteoric pace. Since her break-out London EP, the L.A native and blogger’s favourite has notched up a debut tour with The Weeknd and a ‘BBC Sound of 2014‘ nomination, a breakout Coachella performance and a string of sold out shows around the globe. She dropped her “intensely compelling” and “remarkably seasoned” debut LP Goddess in September to rave reviews. Don’t miss her breathtaking debut New Zealand performance at next year’s Laneway Festival.
As one of Scotland’s greatest exports, BELLE AND SEBASTIAN catapulted into the world twenty years ago. With their name stolen from a 1965 children's book by French writer Cécile Aubry, this top-notch act is famously remembered for the band’s 1996 debut Tigermilk and a limited first run of just 1,000 copies which left fans scrabbling in record bins around the country. The Glaswegians have gone on to sell over 3 million albums, release a dozen golden singles and play countless sold-out shows around the world. Pitchfork TV made a sweet lil doco on the band last year, check it out here.
Like the fictional gas giant they’re named after, BESPIN are a swirling, hazy behemoth. Formed a year ago by an array of pretty good-looking humans, Bespin’s collective CV features the likes of Cut Off Your Hands, Space Ventura, Tiny Ruins, Cool Rainbows, DHDFD’s and Artisan Guns. Initially setting out with a simple goal: to evoke “groove-based shoegaze,” they have since developed into something special.
New Zealand resident CONNAN MOCKASIN went to Japan in 2013, booked a hotel room and walked out with his second LP Caramel, an album that is as sensuous as its title suggests. It’s weird and really good. His introverted, psychedelic pop translates into an oddly endearing live show that is about both music and his own partiality for performance art. Mockasin will be performing live for the first time in NZ since touring with Radiohead in 2012.
Cherished Preston-ian COURTNEY BARNETT returns to New Zealand after a huge year of touring at esteemed international festivals including Coachella, Glastonbury and Lollapalooza, and winning hearts both sides of the equator. Courtney’s songs are refreshingly honest, her observational lyrics incisive and usually hilarious (see break-out single ‘Avant Gardener’). She’s got her debut record out early 2015 and we can’t wait.
Straight out of Leeds, England comes Mark, Henry, Liam, Tom and George of post-punk upstarts EAGULLS. They’re the guys behind the winning rotting pig brain video at this year’s NME Awards (their house was raided by police soon after) and that David Letterman performance where they sang to Bill Murray. Their self-titled debut LP spawned ‘Possessed’, ‘Tough Luck’ and ‘Nerve Endings’, all of which are fierce and all of which you can bang your head to.
Possibly the hottest act of 2014, British-born Young Turks-signed FKA TWIGS is bringing her mesmerising show to New Zealand for the very first time. It’s almost impossible to characterise 26-year-old Twigs’ remarkable album, LP1, a record of strange beauty and deeply confident lyrics (viz. lead single ‘Two Weeks’, surely a contender for Song of the Year). Writing, producing, singing and choreographing most of her output, the former professional dancer is a force to be reckoned with. Bet you can’t pick up a microphone like this.
FLYING LOTUS is Steven Ellison: genre-destroying music producer, composer and rapper responsible for mind-blowers 1983, Los Angeles, Cosmogramma (#19 of Pitchfork's Top 100 Albums of the Decade), Until the Quiet Comes and October 7 release of You’re Dead! via Warp Records (check out the artwork by Japanese Manga Artist Shintaro Kago). Lotus is one of the most influential artists of recent years and one of the most connected: the new album features A+ collabs with Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Herbie Hancock, Thundercat and more. He’ll be toting his game-changing 3D live show, Layer 3, to Laneway in 2015.
Hardest working band on the planet FUTURE ISLANDS have earned their moment, touring relentlessly since 2006 from their base in Maryland USA and releasing a succession of well-received although definitely underrated albums. Thanks to a now-famous Letterman performance, undeniable track (‘Seasons’) and 4AD-released album Singles, charismatic frontman Samuel Herring and his sidekicks Gerrit Welmers and William Cashion are ready for the big time and their back catalogue of tunes is now getting the recognition they deserve. Don’t miss the synth-pop maestros getting gymnastic on stage at this year’s Laneway.
HEAVY have been throwing down rap-bangers since the summer of 2014. With a penchant for dirty lyrics and deadpan wordplay, this Auckland duo are keeping it hot and how you like it. With a smorgasbord of loaded but addictively sweet beats on their new EP Tasty, HEAVY are on the money.
JAKOB is New Zealand’s most formidable sonic instrumental three-piece, formed in the sleepy seaside town of Napier, Hawke’s Bay in 1998. Expect lush and commanding guitar work, growling bass, drumming cascades and eerie silences. With their new record, Sines out this month, you'll be thrown into a new and exciting soundscape like no other. Until then, snack on their latest single here.
Elusive, expert producer JON HOPKINS was a highlight at Meredith where he played in the early hours a couple of years ago, so it is with great anticipation that we welcome him back in 2015. Hopkins has been recognised for his work by nominations for numerous awards, namely the prestigious Ivor Novello for his film score composition and twice for the Mercury Prize (for Diamond Mine, his collaborative project with King Creosote in 2011 and his own solo album Immunity in 2013). Equally known for his agile remix work (Caribou, Purity Ring etc), collabs (Brian Eno, Tunng) and original electronic productions, Jon Hopkins is a rare talent in a crowded field. His new Asleep Versions EP and a deluxe re-pack of his Immunity LP will be released on November 7 via Domino Records.
Out of the UK thunders JUNGLE, an enigmatic producer duo formed by two lifelong friends (Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland). Since signing to legendary label XL Recordings, their retro-future funk has been creating worldwide hype. Their debut self-titled LP came out this July, gifting fans with a range of tunes (‘Busy Earning’, ‘Platoon’) that put a modern spin on old school soul. Live, Jungle expand to an eclectic 7-piece to produce their own unique sound and one hell-of-a-show to watch.
Do you literally love to love? Young hearts be free tonight, because one literally-legally-binding wedding ceremony is available for one lucky couple. Put in your best proposal here: [email protected]. Life is so brief and time is a thief, so pre-book declarations and dedications of love, friendship, compassion and care for your special shout out from LITERAL F*CK at Laneway 2015. Viva Las Vegas!
LITTLE DRAGON are our favourite go-to group for sexy slow jams. The electronic quartet formed in a Swedish high school 15 years ago and have been winning over fans ever since. Frontwoman Yukimi Nagano’s delicate, distinctive vocal has appeared elsewhere (see: Gorillaz, David Sitek and most notably SBTRKT’s classic ‘Wildfire’) but their accomplishments surpass their A-list connections. This year, Little Dragon released their fourth LP Nabuma Rubberband that brought us jams ‘Klapp Klapp’, ‘Paris’ and ‘Let Go’ to critical acclaim and wooed fans with their super smooth rendition of Kelis’ ‘Millionaire’ earlier this year.
Since breaking out five or so years ago with radio-friendly pop hits (‘Little Bit’, ‘Dance, Dance, Dance’ and ‘I Follow Rivers’), Swedish star LYKKE LI is back with I Never Learn, a collection of songs that will rip your heart apart. It’s a new direction for Li, whose honest, stripped back and brutally direct account of a break-up has made for one of our favourite albums this year. With her mesmerising, ethereal and at times confronting live show, Lykke Li leads our strong female-driven lineup for 2015.
MAC DEMARCO (real name, Vernor Winfield McBriare Smith IV, we no lie) has a penchant for cheeky lyrics and a gap-toothed smile. After a succession of playful, buzzy albums, Canada’s most charming wild child released his third record Salad Days, which took a more serious turn despite plenty of oddball jams. DeMarco’s self-labelled style of ‘jizz jazz’ is groovy and melodic, and his live show will be fun, lewd and possibly a little nude. Plus! Mac is bringing his mum along for the ride. Agnes DeMarco joins the Laneway 2015 tour as resident MC, as revealed by Laneway founder Danny Rogers at September’s BIGSOUND. Also, this gif.
Syracuse five-piece punk band PERFECT PUSSY have had a mental year. After releasing their bold, Pitchfork-approved debut album Say Yes To Love in March, the band played a ruthless 48 shows in 55 days before impressing a packed out crowd at both the Laneway Festival and NPR Music’s SXSW showcases to much praise. Combine the vivid, visceral imagery of frontwoman Meredith Graves’ lyrics with their brutal, raucous energy and you get an exhilarating show of the highest order.
PRINCESS CHELSEA first wrote and recorded a song called Monkey Eats Bananas. She went on to form Teen Wolf, tour with The Brunettes and join pop collective Lil' Chief Records. Princess Chelsea's video ‘Cigarette Duet’ has had 13 million YouTube views and she has also toured Europe with Alt J. Super cool. Expect hints of bedtime fairy tales and Disney soundtracks from this electro-pop princess.
QUARKS! is the pseudonym of New Zealand deep-thought synthesist Richard Pilkington, previously one half of Kiwi cult-electro act Vodafone Warriors and currently full parts impossible gentleman. Quarks! represents the infinitesimal bleed of pop-past excavation, a magic-school-bus adventure through sedimentary layers of dense pads, microbial percussion, and deeper still electron snapping basslines. Quarks! is the impossible force that escorts you to the dance floor through space and feelings.
RACE BANYON mixes the pulse and musicality of Chicago house, juke and footwork with the raw emotional heft of modern R&B and the uninhibited theatrics of contemporary hip-hop. Since releasing his Whatever Dreams Are Made Of EP in 2013, Race Banyon has created remixes for The Phoenix Foundation, Doprah and Grayson Gilmour, acquiring well deserved praise throughout the New Zealand music media and radio landscape. And Justin Bieber follows him on twitter.
West-side fellas RATKING have burst onto the music scene with their defiantly edgy take on hip-hop. The teenage trio consists of MCs Wiki and Hak, and producer Sporting Life. Their debut LP ‘‘So It Goes features Laneway old mate Archie Marshall (aka King Krule) and is brought to you by XL Recordings. It takes the intensity of New York living and spins it with beats that are weighty and chaotic, much like the city itself. These kids offer something that is different, driven by a sound that is alive. Check out their take of ‘The Neighbourhood’ series for Complex Magazine here.
Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher are ROYAL BLOOD. They make powerful riff-rock using only one bass and a whole lot of drumming and are the authors of ubiquitous singles, ‘Out of the Black’, ‘Figure It Out’ and ‘Little Monster’. In just six short months they’ve traversed the world, performing at SXSW, BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend, Glastonbury, T in the Park and Reading Festival and in just a few more, they'll be back in our backyard for some of their most explosive sets yet. Their live show is loud and heavy as is their debut record (Get a rundown of it here), both proving that guitar music is well and truly alive.
Glaswegian electronic producer RUSTIE is anything but. His music is often ten steps ahead of us all, with his debut LP Glass Swords recently charting as one of the greatest albums of the last decade. He did it again with his super impressive follow-up album, Green Language (Warp Records). Featuring collabs with Danny Brown, D Double E, Redinho and more, the record at times takes on a more (quite literal) natural approach incorporating the sounds of wildlife and the beauty of his Scottish surrounds, whilst also continuing to push the boundaries of trap, ‘maximalism’ and electronica. Watch this amazing ode to Rustie + Rollo Jackson via Dazed and the Tate Britain.
SOHN released his debut album Tremors on seminal label 4AD earlier this year to our delight. Contrasting abstract electronic beats with a killer falsetto, the record is filled with tracks that are equally at home in poorly lit rooms and festival stages (We’ll see you up the front for Artifice). The Vienna-based producer is in high demand, working with the likes of BANKS, Lana Del Ray, Rhye and snagging a well-received BBC Radio 1 Residency. He sold out his Australian tour earlier this year, giving us an exciting glimpse of what’s in store for Laneway 2015.
There is no one quite like ST. VINCENT and her twisted pop melodies. Described equally as peculiar, inventive, playful and at times, demanding, Annie Clark has consistently revealed herself to be one of indie music’s most vital contributors. Her eponymous fifth studio album is a huge achievement but it is in the live arena where she really excels. No less than a weapon on the guitar, Clark and her tautly orchestrated band put on a proper rock show, full of surprises. She performed at the iconic Sydney Opera House earlier this year but her festival show is something else entirely.
Lyrically ambiguous and poignant, TINY RUINS will take you on a journey, engaging moods hopeful and world-weary. This year she released her intimately powerful second album Brightly Painted One and has toured New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the USA and all across Europe, playing alongside the likes of Beach House, Joanna Newsom and Fleet Foxes. Drawing upon tones of dream-pop and folk-blues, Hollie Fullbrook and her band will woo you in the right direction.
21-year-old Chicago rapper VIC MENSA is impossibly cool. Just one of 12 artists included on the prestigious 2014 XXL Freshman Class, Mensa’s intelligent, self-aware lyrics reveal an artist with serious star potential. Get a dose of it on his frenetic breakout mixtape Innanetape. Breakout single Down On My Luck, with its deep house beats and free-flowing verse is gonna do very well in end of year polls, we tell you. An incredible live performer, Mensa has worked with Kaytranada, toured with Disclosure and Danny Brown and is more than ready for his moment in the spotlight.
TICKETS ON SALE
Pre-sale: Laneway Festival fans with Visa Credit, Debit or Prepaid cards can get tickets first through Visa Entertainment. Visa Entertainment presale starts 12 noon Wednesday 8 October through to 12 noon Thursday 9 October (local time) or until tickets sell out at visaentertainment.co.nz.
Visa presale: Noon, Wednesday 8 October – Noon, Thursday 9 October (local time)
GP on sale: Monday 13 October, 9am (local time)
St Jerome’s Laneway Festival 2015
Supported by 95bFM, The New Zealand Herald, Under The Radar and Rdio
Monday 26 January - AUCKLAND - SILO PARK
http://www.lanewayfestival.com/
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