Wednesday, 23 November 2011

2012 Laneway Festival Singapore lineup preview

Written by: Sean Lim

The Laneway Festival is back, and this year, it promises to be bigger and better.


With last year's festival, there were DJs on set to make sure the indie music loving crowd didn't get bored while waiting for the upcoming act to finish sound checks. Well not this year. There will be two stages this year, hence minimising waiting time in between acts to make sure the music keeps on pumping and coming.

A haul of 14 acts will grace Fort Canning Park come Sunday, 12 February 2012. While this is not the full strength of the entire Laneway lineup, let AllReviews evaluate if their presence will be worth your precious hard-earned money!

Anna Calvi

Who: Anna Calvi
Why you should care: Nominated for a Mercury Prize for her 2011 debut album of the same name: Anna Calvi.
Give it a listen: Blackout




Austra
Who: Austra
Why you should care: Her debut album, Feel It Break was nominated for a 2011 Polaris Music Prize. If you are into electronic music, she will be the one you'll rush to the front for.
Give it a listen: Lose It



Cults

Who: Brian Oblivion and Madeline Follin
Why you should care: Bubbly indie pop that will make you sing along to. Abducted and Go Outside were named "Best New Music" by Pitchfork.
Give it a listen: Go Outside

Feist

Who: Leslie Feist
Why you should care:  She was the top winner at the 2008 Juno Awards in Calgary with five awards, including Songwriter of the Year, Artist of the Year, Pop Album of the Year, Album of the Year and Single of the Year. (Phew! Need we say more?)
Give it a listen: How Come You Never Go There (first single from latest album, Metals)




Girls

Who: Christopher Owens and Chet "JR" White
Why you should care: Their sound has been compared to with the likes of Elvis Costello, Buddy Holly and The Beach Boys. You will be promised a rewarding listen if you're into this sort of sound.
Give it a listen: Vomit


Laura Marling

Who: Laura Marling
Why you should care: Laura has had two of her albums nominated for a Mercury Music Prize. Laura was also named Best Female Solo Artist at the 2011 Brit Awards. Folk music fans, heads up!
Give it a listen: Cross Your Fingers



M83
Who: Anthony Gonzalez, Yann Gonzalez, Morgan Kibby, Loïc Maurin and Jordan Lawlor
Why you should care: With their unique electronic dream pop sound, M83 (named after the spiral galaxy, Messier 83) has had many of their songs used in films and TV shows. Their latest album, Hurry Up, We're Dreaming shows that the band has no intentions of slowing down on producing hit after hit.
Give it a listen:We Own The Sky



The Drums

Who: Jonathan Pierce, Jacob Graham, Connor Hanwick, Myles Matheny and Danny Lee Allen
Why you should care: With influences from Joy Division and The Smiths, be prepared to be taken back to the 80s where British rock ruled.
Give it a listen: I Felt Stupid


The Horrors

Who: Faris Badwan, Joshua Hayward, Tom Cowan, Rhys Webb and Joe Spurgeon
Why you should care: Nominated for a Mercury Prize in 2009, The Horrors continue to linger in their post-punk sound, creating tracks that will get your feet moving and jumping.
Give it a listen: I Can See Through You



The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Who: Kip Berman, Kurt Feldman, Alex Naidus and Peggy Wang
Why you should care: Up and coming indie pop band from New York thrills with their soothing melodies and jingles.
Give it a listen: Say No To Love



Toro Y Moi

Who: Chazwick Bundick
Why you should care: What's there not to love about Toro Y Moi? His chilled and relaxed electronic sound never ceases to calm down our troubled souls.
Give it a listen: Still Sound



Twin Shadow

Who: George Lewis Jr
Why you should care: Having played at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 2011, Sasquatch Music Festival in May 2011, San Miguel Primavera Sound in May 2011 and both Pitchfork Music Festival and Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in June 2011, the St. Jerome Laneway Festival in February 2012 would be his latest addition.
Give it a listen: Slow



 Wu Lyf (World Unite Lucifer Youth Foundation)

Who: Evans Kati, Thomas David Francis McClung, Ellery James Roberts and Joseph Louis Harlan Manning
Why you should care: No matter what you have to think about their band name and mysterious personality, Wu Lyf will absorb you with their distinctive vocals that is sure to reverberate in you long after their set is over.
Give it a listen: LYF



Yuck


Who: Daniel Blumberg, Max Bloom, Mariko Doi and Jonny Rogoff
Why you should care: Likened to Dinosaur Jr and Sonic Youth, Yuck will take you straight back to the golden 90s where indie rock ruled.
Give it a listen: Georgia




Event details:

12 February 2012
Fort Canning Park; 51 Canning Rise, Singapore 179872.
Tickets at S$135 through SISTIC (SISTIC admin fees apply) or S$150 on event day.
 

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