In print: Issue Fifty-One is out now. Buy your copy here.
So Young Issue Fifty-One finds us in the centre of festival season, a time where we can often enjoy many of our favourites, old and new, in one field, in one weekend. With less gigs and people jetting around, the summer can often present a lull in brand new artists emerging, but that’s not the case for 2024 and this issue is evidence of that. Here’s what’s inside.
On the cover, Wunderhorse are preparing themselves for the release of their second album, ‘Midas’. Since we last spoke, the dynamic has shifted from Jacob Slater’s solo project to a cohesive and collaborative band. The impact of that is, well, ‘Midas’. An unapologetic, raw, rock record which relishes it’s edges and has no intention of conforming to trends. Sat avoiding the rain with the whole band in London, we discuss learning from the likes of Pixies and Fontaines D.C. on tour, recording in the same room as Nirvana and cutting the bullshit.
September will see the release of the debut album from London-via-Yorkshire’s DEADLETTER. ‘Hysterical Strength’ marks the bands latest peak in a four year career as guitar music underdogs. No ‘buzzy’ moment in sight, just ‘one step in front of the other’ growth. You only have to take a look at the bands ongoing, gruelling tour schedule to understand that DEADLETTER are a live band, and this record captures that energy – pairing their honest observations of the world with danceable post-punk. We chat inside.
Shoegaze, used rightly, wrongly, readily, has felt some serious growth as a genre over the last few years and LA’s julie are one of the most exciting and innovative new artists to be born from the sound. Now signed to Atlantic and preparing their debut album for release, we gave them a call whilst in Ohio for their tour with Faye Webster to talk through their move from Orange County to LA, the influence of their new community and the impact of other art mediums on their music.
Bristol favourites and longtime friends, LICE have a new album on the way via new label partner, AD 93. In an interview that leads our writer to question his everyday existence, we discuss ‘Third Time At The Beach’ with frontman Alastair Shuttleworth.
Now in Lisbon, the full time home for his art studio, Orlando Weeks’ creativity is not limited to his music but he does have a new album out. Titled ‘LOJA’, after the local name given to his studio space, Orlando delivers a positive record which explores all that he left behind in London. We gave him a call to dig into the breaking of old habits and how music and visual arts elevate each other when paired.
It seems there’s barely a moment where Jake Lenderman isn’t on the road. Be it touring worldwide with Wednesday on guitar, or taking the music of his project MJ Lenderman to an ever growing audience. It’s the latter music that we discuss on the phone as new album ‘Manning Fireworks’ is on its way.
As always, it’s with great excitement that we present some brand new artists to our pages. We start with London duo, Most Things. With just one video up on YouTube (‘Shops’), it’s very early days but with a full live schedule coming up and, we’re told, plenty of music ready to go, we were enthused to find out what we could at this point.
Another new band from the capital with only a YouTube presence to their name are Tooth. Impressed by their youthful energy and 00’s indie spirit when performing at one of our We Are So Young nights, we followed up with a call to see what’s going on behind the scenes.
Staying in London but via Bristol, we find Pem. Her new EP ‘cloud work’ was recently released via Ali Chant’s Fascination Street label and is a beautiful listen. Eager to know more about where these songs came from and what’s coming next, we gave Emily a call.
Finishing off overseas, Sex Week are an exciting new duo from NYC. Sitting somewhere between the dark and light of bar italia and Chanel Beads, there’s an atmosphere in the pair’s music that feels haunting yet comforting. We gave them a ring to find out the story to date. And finally, Melbourne’s Gut Health have a debut album (‘Stiletto’) on its way. Catching them at the back end of a EU tour, we cased them on the themes of the record and their translation of their live shows to the studio sound.
We chat to Lulu Lin, the artist behind the striking new Fontaines D.C. album campaign and announce our collaborative t-shirt. Cork based photographer, Emilyn Cardona has given us a window into the world of Irish band Cardinals over the last year or so. We spoke to Emilyn about her aspirations and career so far. The GradList returns as we partner with Arts University Bournemouth once again to showcase some of their most talented new graduates.
Artists inside:
Josh Whettingsteel, Lulu Lin, Gisela Navarro, Thomas Spooner, Sam Nowell, Nurit Gross, Orlando Weeks, Peter Doyle, Melinda Ureczki, Dominika Leszczynska, Millie Johnson, Erin May Cooper, Heidi Teremetz, Tom Filer, Arthur Gnivko, Denisa Ailenei, Freya Relfe-Dacey, Martin Samways, Maisie Barr, Tommy Brentnall, Emilyn Cardona, REN
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