In The City Festival 2010: Round Up

Words: Saam Das

I don't normally do round up posts because it feels like lazy blogging. But that's just me being silly (because they actually take a while) so I thought I'd compile all the Surfacing features I wrote for the 2010 In The City, which regular readers know that I didn't actually attend. I have been before though! And may return next year...

In case of favouritism, I have organised the bands into alphabetical order. Even though they're all my favourites. Well, apart from one band. But that wasn't their fault. If you're nosy, you can find out who quite easily simply by examining each post's comments. Maybe add some of your own while you're at it.

Ed Wood Jr: "While I....didn't see Ed Wood Jr play, I can imagine it being a ferocious experience. The instrumental band deliver math-rock at its heaviest, albeit combined with frequent spoken word samples."

Fixers: "Fixers transpose a sense of psychedelic experimentalism with warm summery pop, the latter of which is especially apparent on the wondrous 'Iron Deer Dream'."

Let's Buy Happiness: "Let's Buy Happiness produce epic, atmospheric soundscapes set against celestial vocals."

Mammal Club: "they sound like a mix between the new ethereal sound Foals have so magnificently mastered and the hyperactive, experimental pop that is currently being harnessed by Everything Everything."

Mojo Fury: "having listened to what feels like hundreds of bands from the festival's line up, Mojo Fury deliver a sense of brutality rarely seen....currently matched only by the likes of Pulled Apart By Horses and Future Of The Left."

Patterns: "Patterns attempt to bridge the gap between post punk and shoegaze by way of a soundscape of dreamy electronica."

Rapids!: "'Maps' mixes the shimmering guitars that made sporadic appearances on Bloc Party's debut album with the frenetic stylings of early Foals recordings."

Sophie's Pigeons: "Brilliantly off-kilter piano pop. With folk and jazz influences thrown in to spice things up further." Download their "beautifully haunting" cover of 'Flux' below.

DOWNLOAD: Sophie's Pigeons - Flux (Live at MIF 09)

Stealing Sheep: "Remember the "sirens" from Greek mythology? Well, Stealing Sheep are a lot like them - luring us poor saps with their irresistible harmonies."


Vinyl Jacket: "It'll be hard to escape the tag of being the British version of Vampire Weekend but with a whole host of effervescent anthems in their locker, Vinyl Jacket may have a chance at matching their esteemed American counterparts one day."

Any favourites of your own? There are plenty more streaming/download links in each post, do check them all out.