Glastonbury 2016 - The Ones To Watch - T-15 Days: Jagwar Ma

Jagwar Ma, Village Underground London 31/5/16

One of my highlights from Glastonbury 2014, Jagwar Ma are now back playing live shows while also recording a new album.



If you were a fan of the last album, especially the Time & Space Dub Remixes of it, I'm pleased to report that their new songs now extend their sound from Screamadelica-era Primal Scream to also cover the Swastika Eyes and Get Yours Rocks Off periods as well.


Joking aside, a Jagwar Ma live show is something you should all experience, as it's a full-on rave-disco-rock mash up of epic proportions.


Although I've always thought of them as very much an 'after dark' kind of band I'm sure they'll cope just fine with being on the Park Stage in the middle of the afternoon on Saturday.

Glastonbury 2016 - The Ones To Watch - T-16 Days: Christine and The Queens

Heloise Letissier is something of a superstar in her native France, where the original version of her album 'Chaleur Humaine' has spent nearly two years in the charts and she plays to packed out audiences in massive venues. And since the revamped version came out this year, with some English lyrics and new songs added, the rest of the world is also taking her to their hearts, as you can see from this brilliant performance of 'Tilted' at Coachella a couple of months ago.

Her cool electronics and Gallic chic blend perfectly together, and she manages to combine some fascination and thought provoking lyrics with some proper full-on pop melodies.



It's a tricky thing to have an intelligent message to get across while at the same time wanting people to dance and have fun but it's something she pulls of with aplomb. And if you want just one example of how effortlessly cool she is take a listen to 'Paradis Perdus' below, in which she takes a 1973 track by French singer Christophe, splices it with 'Heartless' by Kanye West' and makes a track that sounds totally her own.


Tough calls will have to be made as she's on the Other Stage on Friday while Skepta is on The Pyramid, but I think mon coeur est avec la femme Francaise.

Glastonbury 2016 - The Ones To Watch - T-17 Days: Blaenavon

I've been writing about Blaenavon in the pages of this blog for nearly three and a half years now. Over the course of that period they've grown-up, grown a moustache or two, and put out 3 releases.



Following the intelligent indie-rock trail blazed by the likes of Foals, as their hair has got longer so have their songs become more complex and involved (although judging by their latest video below, they haven't spent much time practising their lip-syncing skills),


Having just completed a full tour of the UK they've also developed into a great live act and will be an ideal opener for the William's Green stage on Friday.

Glastonbury 2016 - The Ones To Watch - T-18 Days: Khruangbin

This three piece from Texas eschew traditional down-home boogie for the esoteric delights of Thai funk and drifting, dream-like grooves, as in the video below.

As you can see, they're not short on talent (or, for 2 out of 3 of them, hair) and when their music find its groove it's a real treat.

Their album 'The Universe Smiles Upon You' was recently released on the Late Night Tales record label, which gives you some idea of the kind of vibe they create. There are a couple of chances to catch them on Sunday this year at Glastonbury - I'll probably see you at the Park first thing in the morning (before drifting over to Four Tet's early morning DJ set in the Stonebridge bar, which will follow this perfectly).

Glastonbury 2016 - The Ones To Watch - T-19 Days: Oscar

Indie-pop has somewhat fallen out of fashion these days. Fear not though, as the man to bring it back to sartorial superiority is here, and that man is Oscar Scheller.

With a deep and melancholic voice, the former Central St Martins art school student matches his words with infectious melodies that bring to mind the hooks that 90s Brit-poppers Space used to write. Making 'happy-sad vibes' (his self-confessed favourite form of music) this bedroom-based balladier will definitely ease your hangover into the last day of Glastonbury.

Having seen Oscar live at Visions Festival last summer I can confirm that he's great to watch live, so make sure you head down to William's Green on Sunday to see him.

Oscar at The Laundry, Visions Festival 8/8/15

Glastonbury 2016 - The Ones To Watch - T-20 Days: Vince Staples

Vince Staples debut album 'Summertime '06' got somewhat lost last year in the general swell of mass appreciation for 'To Pimp A Butterfly'. While it doesn't consistently hit the heights of Kendrick's masterpiece it wasn't without merit, and a slot on the West Holts stage late on Friday afternoon should go a long way to raising his profile in the UK.



Hailing from Long Beach, California, his early friendship with Odd Future helped to propel him into the limelight, something that his current tour with A$AP Rocky is only adding to.

 

While he might not grab such a large audience as Run The Jewels did in a similar slot last year he'll still be worth seeingon the brilliantly eclectic West Holts lineup.

Glastonbury 2016 - The Ones To Watch - T-21 Days: Ezra Furman

With last year's album 'Perpetual Motion People' Furman produced a record full of wit, warmth and energy while mixing musical styles from 60s do-wop to garage rock and beyond.

In the flesh he's even more energetic, an unpredictable force teetering on the brink of anarchy but just about managing to rein it in.

So let your hair down and join the perpetual party with Ezra and his band.