Now the dust has settled on 2023 and with it being so last year, it’s time to start focusing on all things 2024!
Much like our parents, we’re putting unwanted pressure on ten artists we’re excited to hear more from this year. A couple are obvious choices, but there’s also a few who kept us wanting more after making their debuts last year.
THE LAST DINNER PARTY
Probably one of the first names to appear on lists like this, there are few artists to receive as much hype and expectation as The Last Dinner Party. 2023 was a monumental year for the London band. Thanks in part to their excellent debut ‘Nothing Matters’ and bold sound heard on subsequent singles.
And it’s because everything heard so far has been so good – including their newest ‘Caesar on a TV Screen – that we’re beyond excited to hear A Prelude to Ecstasy. There will be a lot of eyes and ears on that album, and we trust that it’s going to deliver.
SUNFLOWER THIEVES
It’s always an exciting time when Sunflower Thieves are set to release new music. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it always leaves a mark. 2022’s Someone To Be There For continues to remain one of our favourite EPs of recent years, and this year could see its much-anticipated follow up.
With their not-so Christmassy tune ‘It’s Not Like The Christmas Films’ released alongside a promised “fiercer, bolder direction” in sound from the Leeds duo, we absolutely cannot wait to hear what they’ve got in store for us.
MY FIRST TIME
My First Time introduced themselves quite late into 2023. Launching ‘Wind Up Merchant’ in October with no hint of a follow up. The Bristol act left it up to the crowd to follow them, which we respect a lot.
The single’s blend of gutsy guitars and sarcastic middle fingers against the lads on tour crowd left quite an impression. Leaving us to hope that the mystery second single isn’t too far away.
LAURAN HIBBERD
Lauran Hibberd will release new album Girlfriend Material this year and has been dropping a solid set of singles over the last few months. While her debut didn’t quite hit the mark, there’s enough proof in said singles to believe that she has returned to form.
The Isle of Wight star has delivered bangers in the form of ‘Mary’ and ‘Honda Civic’ as she’s leaned towards a more Pop Punk sound than the throwback edge that laced through Garageband Superstar. But the real jewel is the heartbreaking ‘I suck at grieving’, a wonderful tribute to Lauran’s father which captured her style of realness and brash guitars with heartfelt emotion. Something that was rarely heard until now. This among the other singles prove that the new album could be one of Lauran Hibberd’s best efforts to date.
THE AMNIOTICS
Irish quartet The Amniotics delivered a modest but hearty two singles last year. Kicking off their first year with a back-to-back combo of hard hitting, guitar-driven tunes that really left a number on the ol’ skull. The ability to pair hooks with scathing disgust on latest single ‘HMPB’ really made us excited to hear how much further that level of catchy disdain could go.
CONFIDENCE MAN
Confidence Man have made a name for themselves in recent years. Thanks to their over the top and impressively athletic live shows, the Australian duo have become the go-to act for when you wanna just let loose for a while.
With hints of a new album on the way, the duo could fully embrace the House elements that have seeped through their latest singles. ‘Now U Do’ in particular has become a massive earworm, so I’m hoping they deliver a whole album’s worth of musical worms.
BIG HUG
London’s Big Hug received so much praise for last year’s Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time that they’re ready to strike again while the iron is hot. The trio’s brand of punchy Emo and Indie tunes will soon hit our ears once again with the release of new single ‘Cruellemonde de la Hi Fi’ on January 19th, with news of a new EP to follow a little into the year too. And we cannot wait.
DEAD POET SOCIETY
A band that has fallen beneath our radar is Dead Poet Society, but with a string of proper good singles released and with new album FISSION coming out on January 26th, we are beyond excited to throw them right at the forefront of our minds.
The four-piece have really come into their own for this new record and from what we’ve heard so far, they have perfected their sound to really fire on all fronts. Especially on ‘I hope you hate me.’, a single that makes me feel like a badass crumbling away the streets while out on a run. It’s palm-muted, stilted fury makes for great listening and an easy earworm.
BETTER JOY
Another artist to release only their debut last year was Bria Keely’s Better Joy. While ‘Hard To Love’ is another tune about the joys and not-so joys of love, it came at you with full force of Bria’s love for The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Cure and Phoebe Bridgers. Making it stand out with heavy hooks that stuck deep into the mind.
Its melancholy mindset had me return to it continuously. Hooked from the get-go. I was expecting to hear more last year but alas it wasn’t to be, so maybe 2024 we will receive more of those deep, deep hooks.
THE XX
This is a more ambitious choice but with Romy confirming that she and Jamie XX have been in the studio recently, I’m hoping we hear something from The XX this year. It has been seven years (!) since I See You so we’re desperate to hear more from them.
Who do you feel will release some of the most fruitful releases of 2024? Let us know below!