In the second and final installment of this feature Matthew Copper looks at another handful of names who could be shortlisted for this year’s poll, from sad dance music to ex-school teachers come-beat connoisseurs.
Catch up on part 1 here.
EVIAN CHRIST
Having already collab’d with Yeezus himself on 2013’s monstrously disgusting ‘I’m In It’ the story of this former primary school teacher is certainly an unusual one. Noise purveyor Evian Christ is one of those artists who are simply indefinable and predicting what he will do next is just about impossible. The electronic music game Mario Balotelli.
SOAK
Being the first signing to CHVRCHES’ Goodbye Recordings is always going to stand you in good stead. But when you’re only 18 and have all but perfected the craft of writing a beautiful song or two and conveying emotion with just the plucking of a guitar I’d say you’re pretty set for the future.
https://soundcloud.com/soakofficial/soak-24-windowed-house
TOURIST
Sad Middle Class Dance Music. That’s how Wil Philips describes his sound on his own Twitter and we’d say he’s pretty bang on. With collabs with Lianne La Havas and a super cute BFF relationship with Annie Mac the twenty something certainly has the contact book to produce a star-laden debut, ohh and bags of talent to boot.
RYN WEAVER
The first musician to gain a record deal over Tinder after swiping right on Benny Blanco who she’d met some years before. Proving that the app has a purpose beyond questionably dark sexual encounters. Her track OctaHate exploding on the internet and boasted the production credits of Blanco himself, Passion Pit’s Michael Angelakos and Norway’s Cashmere Cat who is often mistaken for a girl. Her ‘Promises’ EP is available now and if anyone can capture the hearts of 2015 it’s surely this dreamy synth Pop pixie out of LA.
INDIANA
While naming yourself after a Central American state may be a problematic decision in terms of search engine optimisation it is likely not much of a worry given the success of her single ‘Solo Dancing’ earlier in the year. Her debut album ‘No Romeo’ has been pushed back throughout 2014 and is now slated for Mid-October, whether that is too early for her to get a ‘Sound Of’ mention remains to be seen but her dance-pop talent definitely merits a call up.
RAE MORRIS
It should come as no surprise that there are so many females on this list, when you think of the most ground-breaking and captivating music throughout 2014 it won’t be long until someone of the opposite sex is mentioned. Blackpool’s Rae Morris has been making music since the age of 15 and now at just 21 is another name to add to the plethora of females who are re-inventing and re-invigorating the pop music game. Her ‘Closer’ EP is available now for you to explore the point just made.
OCEAAN
Another producer to file in the ‘I bet your mum says this wrong’ section right alongside the previously mentioned KAYTRANADA. Hailing from Manchester this is probably the closest anyone has come to recreating Jamie Woon’s sparse achingly beautiful soundscapes of emotion since he was shortlisted for the award back in 2011. Speaking of Jamie Woon, where on earth is he? Any reported sightings please contact us immediately.