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10 acts you need to see at Bestival 2016

05 September 2016, 10:30

Bestival, the vibrant, fairy-dusted extravaganza of eye-popping sights and eargasmic sounds, is upon us once more.

The lineup is rammed with obvious highlights, with Hinds, The Cure, PC Music All Stars, Glass Animals, Petite Meller, Glass Animals, Royce Wood Junior, Haelos, Crystal Fighters, Izzy Bizu, Skepta, Wolf Alice, and many, many more teasing our senses, but look a little deeper and there's gold to be found. Here are 10 of the best you need to catch.

Pinegrove

New Jersey's Pinegrove have been causing quite the stir at Camp Best Fit - their thrilling End Of The Road show (their full band debut in the UK) last week was full of humour and laid-back lo-fi. If you like your indie with a smattering of country motifs and emo emotion, be sure to visit Pinegrove.

Catch Pinegrove Saturday 10 September on the Invaders Of The Future stage from 12:50pm.

Aldous RH

Formerly the vocalist and lyricist of Egyptian Hip Hop, Alexander Aldous Robinson Hewett now plies his trade as a blue-eyed soul man - get ready for some seriously smooth synth-funk.

Catch Aldous RH Sunday 11 September at the Jägerhaus from 19:30pm.

Strong Asian Mothers

Packed with furious energy and muscular beats, Strong Asian Mothers are a surefire way to get the party started - they've made waves for an incendiary live show which is not-quite-a-gig-but-not-quite-a-club-night... it's an unpigeonholeable inferno of electronic music and stellar visuals. Perfect for Bestival, then.

Catch Strong Asian Mothers Thursday 8 September on the Invaders Of The Future stage from 19:50pm.

Loyle Carner

Cerebral modern hip-hop with a jazz bent and intense themes and magnetic rhymes. Loyle Carner is a prodigous talent, eschewing trends and forging his own striking path. There's a reason he's one of our five Ones To Watch for 2016 (well, there's actually lots of reasons).

Catch Loyle Carner Friday 9 September at The Big Top from 21:30pm.

Aidan Knight

Canadian troubadour Aidan Knight, a mainstay in certain local scenes (he's worked with Dan Mangan, Hannah Georgas, We Are The City, and more), makes glorious experimental folk in a band called Aidan Knight. Exciting and surprising.

Catch Aidan Knight Thursday 8 September on the Invaders Of The Future stage from 16:50pm.

Bestival 2016 takes place at Robin Hill Country Park on the Isle Of Wight 8-11 September. Limited weekend and day tickets are still available.

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Ardyn

Brother/sister twosome Rob and Katy Pearson make enormously impressive sounds as Ardyn. They weld layers of Daughter-like emotion onto atmospheric pop to create music that hits you like a tonne of bricks - they're breathtakingly good.

Catch Ardyn Saturday 10 September at The Big Top from 12:30pm.

Nadia Rose

She's not a super-unknown (the video above is rapidly approaching 1,000,000 views), but Nadia Rose should not be missed. The 22-year-old Croydon-based MC is ludicrously talented - big rap and grime names like Wiz Khalifa and Skepta are stealing the spotlight at Bestival this year, but they need to watch their backs. Nadia Rose is destined for the big time.

Catch Nadia Rose Thursday 8 September at The Big Top from 20:00pm.

IIRIS

Estonia's IIRIS is a firm fav at Best Fit - she wowed legions at our new music festival back in January, and she's set to do the same at Bestival. Inventive, polished pop with huge heart and captivating quirks.

Catch IIRIS Sunday 11 September at The Big Top from 11:30am.

Poté

St. Lucia-born Poté will bring the heat at Bestival thanks to his sweltering soca and kuduro-influenced sounds. It's beat heavy dance music rammed with hypnotic rhythms and party-starting bass that'll keep you going all through the night.

Catch Poté Friday 9 September at the Bollywood Tent from 20:30pm.

Applescal

Dutch producer Applescal has been burbling under the surface for a while, threatening to rise into the spotlight - with his latest noises he might just do that. A perfect blend of thumping techno, minimalist house, and forward-thinking electronica.

Catch Applescal Sunday 11 September at the Bollywood Tent from 18:30pm.

Bestival 2016 takes place at Robin Hill Country Park on the Isle Of Wight 8-11 September. Limited weekend and day tickets are still available.

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