Five Day Forecast: Best Fit's annual festival of new music hits London in January
Postiljonen, HÆLOS, Diet Cig, Oscar, Pumarosa, INHEAVEN, Francis Lung and more lined up for Best Fit's annual showcase of new music in January.
Continuing the success of the inaugral 2015 edition, Best Fit's 'Five Day Forecast' returns to The Lexington, London - a stone’s throw from London’s Kings Cross - to showcase the very best in new music for the year ahead.
Taking place nightly between 11 - 15 January 2016, the week long residency returns after five consectutive sold out shows earlier this year which featured the stellar talents of Woman's Hour, Nimmo, Ekkah, Jagaara and Laura Groves, to name just a few.
The first names announced for the Five Day Forecast 2016 are as follows: Postiljonen (pictured), HÆLOS, Diet Cig, Oscar, Pumarosa, EERA, Sabella, Pleasure Beach, Legends Of Country, Smash Williams, Natali Felicia, INHEAVEN, Saltwater Sun, Francis Lung and Iiris.
Tickets are on sale now starting at just £6 each.
Buy Tickets: Billetto / Songkick / Dice / WeGotTickets
Get acquainted with the line-up below (in alphabetical order):
Diet Cig
Father/Daughter signees Diet Cig, a rocky duo from New Paltz NYC, have stolen hearts with early releases, like the effervescent “Dinner Date”. They called themselves “slop pop”, which roughly translates to raw timbres and lo-fi guitars; it’s snarky and raucous in places, but woozy punk in others, and even when they slow things down, the immense energy and lyrical sincerity shines through. Fans of Girlpool and/or Los Campesinos! should get very excited.
Diet Cig play The Lexington, London on Thursday 14 January 2016. Tickets.
EERA
EERA is Norway-born, London-based Anna Lena Bruland, a singer/songwriter summoning threadbare textures and almost untenable emotion, borne from “images rather than storylines.” On the surface, EERA unloads feral post-punk and mystical melodies that bowl through the airwaves, nodding to Nadine Shah and Farao, but there’s something wholly otherworldly that lingers underfoot.
EERA plays The Lexington, London on Monday 11 January 2016. Tickets.
Francis Lung
Former Wu Lyf guitarist Tom McClung, now flying under his Francis Lung flag, is releasing his debut solo EP, Faeher’s Son, this autumn. It’ll feature “Back One Day”, a misty escapade smooshing all the instruments through a lo-fi filter, as well as last year’s dazzling “Age Limits”. Far away from the timbres of his old outfit, McClung now makes noises that’ll drag you into a woozy land of raw nerves and blissed-out hypnosis.
Francis Lung plays The Lexington, London on Friday 15 January 2016. Tickets.
HÆLOS
They rose to prominence with a heady brew of noise, meshing together crunchy hip-hop beats, screwed-up samples, flickering guitars, and cinematic synths, but Matador Records' Hackney three-piece HÆLOS, once shrouded in mystery, are stepping out into the light. Their tantalising video trilogy - “Earth Not Above”, “Pray”, and “Dust” - is now complete, with gorgeous visuals accompanying their trip-hop influenced sounds, allowing us to glimpse at their shadowy world at last.
HÆLOS play The Lexington, London on Monday 11 January 2016. Tickets.
Iiris
Iiris, a graduate of Goldsmiths, takes inspiration from diverse sources - like Debussy and Lykke Li - and on recent single “Iridescent Love” she makes those worlds collide. It’s sparse and ethereal, with crackling house beats, flighty vocal strands, and shimmering ambient pads. The Estonia-born songsmith follows the likes of Alma Elste and Wyldest in releasing through London’s Hand In Hive, continuing their (and her own) streak for striking synthpop magic.
Iiris plays The Lexington, London on Friday 15 January 2016. Tickets.
Legends Of Country
Legends Of Country, founded by The Boy Least Likely To’s Jof Owen, and featuring Adam Chetwood and Rob Jones, craft a British take on the country genre. Their debut LP Talk About Country is out now, and is setting hearts aflame with its unironic exploration of dusty Americana and nods to washed-up darts champs, middle age, “A roads and seaside towns, Little Chefs and Benson and Hedges”.
Legends Of Country play The Lexington, London on Wednesday 13 January 2016. Tickets.
Natali Felicia
20-year-old Natali Felicia only has two songs on her Soundcloud, but both are majestic pop gems that leave you gathering your jaw from the floor - these are cinematic paeans to love unfold like silver screen classics. “Used To Be” is a poignant take on romance via synths and skittering beats, while “Easy Ride” oozes confidence and aspirations of stardom. The Stockholm-based singer/songwriter looks set to get just that if she continues on her current trajectory.
Natali Felicia plays The Lexington, London on Wednesday 13 January 2016. Tickets.
INHEAVEN
INHEAVEN blur the lines between pop and shoegaze, carving candied ear-pleasers with mountainous walls of noise - tracks like the resounding “Regeneration” are warm barrages, enveloping you with 20-tog-duvet tones. Penetrate this easily accessible exterior and you’ll find a punk core howling, demanding more from life - INHEAVEN’s sound is deceptively complex, and you’re left lost in your own thoughts long after the final pulse.
INHEAVEN play The Lexington, London on Thursday 14 January 2016. Tickets.
Oscar
Oscar’s infectious baritone lines peppy indie rock singles like recent belter “Breaking My Phone” and his autocorrect-inspired set-staple “Daffodil Days”, but it’s his beautifully bleak “gangsta melancholy”, which fuses hip-hop percussion with Morrissey-esque glumness, that ensnares the attention of all those in earshot. The North Londoner has recently joined the ranks of Wichita, and his debut LP is expected in the near future.
Oscar plays The Lexington, London on Tuesday 12 January 2016. Tickets.
Pleasure Beach
Pleasure Beach, birthed in Belfast from a common love of collaboration, conjure brilliance. Debut track “Go” is a locomotive piece of nostalgic rock, nodding to Springsteen and the War On Drugs in alternate breaths, while new song “Dreamer To The Dawn” aims for the stratosphere with anthemic hooks and timeless riffs. It’s easy to see that Pleasure Beach aren’t shy about letting the world know that they’ve got big plans.
Pleasure Beach play The Lexington, London on Tuesday 12 January 2016. Tickets.
Postiljonen
Postiljonen have been at the forefront of Swedish dreampop for some years now, since the release of lauded record Skyer, and are seemingly en route to return. This year has seen the Stockholm trio blast out twinkly swoon fiesta “Wait” and the effervescent anthem “Go!” - they’ve been away some years, but they’ve lost no edge, and this new direction signals a natural step forward.
Postiljonen play The Lexington, London on Friday 15 January 2016. Tickets.
Pumarosa
From rundown pubs to the “cavernous disused cinema of an Italian surrealist”, Pumarosa’s origin tale is a colourful one. The group also have some eye-catching names attached, like producer Dan Carey (Bat For Lashes), and label Chess Club (MØ, Swim Deep), but don’t let all that obscure their vast abilities. Weaving sinewy ropes of guitar with psychedelic grace, the quintet strutted into our ears with seven-and-a-half minute saga “Priestess” - a descent into texture, ambition, and innovation.
Pumarosa play The Lexington, London on Tuesday 12 January 2016. Tickets.
Sabella
Sabella crafts an intoxicating blend of ‘80s synthpop and modern R&B on her debut EP Home Truths, with silky sax lead single “Loving Like This” igniting acclaim across the world for its emotional heft and melodic nous. The 19-year-old Somerset native laces her lovelorn offerings with a stunning voice the bends around beats in the most addictive ways - your finger will be ready to click repeat before the track’s even over.
Sabella plays The Lexington, London on Monday 11 January 2016. Tickets.
Saltwater Sun
West London fivesome Saltwater Sun are to release their debut EP Wild soon through Hand In Hive (Alma Elste, Wyldest), finally giving the world a full look at their intricate indie-rock arsenal. Produced by Gengahr collaborator James Bragg, first two tasters “'Making Eyes”and “Habit On My Mind“ melt together sugary pop gorgeousness with grunge-flecked licks; admirers of Wolf Alice will certainly want to take a look.
Saltwater Sun play The Lexington, London on Thursday 14 January 2016. Tickets.
Smash Williams
Nope, not the Friday Night Lights character, but rather a Scottish twosome made up of Stuart Dougan (French Wives) and Gordon Skene (Frightened Rabbit). They released debut track “A Splash Of Colour” in September after months of behind-the-scenes work. It’s an honest, epic tale of love at first sight that flits between a happy National and lo-fi synthpop - the lengthy gestation period has definitely paid off.
Smash Williams play The Lexington, London on Wednesday 13 January 2016. Tickets.
- Dick Van Dyke stars in Spike Jonze-directed video for Coldplay's "All My Love"
- Denison Witmer collaborates with Sufjan Stevens on forthcoming album, Anything At All
- Billie Eilish on the prospect of working with Rihanna: "I’ll literally do anything you want"
- Olivia Dean announces Live at The Apollo extended album
- Sky Ferreira unveils new single, "Leash"
- Watch the first trailer for Becoming Led Zeppelin documentary
- King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard play “Flight b741!” with Songs For Kids Band
Get the Best Fit take on the week in music direct to your inbox every Friday