Camden Crawl has become something of an institution across the water since first appearing in the mid ’90s. It prides itself on giving an equal footing to both established and emerging acts and for the first time Camden Crawl is coming to Dublin.
The line-up is mightily impressive, continuing it’s mantra, it has a nice mix of homegrown and international counterparts, both established and emerging. An interesting aspect of the festival is, to encourage exploration, stage times and venue line ups are kept secret until announced at the event via the free official programme.
In keeping with the spirit and ethic of the Camden Crawl Dublin, here are a few acts, both established and not so, to keep an eye out for over the weekend. As always, feel free to give a shout out to acts you think deserve a mention.
Friday:
SertOne
Portadown-born hip-hop producer SertOne is an undoubtedly talented individual. He has a knack for skillfully weaving of an electronic patchwork of hip-hop influences and silky samples with his own unique qualities and an ear for quality beats. He is a relative newcomer but with a slew of remixes, a free album and the exceptionable EP, The View From Above under his belt, this guy is surely destined for great things.
REID
REID is another electronic producer with a bright future. Since first coming to prominence just over a year ago, the Corkman been showcasing his distinctive style of atmospheric electronic sounds with an energetic blend of slick beats. He has a remix coming on a Kitsuné collaboration and is currently working on his second EP. I managed to catch one of REID’s live shows last year and it impressed me a lot, he is another Irish producer an exciting future ahead of him.
And the rest to keep an eye out for Come On Live Long, ASIWYFA, Duke Special, Jogging, Leathal Dialect, Wounds & Jape.
Saturday:
Gaz Coombes
The former Supergrass frontman has spent most of 2012 building up for the release of his debut solo album, Here Come The Bombs. Coombes’ two tracks to date have been extremely impressive. ‘Subdivider’ and ‘Hot Fruit’ both offered a sound that while sounding different it retained something very familiar at the same time. A legend in his own right, he’s proving there is plenty of life after Supergrass.
Gaz Coombes – Hot Fruit via TheSoundfull
Mystery Jets
Mystery Jets’ last album Serotonin was something of a flat tire, one that threatened to derail them from their path to the promised land. The bands latest effort Radlands however, sees them regain the momentum of the near perfect Twenty One. These guys have everything, a blitz of wonderful indie, quirky eccentricity and psychedelia, blended with the sweet Americana sounds of their latest record. It is hard to foresee these guys not doing the business, a definite must see.
Ghostpoet
Ghostpoet is no stranger to Ireland having played a string of shows here over the past year or so, yet, somehow I have yet to see him live, something I aim to rectify. Fitting somewhere between the everyday musings of Mike Skinner and the gruffness of Roots Manuva, he charts a journey through life in modern Britain, graced with his drawl, hazy idiosyncratic slurred delivery and a backdrop of atmospheric beats and screeches. His debut Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam proved him to be one of the most unique, exciting and thought-provoking of last year.
Simon Bird
Originally from West Somerset but now based in Dublin, Simon Bird has released five EPs in the past year and a half or so. His latest, V EP is a relaxing, thought provoking and engaging listen and one of complex layers and rich ambient sounds. I’m yet to see him live, but there have only been glowing reviews. Bird is another hot prospect, no doubt about it.
Simon Bird – Xerox Waveform Godless Ocean
Girl Band
Dublin based four-piece punk rockers Girl Band are another ‘yet to see band’ at Camden Crawl Dublin, that said, their releases to date are enough to get excited about. They specialize in thunderous salvos of aggression fueled and high-octane punk rock. Let’s hope their live show lives up to the likes of ‘Second One’, ‘Twelves’ and ‘In My Head’.
And the rest to keep an eye out for: We Are Losers, No Monster Club, Lemonada, Fionn Regan, Cashier No.9 & Toby Kaar.