1.
The Big Chill festival (Herefordshire, England) really stepped its game up this year, managing to bag Kanye West‘s only UK festival performance and fill out the festival bill with a great mix of emerging and established talent, and some really forward thinking artists. I was lucky enough to go, but rather than regaling you with tales of how good Janelle Monae was (very, even in heavy rain) and how you missed an on form Jamie xx (you missed out bro), I’m going to use this post to highlight music from some of the less well known artists who might or might not be new to you, but all of whom caught my aural attention. Hit the jump to get into some great music, and who knows, there might even be mention of the performance a certain superstar rapper…
As always, hit up the comments section with your thoughts, and let me know which artists your feeling.
Crystal Fighters
2.
We’ll start with Crystal Fighters, who were featured on a Euro Session back in November of last year, as well as on DMP 3, but really deserve their own post. These guys are fairly well known in the UK, having had a couple of songs on mainstream radio, and being popular in the blogosphere since 2008. One of the most interesting aspects of Crystal Fighters is the Spanish origin of the band, which is apparent in their use of traditional Basque instruments, which are liable to suddenly give way to dancey synths and heavy bass.
Their live performance lived up to expectations, managing to get a great reaction from a crowd which was still recovering from the previous night’s raving epicness of The Chemical Brothers, Plastican and Digital Mystikz. Check out festival singalong “Plage”, and then slow building dance tune “Xtatic Love” from last year’s debut album Star of Love. Support Crystal Fighters on their Facebook, listen to their whole output on Soundcloud and maybe even make it rain on yourself in their online shop!
Spoek Mathambo – “Put Some Red On It”
Kanye West
3.
It would be a little bit ridiculous to write about the Big Chill, and not mention Kanye – he’s one of the biggest and most recognizable stars on the planet, and one of the main reasons I went to The Big Chill this year. Just so you know how much of a step up this was for the festival, last year’s Saturday headliner was M.I.A., a great performer, but not in the same league. But who really is in the same league as Kanye West?
Are there comparable rapper/producers? Maybe, but are there any comparable crossover stars who can appeal to hip-hop heads and glow stick toting teenagers alike, whilst seeming to remain astonishingly un-managed and impassioned? I think not. The Big Chill performance was a perfect representation of the many contradictory sides of Kanye West; he started 45 minutes late, but then apologized, explaining he was being a “perfectionist”, he put on an incredible, hit-laden show even though he was losing his voice, but then launched into a rambling 10 minute speech, parts of which were obviously going to get a negative reaction from the media. Of course Kanye is a little bit up his own arse (understatment much?!), and of course he often acts without thinking, but it is the passion and single-mindedness that makes his live performance so incredible, that also has him running on stage in support of someone elses video.
All in all, Kanye’s headlining show officially blew my mind, and I for one have a lot of respect for him as an artist and performer – certainly a lot more respect than I have for the sensationalist media who’s descriptions of booing crowds and incorrect reporting of what was said just go to show that maybe everyone is “trying to pull that old bullshit again”.
So, maybe The Throne can headline next year…
Please?
