As we venture into 2024, what the year will bring is (mostly) anyone’s guess. Amidst the certainty of elections, viral memes, and taxes, let’s take a moment to raise a glass to five acts destined for great things in 2024. One thing is sure: these artists sing, write, and perform at an interesting level.
Jeff Moller
For someone who counts Paul McCartney and The Traveling Wilburys as formative influences, Moller’s material is unhurried and reverential of the present moment. More comforting than nostalgic, Moller’s album Sigh Baby delivers a journeyman’s perspective of his own environment, backed by a selection of chiming guitars and Beach Boys-esque vocals. Based in Oakland, CA, Moller recorded the majority of the instruments on his debut album, although he is capably supported by Jason Quever on drums, who produces a backpedal that recalls the work of Jim Keltner.
Pas Sages
Pas Sages offers a fuller depiction of depravity in the sphere of Franco-pop. Their catalog is filled with immersive backdrops, with faders, samplers, and vocal harmonies. “Rien á F” is the most immediately commercial sounding, and could make for a Transatlantic hit, particularly as it holds a passage where the artists engage in a form of rap. Yes, they sing in French, but the authenticity and the sincerity of the vocals are never in question.
Keeley
She’s often been compared to shoegaze bands Ride and My Bloody Valentine, but Keeley enters into uncharted territory with mini operettas based on true-life Irish atrocities. Not only does she let the research guide the work, but Keeley exhibits style as an instrumentalist, with a collection of scintillating guitar hooks. Her tightly structured songs offer the perfect contrast to the emotional themes related to dark tales of torture in Northern Ireland.
Rose Tiger
Rose Tiger’s debut, The End Forever, opens with a statement of aspiration, as Cyprien Jacquet’s outfit hustles through a series of harmonic chords and riffs to awaken listeners from their wintery slump. Maybe all they could do was muster an instrumental out of thin air in the hope of rattling some stimulus from the audience because the finished work is a portal to the 1980s, all synth hooks and mullets. The rest of their debut follows a similar path, making them a 21st-century alternative to New Order.
Florence Black
Florence Black is a Welsho power trio brandishing some of the most exciting guitar hooks in recent years. Tristan Thomas doubles as vocalist and guitarist, bolstered by the urgency of Jordan Evans’ bass work and harmony vocals. The trio have a busy calendar ahead, touring across the UK, although their music – explosive, and bristling with energy – will likely appeal to American listeners too.
-Eoghan Lyng
Photo: Pixabay
Often ahead of the curve, we’ve been following Keeley’s progress for a couple of years already. She’s heading for even more greatness.
It’s 2024 at last!