ALT-J
Who: Drummer Thom Green, singer/guitarist Joe Newman, guitarist/bassist Gwil Sainsbury and keyboardist Gus Unger-Hamilton
What: Leeds University quartet from Britain who snagged the coveted 2012 Mercury Prize, one of the biggest English music accolades, with their debut album An Awesome Wave. The band, whose name describes the triangle symbol formed when you press the “Alt” and “J” buttons on a Mac keyboard, are acclaimed for their oddball mix of multiple genres that include pop, folk, rock and dub.
Genre: Art-rock
OF MONSTERS AND MEN
Who: Pianist Arni Gudjonsson, singer/guitarist Nanna Bryndi Hilmarsdotir, guitarist Brynjar Leifsson, (bottom row, from left) guitarist/singer Ragnar Porhallsson, bassist Kristja Pal Kristjasson and drummer Arnar Roenkranz Hilmarsson
What: An Icelandic sextet often compared to Grammy-winning indie rockers Arcade Fire, they have achieved something their vaunted countrymen Sigur Ros and Bjork have not – commercial chart success in the United States with debut album My Head Is An Animal (2011), which peaked at No.6 on the mainstream Billboard charts.
Genre: Chamber-pop, Indie-rock
TAME IMPALA
Who: Bassist Dominic Simper, singer/guitarist Kevin Parker, guitarist/keyboardist Nick Allbrook and drummer Jay Watson from Australia
What: Though main men Kevin Parker and Dominic Simper formed the outfit while both were 13-year-olds in 1999, the band released their full-length debut, Innerspeaker, only in 2010. The album earned them a Rolling Stone award as Album Of The Year, as well as popular Australian radio station Triple J’s Australian Album Of The Year. Their second and most recent release, Lonerism (2012), won the same Triple J award.
Genre: Psychedelic Rock
JAPANDROIDS
Who: Guitarist-singer Brian King and drummer David Prowse
What: Canadian duo from Vancouver who got together in 2006 and who have released two independent EPs, All Lies (2007) and Lullaby Death Jams (2008), as well as two albums, Post-Nothing (2009) and Celebration Rock (2012), which BBC Music describes as “an album wracked with spirit” and “every track an anthem”.
Genre: Garage-punk
BAT FOR LASHES
Who: British singer and multi-instrumentalist Natasha Khan
What: Art school graduate Natasha Khan,who is half Pakistani and half English, impressed critics with her debut album Fur And Gold (2006), which earned her nominations in the British Breakthrough Act and British Female Solo Artist categories at the Brit Awards, as well as a place on the short list for the Mercury Prize. She has since released concept album Two Suns (2009) and latest album The Haunted Man (2012).
Genre: Electronic/ indie/pop
St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival 2013 will be held at Gardens by the Bay, on January 26. For more information, visit http://singapore.lanewayfestival.com.au/.
This article was first run in The Straits Times newspaper on January 10, 2012. For similar stories, go to sph.straitstimes.com/premium/singapore. You will not be able to access the Premium section of The Straits Times website unless you are already a subscriber.