Welcome to the inaugural installation of "Up and Comers." Each week, Music Times will feature a band that had started to make headlines but hasn't quite become a household name. We hope to catch these groups early in their careers and watch them on their paths to stardom. Feel free to offer us some suggestions in the comments section below!
This week, we introduce you to The Hics.
Hometown: Pimlico, London
Band Members: Roxana Dayette, 21, (vocals, guitar), Sam Paul Evans, 19, (vocals, synths, electronics), Matt Knox, 24, (bass), Geordan Reid-Campbell, 21, (guitar, electronics), Jacob Welsh, 21, (drums), David Turay, 17, (sax).
Current Discography: Tangled EP (2013)
How It All Began: The band members met while studying at Pimlico School, which is known for its government-funded music course. Evans and Welsh founded the group and brought on Dayette to provide female vocals. Knox, Campbell and Turay joined the group soon after. According to their Facebook page, the band officially formed in 2012. Only a few months after they started making music together, BBC DJ Gilles Peterson discovered their music online and featured their track "Lines" on a compilation album. In January, the public voted them runners-up for the Best Breakthrough Act in the Gilles Peterson World Wide Awards.
Where They Are Now: In August, they headlined their first show and released their self-produced debut EP, "Tangle,' through Nero Records UK. Today, they premiered their music video for the album's title track on Nylon.com.
What They Sound Like: They describe their sound as "electronic soul." It mixes elements of nu-soul, lo-fi electronic and R & B. Their music sounds like a mix of the xx and Alt-J (they have also been compared to Frank Ocean, Sade, Bonobo and James Blake); however, the group definitely sets itself apart by playing up different genre elements in each track and putting Evan's and Dayette's effortlessly poignant harmonies in the forefront.
Where To Listen: Their EP is available for download on iTunes and is also streaming on Spotify. Most of their tracks are available on their Soundcloud page as well.