February 20th, 2014 
Tarynn Law 
Hello! I’m Tarynn Law, and this is a weekly column I’ll be writing that spotlights some up and coming indie pop / alternative / hipster / hype / buzz bands / you-get-the-idea groups that you should be checking out before they become massive. I mean, we all want to be that person that says “I knew them way back when,” don’t we? I thought so. This week we’ve got the Auckland, NZ brother/sister duo Broods, alt/rock quintet Eliza and the Bear, London dance collective Clean Bandit, and Brooklyn based R&B/pop musician Tei Shi.
Here we go!
Lorde isn’t the only fantastic musician to come out of New Zealand. Enter the Auckland brother/sister duo Broods, who just dropped their debut self-titled EP at the tail end of January. Of course they’ll see inevitable comparisons to the young pop starlet as they share a producer (Joel Little), but it’s all in the best possible way. Broods are immerse and embrace you with the warmth of their synths and Georgia’s almost whispered vocals. They share more in common with London trio London Grammar in their minimalism and fragility. They’ve announced a handful of shows in the states this far, so if you live in New York or California you should check out all of the info at their Facebook regarding those and everything they’re up to lately. Their full EP and some great remixes can be streamed over at their Soundcloud.
London alt/rock five-piece Eliza and the Bear haven’t just impressed me – they’ve also impressed the likes of Paramore, who they recently opened for on their massive UK tour. If American Authors were English, you’d have Eliza and the Bear. Each of the five tracks they’ve released thus far are instantly relatable and not to mention catchy – the intro to “Upon the North” will get stuck in your head for days. When the weather finally decides to warm up and you’re out walking to classes, work, home, wherever, and you stop to notice that it’s sunny and beautiful outside (finally) – it’s that breath of fresh air that Eliza and the Bear offer. If you live in the UK and you’re even the slightest bit interested in seeing them live, they’ve got a slew of tour dates all around the country so there’s no doubt they’ll be in your area. Find their tour dates on Facebook.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLlPxhQ4b4U
For those of you that live in the UK, there’s little to no doubt you’ve heard Clean Bandit’s infectious hit “Rather Be (feat. Jess Glynne)”. The song has been number 1 on the singles chart across the pond for four weeks, making them the first UK act to spend four consecutive weeks at the top since Adele’s massive 2011 hit, “Someone Like You.” They take the dance genre that’s becoming oh-so-popular due to the success of groups like Disclosure and make it their own by adding a cellist and tons of different, but all talented, vocalists. Their debut album New Eyes will be released in the UK on May 12th through Atlantic Records. The band will be playing just about everywhere in the UK in the coming months (here’s to hoping they make it stateside soon), so for all things Clean Bandit you can head to their Facebook page. Throw them a shout on Twitter if you’d like to congratulate them on all of their recent success, or just say hello.
Bogota born, Vancouver raised, and Brooklyn living pop songstress Tei Shi has been influenced in a multitude of different ways by all of the locales she’s lived in. They all show themselves on her debut EP Saudade. Lead single “M&Ms” will leave you breathless and break your heart all at the same time, in particular when she delivers the line “I had a dream that you left me / I deserved it.” “Adder(f)all” is a stunning track that begins almost acapella, showcasing her outstanding voice, adding layer after layer until it cascades into a master-class dream pop/R&B track. Saudade is out now, and you can stream it in its entirety at her SoundCloud. She’s not yet hit the five hundred follower mark on Twitter, so go support her by giving her a follow or liking her on Facebook!
That’s all for this week! I’ll be back next Thursday, and until then you can follow me on Twitter and let me know who you’ve been listening to lately!
- White Girl Dance Corner featuring Waters, RAC, Mother, and Wild Ones - March 27, 2014
- White Girl Dance Corner featuring Broods, Eliza and the Bear, Clean Bandit, and Tei Shi - February 20, 2014
- Watch Bruno Major Perform Acoustic Rendition of “The First Thing You See” - February 11, 2014
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