The line-up at the 2-day music festival, to be held in Philadelphia and Los Angeles, includes many talented, up-and-coming artistes. Here are The Sherp’s picks
The upcoming weekend will witness some of most loved international musicians playing to ardent fans at the Made In America music festival. The event, which is held concurrently in Philadelphia and Los Angeles, boasts of big names such as John Mayer, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Kings Of Leon and Tiësto, among others, on its line-up. Rubbing shoulders with these superstars will be a host of rising indie musicians. Here’s The Sherp’s picks of some of the best performers on the roster.
1. Isaiah Rashad
Genre: Hip hop
From: Tennessee, USA
(Image courtesy: Isaiah Rashad Facebook)
His music might be bracketed in the same category that houses mostly expletive-laden trash, but Isaiah Rashad is a man of melody, and his music stands apart thanks to his understated, almost polished, defiance. He broke on to the circuit roughly two years ago and released an EP, titled Cilvia (thank God for the title) earlier this year.
2. Scavenger Hunt
Genre: Alt-pop-rock
From: Los Angeles, USA
You know you grew up listening to the wrong kind of music if Jill Lamoureux’s bewitching voice doesn’t make you play her songs on loop. There’s a heavy dose of ’80s-style grooves and sound patterns in their tracks, which we’re sure will enchant young listeners and old-timers alike. Scavenger Hunt started out as a duo project between producer Dan Mufson and his find, Jill, in 2011, and is now a four-piece outfit.
3. Pissed Jeans
Genre: Punk-rock
From: Pennysylvania, USA
Pissed Jeans’ music is like an early morning sugar injection. The blazing, even noisy, guitars and heated drums will not disappoint any punk fan. The band, which was founded in 2004, has half-a-dozen LPs and EPs to its credit.
4. Nothing
Genre: Alt-rock
From: Philadelphia, USA
(Image courtesy: Nothing Facebook)
The band ticks all the right boxes for even a seasoned rock fan. Their tunes are part-melodious-part-haunting, the arrangements traditional and the mood palette, expansive. That’s a huge ground covered by a band that started out only three years ago. Their debut album, Guilty Of Everything, features songs that will pleasantly surprise you with their grungy-yet-profound vibe.
5. Chance The Rapper
Genre: Hip hop
From: Chicago, USA
(Image courtesy: Isaiah Rashad Facebook)
There’s no chance in hell that you won’t instantly like Chance The Rapper the first time you play his super successful mixtape, Acid Rap. His idiosyncratic singing style is as awe-inspiring as his ability to effortlessly drop and raise tempos throughout his record. The 21-year-old rapper was a roaring success at this year’s Coachella music festival, and has also collaborated on music giants such as Skrillex and Lil Wayne in the recent past.
6. A Tribe Called Red
Genre: Hip hop, dancehall, folk
From: Ontario, Canada
We discovered A Tribe Called Red just when we were lamenting the drowning of indigenous, folk sounds in the vast, swelling ocean of EDM. The trio marries electronic sound — which is spread over a host of genres — with Native American tunes. And the result is spectacular, to say the least. Fans of electronica veterans Deep Forest will totally dig this band’s songs. Their gigs are quite a visual experience too, often featuring spellbinding traditional performances by dancers.
Cover Image Courtesy: Scavenger Hunt Facebook