GABRIEL BRUCE
22-year-old Londoner Gabriel Bruce is an accomplished, emotive musician. Even when playing a guitar – not his favourite instrument. Gabriel’s worldly voice and stirring, sometimes sinister organ have earned him comparisons to venerable luminaries such as Johnny Cash and Leonard Cohen, and with label backing from Mercury the future’s looking starry. His music is intimate and heartfelt, and the emotional confidence of being so candid disguises a polite, affable and perhaps nervous man in the in fancy of his creative path. The first of two songs i-D were treated to was ‘Sleep Paralysis’, his first single, released with a 50-page booklet created and compiled by Gabriel about the phenomenon the song is named after through London collective Off Modern. The second song, ‘Car’s Not Leaving’ gets its public debut, having never found its way onto the internet. Although there’s not much room to dive into his discography, there are a couple of other tracks floating around cyberspace that are well worth checking out. Expect a lot in the coming months from this authentically creative person.
For fans of: Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave, Johnny Cash
IO ECHO
IO ECHO is Ioanna Gika and Leopold Ross. Currently putting the finishing touches on their debut album which combines grand songs with unique textures such as Japanese koto harps and Chinese violins, the band have created towering tracks with a distinctive sound early listeners have been calling "the leaders of Grunge Goth" and "New Orientalism."
Their unique blend of pop melodies, dark 90's industrial influences, and far eastern elements caught the attention of early admirers such as Florence and The Machine, TV on The Radio, and The Big Pink (for whom Leopold also plays bass) who each offered the band recent high-profile support slots on their tours. Perhaps most notably, io echo were hand picked by Trent Reznor to open for Nine Inch Nails at the band's last ever tour show. Io Echo have also recently composed the score to the Harmony Korine + James Franco film “Rebel."
Their unique, genre pioneering style, both musical and visual have tastemakers proclaiming them as ones to watch. Their hometown of Los Angeles is buzzing that in time io echo could take their place next to The Cure, Garbage, Cocteau Twins, and PJ Harvey. Not bad for a band who has never released an official album.
For fans of: Zola Jesus, Cocteau Twins, Niki and the Dove,
VIOLET
Violet is a British Rock act fronted by Pixie Geldof, the daughter of Boomtown Rats singer and Live Aid founder, Bob Geldof. Their debut single, “Y.O.U” was posted on Luv Luv Luv Records Soundcloud on March 21, 2012. The label released it as a double A-side with “I Come Undone” on May 7, 2012.
The band take their name from Hole’s “Violet,” which was the opening track on the Courtney Love-fronted band’s 1994 album, Live Through This.
