Listening to Alt-J is like lying down in the dark and seeing the stars for the first time. They represent the clutter of life excellently, juxtaposing dubstep rhythms with eerie folk vocals, playing jewellery box melodies alongside lyrics of darker tones. Together, they dismember the illusion that youth and innocence is one and the same thing. In all, it’s no surprise they’re favourites to win the Mercury Prize – proven simply by their latest single, ‘Something Good’.

The song opens with clean jolted drums, absorbing the haunting melodies coated with the pained message of the song: “something good tonight will…

Tue 1 May – Dan Mangan, Zeus

Amidst fears of rumoured age inadequacies, The Cluny, as always, welcomed its guests with warm ale-tainted arms. First to play were fellow Canadian band, Zeus. Unafraid of their audience, they both interacted and played with ease. A refreshing change to the common timid support act, they deserved to be there and we were going to enjoy it. Zeus generated a sound as mighty as their name would suggest, as indie-cool as their cardigans and unkempt facial hair. The swapping of instruments between songs posed as an interesting auditory contrast.
Dan Mangan (plus…

Sat 1 Oct – Bombay Bicycle Club, Dry The River, Dog Is Dead

The first of the month is regularly viewed as a new start, a fresh beginning, a day for pocket money to be renewed – and with that comes the hopeful optimism that the future is bright with the promise of new adventures. On this day, the 1st of October 2011, Bombay Bicycle Club confirmed such notions. Having departed their days of jagged guitar circa I Had the Blues but I Shook Them Loose, their acoustic coos of Flaws, BBC are embracing an upbeat revival encompassing…