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It isn't often that bands credit Connecticut as the launch pad for their musical success. "We had a recurring DJ night in Hartford," says Matthew Young, singer/producer for electro-pop foursome Body Language. "We would spin house music and make our own tracks and put them in our sets. That's how we learned. It was a blast, because basically it was the only thing to do in Hartford." Now based in Brooklyn, Body Language's party-rocking roots are still evident. Tracks tilt between disco beats and dreamy synth chords, transporting listeners from a hazy beach to an early-'80s dance club.
King Avriel, the gender-bending stage name of singer/songwriter Avriel Epps, hints at her hard-to-classify music. "Every song I make sounds different," she says. "There isn't one specific sound or story." Nonetheless, the 23-year-old Los Angeles native has built an impressive social fan base (including 20,000-plus Instagram followers) and praise from online outlets like Complex, Okayplayer and 2DopeBoyz with her ethereal R&B-meets-electro sound and introspective lyrics about life and love.
By Gabrielle Sierra | November 29, 2013 10:01 AM EST
Toronto-based pop-rock group Alvvays, which formed a year ago, has already opened for artists like Peter Bjorn and John and the Joy Formidable—not bad for a bunch of musicians who were mere weekend warriors until a few days ago. “We had never done more than three shows in a row,” lead singer/songwriter Molly Rankin says, calling in from the middle of a 12-day tour that’s taking the band through eastern Canada and New York.
"Big, built-for-the-stadium kind of jams." That's how Avan Lava lead singer Tom "TC" Hennes describes the Brooklyn-based electro-pop group's party-centric sound. It's known for bringing that energy to its frenetic live show as well. "They'll blow every penny they make to bring in lasers, smoke machines and confetti cannons," says manager Tara Perkins of Hard Land Management. "It's an incredible experience for the audience." Fan fun became a focus of the band early on. In 2009, multi-instrumentalist Ian Pai and producer/musician Le Chev met while touring with Fischerspooner.
Inspired by classic jazz artist Billie Holiday and soul pioneer Ray Charles, singer/songwriter Sophia Bastian combines smoky vocals with modern, youthful lyrics to deliver something both old and new, fresh but well-practiced.
Bastian loves songwriting and puts effort and thought into constructing her tracks. "It is the most delicate part of the process, being able to tap into the flow," she says. "It's not like pushing a button. I usually go through a rough patch of life and then work it out musically for myself." It's this dedication to her work that drew music executive Michael "Blue" Williams to become her adviser/guide. "Sophia is a pure artist," he says. "It's exciting to watch when an artist comes to you with a vision and you see it, and to see her be able to do it, it makes you believe."