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SXSW 2015 Has Arrived: Here are 20 bands we hope to catch between tacos and free drinks

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Speedy Ortiz

Sadie Dupuis’ gang of guitar-rock wrecking balls is no strangers to music peeps in Massachusetts, but with new LP Foil Deer (Carpark Records) on the spring horizon, it’s high time Speedy Ortiz become a national treasure. Just look at the marquee names attached to the eight parties Speedy will be throwing down at in Austin: Spotify Party, Ground Control Touring Showcase, Pitchfork Party, FLOOD Magazine Fest, BrooklynVegan Showcase, Carpark Records Showcase, Exploding In Sound Records/Stereogum Party, and the Yahoo Showcase. Big names for the biggest sound in town. Make us proud back home.


Sprit Animal

So many lists, so many bands, so much everything, and always there’s at least one band that has a batshit crazy song and you hope they are as batshit crazy live as that batshit crazy song suggests. Remember, SXSW is about discovery. And we want to discover the ever-loving shit out of the funk-pop orgy that is Brooklyn’s Spirit Animal.


Tei Shi

Part of the growing New Torch Entertainment family that also boasts Verite and Betty Who, Tei Shi showed she wasn’t fucking around in the video for why-the-hell-isn’t-this-jam-huge-yet? single “Bassically.” There’s a daydream wonderland within the pulsating track’s rapid-fire beats, electric synth sizzle, and low-end frenzy, all building up steadily over five minutes as Tei Shi’s vocals reach a sultry primal scream by the peak point. Once it’s over, you need to catch your breath and open your eyes back up to reality. It might not be the best way to walk back onto 6th Street in Austin, but hey, they don’t call this “spring break for fuck ups” for nothing.


Viet Cong

Perhaps the best thing about Viet Cong’s recent single “Silhouettes” is that it takes approximately three seconds to realize whether or not you love it. There will always be a market for dreary, ice-cold post-punk, and by now all the usual adjectives have ben spilled across every review of the Calgary band’s debut album, which dropped in January via Jagjaguwar/Flemish Eye. Since the release, much of Viet Cong’s press has centered around their controversial name, but hey, shit worked out for Joy Division* and Gang of Four. (*Ehhh kind of, we guess.)


Years & Years

Back in January, fresh-faced UK electronic/soul group Years & Years topped the BBC’s Sound of 2015 poll, which has some notable alumni. Sam Smith topped last year’s list, and previous winners include Adele, Jessie J., Ellie Goulding, and Haim. So obviously we’re all gonna line up and see if those Brits still know how to vote properly for things.


Zella Day

Raised in a small, desert Arizona town with a population of 7,000, pop singer Zella Day is gaining traction in a crowded Los Angeles scene with a striking sonic aesthetic. Day boasts a lush pop sound that feels organic, and an alternative to Lana Del Rey for those times when you actually feel like things are going to work out. We billed this list as bands and artists we casually hope we run into during SXSW, but Zella Day is one that we’ll set our schedules for.

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