New music guide The Neu Bulletin (Kwaye, Ten Tonnes, Okay Champ & more)

Since Newcastle outfit Nately’s Whore’s Kid Sister disbanded a few years back, there’s been a bit of a gap in the market in the region for their unique blend of brooding drone-pop. But from the ashes has risen a phoenix in the form of Okay Champ, led by former Nately’s members John Edgar and Stuart Walkinshaw joined by some of the EAT FAST crew. This isn’t just a retread of the past though. Instead, their first single ‘Ticket’ feels vital and primal, combining heavy walls of distortion with post-punk guitar licks and a sense of impending doom. It’s squalling, filled with latent angst and will probably assault all of your senses. But you couldn’t really ask for a better introduction to their sludgy yet jittery world. (Eugenie Johnson)

As far as first impressions go, Zimbabwean-born Londoner Kwaye goes for the jugular on his debut single ‘Cool Kids’. Despite its title, the track seems completely unconcerned with being cool, setting funk-tinged muted guitar lines against an unashamedly ’80s backdrop. It’s the ease with which Kwaye transmits this chart-topping ambition that makes ‘Cool Kids’ such a revelation though, and with a first step that seems this easy under his belt, Kwaye could go miles and miles. (Will Richards)

They might have been working on their craft for seven years now, but Kyoto trio Tricot might well be set to burst through with their third album (aptly titled ‘3’), coming out on Big Scary Monsters in May. ‘DeDeDe’ is the first taste of what to expect, and it’s a dizzying blend of math rock and J-pop elements. Bright, sunny, and full of twists and turns, leaping between styles at a moment’s notice, it’s a completely engrossing ride. No word on whether the title is a reference to the King Penguin who’s got a bit of a beef with pink puffball/ Nintendo mascot Kirby though… (Eugenie Johnson)

Ten Tonnes, aka Ethan Barnett, recruited Hugo Maccabees to record his debut single ‘Silver Heat’ at the band’s Drugstore studio, and with only a three-track EP from last year to date, it’s still extremely early days for the newcomer. Despite this, ‘Silver Heat’ cuts Barnett as a frighteningly confident figure, breezing his way through a single that channels the best of bratty, punk-y British singer-songwriters. There’s worthy comparisons to Jamie T and Rat Boy to be found here, and the breakneck speed with which he attacks every lyric and guitar squeal makes Ethan Barnett an extremely exciting prospect. (Will Richards)

The two first singles from Newcastle quartet Seeing Hands, the Real Estate-nodding ‘It’s True’ and dreamy debut ‘I Know You’, the band brought a new wave of calm to the city’s scene that also boasts the likes of our frenetic faves Eat Fast. Third offering ‘Love You Still’ is as hazy and gorgeous as its predecessors, taking things even further into dream-pop territory. Described as a track fuelled by anxiety and paranoia, ‘Love You Still’ keeps these fears at bay with sugary vocal melodies and a floaty outro that feels more like Slowdive than their previous Real Estate comparisons. (Will Richards)

Tags: Ten Tonnes, Listen, Features, Neu, Neu Bulletin