Seven new acts were presented today on Future Echoes 16 to 18 of September in Sweden. Laybricks (South Korea), The Prussians (Spain), MAZ (Luxembourg), Hola Chica (Spain), Simon Alexander (Sweden), Corduroy (Sweden), Kid Vicious (Sweden).
Laybricks (Pop)
An indie pop rock duo based in Seoul, South Korea consisting of vocalist and guitarist, Kwangmin, and drummer, Hyejin. Laybricks music has simple danceable hooks and catchy melodies. It called ’Color Pop’ means a mix of Brit pop, alternative and pop music. It is more appropriate to say that they play ”feel-good music” and have been influenced with no limits on genre.
Since they released EP in 2015, they have performed at several festivals, including the UK, Japan, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, China, and Mongolia. They have built up as a talented band with great performance and high level of audience participation. Accordingly, they won the grand prize at K-Rookies in 2017. They have been recognized for musicality since they released 1st full-length album in 2018. Their final goal is PLAY EVERYWHERE IN THIS PLANET.
MAZ (Hip-hop)
Risen out of the ashes of early 2000’s Metal and Rock influences – heavy and dark, and yet extremely emotional and energetic trap beats that, today, carry the words of the progressive rapper from the future.
He absorbs melancholy and reciprocates hope. His flow and highly evolved technical skills will leave the audiences “maz’merized”:
Maz is known for delivering a powerful and truthful message to his audiences with a determination to not only scratch at the surface, but to tear through it and see what lies underneath. His aim is to spark a raw confrontation with life in brutal honesty.
In 2019, after having performed on all of Luxembourg’s major stages and festivals in less than two years, including some outstanding live shows as a support act for Nicki Minaj, and Sofiane. He stepped up his game by performing internationally. By playing at prestigious festivals and getting booked for his first international tour in order to promote his newly released Sleepwalker EP, Maz eventually managed to tour 10 different countries throughout Europe such as Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, Estonia and Finland to name a few.
The artist has also been able to collaborate with renowned producers like Fabian Langer (AnnenMayKantereit) and was praised and reposted by UK Legend Dizzee Rascal for his outstanding take on a Rap-Challenge launched by Ocean Wisdom on social media.
Maz has become the new engine of a more genuine and profound generation and incarnates a courageous attitude of empathy with a solid perspective towards the future. At the young age of only 21, he is more than ready to “mazmerize” the world.
Hola Chica (Pop)
Hola Chica is a 5-piece indie-pop band from Barcelona. Their sound has been influenced by bands such as Air, Metronomy, Blur or Pond. On a base of guitars and pop melodies, they add a good dose of synths achieving a fresh and danceable sound that is elegant and catchy. They presented their debut album, “Magnetism”, in November 2016. Their first LP was recorded, produced, and mixed at Blind Records in Barcelona and well received throughout the key national music media. After a few years on the road playing live gigs all over Spain, in February 2020 the band presented their new album MARBELLA, making another step in their sound development. Eleven songs covert with energy and a production full of details. In 2021 Hola Chica starts recording new music and they will be rescheduling their shows for next summer.
Simon Alexander (Sing-song writer)
Swedish singer/songwriter Simon Alexander emerged in 2017, breathing a breath of fresh air into the modern folk scene with his profound lyrics and heartfelt melodies, getting comparisons to Matt Corby and Dylan LeBlanc After gaining quick recognition he was signed to record label Rehn Music Group in 2018. The following years have contained several acclaimed releases, big features in influential music blogs and magazines, and touring various parts of Scandinavia, with prominent shows on SPOT Festival, Live at Heart, Lost In Music among others.
The long-awaited debut album ’A Place to Call Home’ was finally released in September 2020. The sophomore album ’Riverine’ was released in November 2020. A collection of studio recordings from over the years. From the first EP Won’t Be Found, through In the Rust, to the new songs Ocean and the title-track Riverine.
The Prussians (Rock)
The Prussians are a 5-piece band from Mallorca, made in Spain yet with a clear international flair. Their 3rd album “Mantra” out on the 12th February transports us to a more soulful and electronic groove vibe. Following their first EP ‘The Hills’ (2013), debut album ‘Mul Mul’ (2014) and EP ‘Kerala’ (2016), their last album ”Karma” launched in 2018, the band evolves their sound constantly with different sounds and melodies. The band has performed at the main festivals and venues in Spain as well as performing in 2018 in Sweden and a mini tour of the USA in 2019, including a slot at the prestigious ”Summerfest”. On the agenda for 2021 are shows in Spain, Benelux, and Future Echoes, Sweden.
Corduroy (Indiepop)
Corduroy is a four-piece band from Norrköping and the similarities with Manchester don’t stop with just the factories and their own love for the Manchester scene. Corduroy makes dreamy indie pop with a big dose of reverb and hovering guitars. Stylish and smooth and it feels both refreshing and familiar. The distinct vocals contend with different layers from the rest of the band creating a multifaceted wall of sounds. They released their first songs last fall and this spring it is time for their debut album.
The next single” Gråa dagar” is released on 26th February and captures the grey parts between the small glimpse of happiness that life can offer you. A theme that you can’t construct because all you know is how to survive in a dingy post-industrial society far away from shiny filters and long-lasting joy. Except for all that, Corduroy will make you smile, and they will be your guiding star during this spring when we all just want to move towards something better. Corduroy is Amanda Wallin, Olle Rosén, Martin Boström and Serafim Kristjansson.
Kid Vicious (Electronica/Hip-hop)
With self-reflecting lyrics and dreamy synth hooks over heavy hip-hop beats, Norrköping local Kid Vicious deals with themes of self-discovery, nostalgia & relationships.
It’s a project focused on having fun, dressing up, feeling pretty and putting on great live shows. We see this in Kid Vicious ability to effortlessly mix and try out different genres and even switch between both English and Swedish while singing/rapping.
This makes Kid Vicious a playful project not taking itself too seriously while the lyrics have a lot of heart.
Two new speakers have been presented to come to Future Echoes. We say welcome to Sandy Graham and Umong Shah.
Sandy Graham (Canada)
Sandy Graham is considered an industry icon and has been named for having one of the most diverse and interesting careers in the Canadian music business. Sandy has been involved in nearly every aspect of the music industry while still being a true trailblazer in the music business in over four decades and has worked with stars all around the world.
She began in music retail, moving on to become one of the first female Music Directors in radio (CJFM/CFCF) then moved on to be the first female to be hired by a major record label (RCA) as Eastern Promotion Director.
She’s been a nightclub owner to one of the most legendary music places in Toronto, “The Horseshoe Tavern” and “Route 66”. She operated festivals “6Fest”, “The Celtic Festival” and the “Toronto Olympic Victory Parade” as well as many radio station 1050chum events as a producer and event coordinator.
Sandy is also, an active dancer and choreographed the opening of the first halftime show at the Skydome as well as creating dance choreography for the movie “Robocop” and The Sopranos’ David Chase series “Almost Grown”. Her dance troupe Route 66 appeared with various legendary shows opening for Chubby Checker, The Drifters and Bobby Curtola and still continues to teach dance for health and wellness. She is also featured in an up and coming book entitled ‘Still Dancing’ written by Pat Beaven, as one of a selected few dancers who continue to be involved in the dance community today.
She has worked with artists like Hall & Oates, Gerry and The Pacemakers, Tower of Power, Billy J. Kramer, The Searchers, The Hollies, Heart, KC and Sunshine Band, Natalie Cole, Alanis Morissette, Gene Cornish of The Rascals, Tommy James (of the Shondells) Bobby Curtola, Andy Kim, The Magnettes, Tribe Royal, Norbert Putnam (of Muscle Shoals/The Swampers fame) and Alan Frew of Glass Tiger.
Presently Sandy Graham is the Owner/Editor-in-Chief of Cashbox Canada (CA) and co-owner of Record World Magazine (USA), and is currently the Founder, Program Director and co-owner of Cashbox Radio.
Sandy also owns Entertainment Music Group (EMG) a company made up of other music industry professionals dedicated to creating strategies and logistics for artists, celebrities and special projects.
Her self-penned biography “The Best Is Yet to Come” is slated to be released in late 2021.
Umong Shah (UK)
Umong started his music career after graduating from University of Hertfordshire with a degree in Music and entertainment Industry Management. Having played many roles Umong has been a musician (October Sky), Operations Manager (Awdio), Binaural Studio Installer (Jawbone) and Festival Curator (Summer Sizzler 2013 & 2014). Umong still co-promotes a new music showcase in Great Portland street called Discovery 2 (Discovery Talent).
Umong has collected various accolades during his time in music for example, being noted as IQ magazine’s 2015 Top 10 New Bosses, and Music Week’s 30 under 30, “Best of the rest”. He regularly participates on panels at international renowned conferences such as The Great Escape, Live UK and Liverpool Sound City.
For almost five years Umong had managed Elle Exxe. In that time, Elle has received international showcasing funding 3 times, to explore festivals and showcases in South Korean, North American and European markets. These international strategies helped market the release of her debut album ‘Love Fuelled Hate’ and was one of many reasons why Elle Exxe won ‘Best Female Solo Act’ at the inaugural Unsigned Music Awards, as well as sought critical acclaim from BBC Scotland, Rolling Stone, Q Magazine and more.
Umong has now created a consulting division of Fortitude Music with an array of talented and inspiring customers, each needing specialist services to grow their career.
