Switches
This Southend band are an intriguing hybrid of ‘70s glam, indie and power pop, citing Bowie, Bolan, Weezer and Blur among their influences. The debut EP for the Degenerate label Message From Yuz appeared last July, swiftly followed by the single ‘Lay Down The Law’. Following a busy festival season and tours with The Rakes, The Automatic and Graham Coxon, the four-piece commenced work on their debut album last August in LA. Their first official Atlantic single ‘Drama Queen’ gets its grand unveiling on January 29.
Hear them: www.myspace.com/weareswitches
Air Traffic
According to legend, Bournemouth band and EMI signings Air Traffic used to rehearse in an abandoned aircraft carrier, where their amps intercepted wayward air traffic control signals – hence the name. Described as an unlikely cross between Little Richard and Supergrass, the group’s piano-pounding tunes have been championed by Steve Lamacq and Kerrang! They spent last autumn holed up in Monmouth, Wales, the sessions resulting in the second single ‘Never Even Told Me Her Name’. Expect the debut album posthaste.
Hear them: www.myspace.com/airtraffic
Uffie
Born Anna-Catherine Hartley, Miami’s Uffie made her grand entrance last year with a brace of electro rap singles ‘Pop The Glock’ and ‘Ready To Uff’, produced by Feadz and Mr Oizo respectively, for the French Ed Banger label. Extra tunes such as ‘Hot Chick’ and ‘In Charge’ became available through online MP3 blogs last summer. Her debut album is due to drop somewhere in mid to late ‘07.
Hear her: www.myspace.com/uffie
The Dark Romantics
Fancy an eloquent US garage-rock synth pop combo whose main songwriters Eric Collins and Dean Paul are married to keyboard and bass playing sisters Amanda and Carla Jones? Abba got nothing on this lot. The Dark Romantics are already being touted as this year’s answer to Tapes N Tapes, Interpol and The Killers, and their forthcoming debut Some Midnight Kissin’, containing hook-heavy nuggets like ‘She’s A Fire’ and ‘Of Loving Me’, is being mentioned in dispatches as one of the landmark debuts of ‘07.Hear them: www.myspace.com/darkromantics
Example
Touted as one of UK rap’s great white hopes, Example was born in 1982 in Hammersmith, and penned his first rhyme at age 11 on hearing Snoop’s Doggystyle. He studied film at the Royal Holloway University Of London before taking up Garage MC-ing. Stints in New York and Australia followed, and on his return to London he attracted the eagle eye of Mike Skinner, who promptly signed the young MC to the Beats label. A couple of cameos on Streets tunes and a string of singles followed, including the outstanding double A-side single ‘I Don’t Want To’/‘Loneliness Costs’. Word has it he’s got most of an album in the can. We await with interest.
Hear him: www.myspace.com/leadingbyexample
Annuals
Sighted here before Christmas, the New Carolina sextet mix psychedelic whimsy with an ear for a corking three minute pop tune. Having impressed the likes of Conan O’Brien with their Be He Me EP, they’re currently readying an album for Ace Fu, the unspeakably hip Manhattan independent that’s also home to the wonderfully monikered Bonk.
Hear them: www.myspace.com/annuals
Candie Payne
Liverpool born, New York bred Deltasonic signing Ms Payne offers mouthwatering torch song trilogies, her sultry tones set to John Barry style big band sounds, with a twist of Gainsbourg and a hint of Dusty. Payne announced herself with a brace of sparkling singles ‘All I Need To Hear’ and ‘Take Me’ last year (the latter included as an extra track a cover of Iggy’s ‘Nightclubbing’); she’s currently putting the finishing touches to her debut I Wish I Could Have Loved You More, due out in early ‘07.
Hear her: www.myspace.com/candiepayne

The Hold Steady
Equal parts AC/DC, Thin Lizzy and Husker Du – no, really! - the Brooklyn quintet kicked the New Year off by playing a blinder on the Letterman show. Next up is the release of Boys And Girls In America, the band’s third album and first for Columbia who’ve made them one of their ‘07 priority acts. No spring chickens – mainman Craig Finn is within touching distance of 40 – they’re said to be the dog’s proverbials live.
Hear them: www.myspace.com/theholdsteady
Klaxons
Formerly Klaxons (Not Centaurs), the London based magic realist acid sci-fi punk-funk outfit spearheaded the new rave (cough) movement in ‘06. Steeped in all manner of esoteric weirdness, the band referenced Pynchon on their first single for Angular last April (‘Gravity’s Rainbow’), Burroughs on their second (‘Atlantis To Interzone’), and Aleister Crowley on their third (‘Magick’). The latter, their first Polydor release, cracked the UK Top 30 last November. The debut album Myths Of The Near Future is due for release on January 29, a week after the single ‘Golden Skans’, and they’ll embark on the NME indie rave tour in February.
Hear them: www.myspace.com/klaxons
The Twang
Second to Mika in the BBC’s ‘Top 10 For 2007’ poll, the Birmingham quartet signed last year to the Kaiser Chiefs’ label, B Unique, who beat off stiff competitition for their services. Variously compared to the Stone Roses, Oasis and, er, Flowered Up, their debut album finds them joined in the studio by Pills ‘n’ Thrills And Bellyaches producer Steve Osbourne.
Hear them: www.myspace.com/thetwang

Ripchord
Formed by Phil Wallbank and James Sullivan, Wolverhampton’s Ripchord were born of a hypothetical pop aesthetic that could encompass Blur, the Lightning Seeds and Frank Sinatra. A string of support slots with The Kooks and Babyshambles heralded the quartet’s signing to 1965 Records. The debut single ‘Lock Up Your Daughters’ was released last month; they are currently recording their first album under the tutelage of master pop mechanic Ian Broudie.
Hear them: www.myspace.com/ripchorduk