COUNTDOWN TO ELECTRIC PICNIC: Homegrown heroes to catch at EP

SOULÉ
One of Team Hot Press’ favourite rising stars, the London-born but Dublin-based artist’s music is a bewitching brew of 2step, soul, noughties garage and cerebral pop-infused goodness. Informed by artists such as Chrisette Michele, ASA, Nneka and Erykah Badu, the April-released ‘Troublemaker’ was a huge moment for the singer. Immaculately produced by the mad geniuses at Diffusion Lab, the summer jam is a dancehall-flecked, tropical tinged pop tour de force. Her Choice Music Prize-nominated debut single ‘Love No More’ is just as awesome too and both songs will ensure her set will be absolutely unmissable.

TALOS

One of the brightest lights of the Irish alt. pop scene, the artist known as Eoin French to the tax-man has charmed critics with his ambitious, emotionally arresting 2017 debut, Wild Alee, and rightly so. Initially a project born out of frustration and boredom, Talos has really bloomed over the years. Aided and abetted by his live band, French has a voice that could put goosebumps on your goosebumps. Expect his set at Electric Picnic to be packed with passion.

JACK O’ROURKE

Lauded by the likes of Tom Waits and Bill Withers and loved by music fans across the globe, the Cork-bred, classically trained tunesmith has been carving out a formidable reputation for himself both live and on record. A gifted storyteller, he splices tear-stained piano balladry together with bruised blues and alt. pop, tying proceedings together with his gnarled baritone and in ‘On The Downlow,’ a sort of re-imagining of an ‘80s power ballad, he has a bona fide festival anthem.

BEOGA

Self described as “four Nordie lads and a Limerick lass beating out the new wave of trad”, this quintet have been blazing a trail not only for the genre, but for Irish music in general recently. Raved about in the Wall Street Journal and currently enjoying mainstream attention after playing with Ed Sheeran on his new album and at Glastonbury, they seem destined to continue their remarkable rise in Stradbally. Miss them at your peril.

LE BOOM

Despite only forming a year ago, this dance duo have already notched up shows in New York, Reykjavik, Cork, Belfast, Galway and more. The brainchild of Dubliners Christy Leech and Aimie Mallon, their performances have been hailed as “a frenzy of glass-bottle beats, layered loops, catchy vocal hooks and sweaty fans who dance like no other fans in the world” and who are we to argue with that? Armed with the explosive and infectious single ‘What We Do’, Le Boom are guaranteed to get the party started in style.