Laneway Festival SG 2015 Special: Predictions

ESTIMATED 

It is the time again. When Laneway rolls up to town again, bringing in a huge-ass lineup of our favourite buzz bands and top class indie acts from here and around the world. And as usual we play lineup prediction soothsayers again, using the potent combination of high-speed internet and our innate music radar to present to you who we think are gonna hit up Gardens By The Bay on January 24, 2015. Join in on the games as well and tell us who you’d like to see yourselves. 

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BANDWAGON TV


MAC DEMARCO

Yeah, he kinda announced it to the world already. And bringing his mom along



MUTUAL BENEFIT

A definite band to watch, Mutual Benefit also played at the Laneway Festival segment of SXSW. And we hope they make it down to Singapore! Beautiful harmonies, stripped down melodic instruments - it’s orchestral folk music that would be perfect when the sun is high at Laneway. Picked up as ‘Best New Music’ on Pitchfork, we definitely think they’re a contender for a slot on the lineup. 



TYCHO / PHANTOGRAM

Filling in the accessible electronic act slot we picked these two acts. Looking at the tour dates, it is highly possible that either one (or both?) could be dropping by for a set at Laneway. Regardless of who, we really don’t mind taking in the ambient soundscapes of Tycho or the edgy electro-rock of Phantogram.



KIRIN J CALLINAN / THE PREATURES / COURTNEY BARNETT

Laneway wouldn’t be Laneway without the Australian acts! In the past years we’ve seen the likes of Kimbra, Gotye, Tame Impala, Temper Trap and more taking the spotlight at the festival. We picked a couple of acts that has been making waves in the Australian scene and getting considerable airplay. Kirin J Callinan played with Ariel Pink and has an album coming up. The Preatures played SXSW and Coachella and have an album coming up as well. Courtney Barnett - indie darling of 2014, played Coachella. Could be one of the three, or all three, what do you think? 



FUTURE ISLANDS

We’ve already had a lot of fun watching frontman Samuel Herring with his intense stage presence on their David Letterman Show appearance, along with countless festival gigs, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the synth-pop group are added along to the line-up next year. 


SHARON VAN ETTEN

We must admit: we love Sharon van Etten. Her earnest and emotionally-devastating songs have been tugging at our heartstrings for years. Seeing how she’s stepped up her game on her latest album Are We There, with an increased fanbase and critical adoration following it, we’re hoping she makes an appearance. Headliner, opening act, whatever. We’ll be at the front bawling our eyes out.


FKA TWIGS/BANKS

Both artists are standout R&B powerhouses: the former an eccentric dancer with a Kate Bush-esque range and the latter a fashionista with her heart on her sleeve. It may just be a pipe dream for many if both acts end up on the same line-up, mainly due to their strong similarity in appeal. However, both are already hot contenders on the Laneway rumour mill, with one interviewer confirming FKA and a possible slip of the tongue by Banks herself


FLYING LOTUS

FlyLo may be a bold choice but then again Laneway has been pretty adventurous with their picks for electronic artists, with Nicolas Jaar in 2013 and xxyyxx in 2014. Whatever it is, we’re already waiting with baited breath for his upcoming album You’re Dead! and judging from the hype surrounding it, both seem like enough reasons for Laneway to add him next year. It’s about time, anyway.


ROYAL BLOOD

Probably the hottest rock export out of UK right now, the duo have been selling out venues left and right with their anthemic brand of bluesy garage rock. Laneway usually likes to add one or two edgy rock acts for a healthier balance so Royal Blood seem like the perfect fit.


ST. VINCENT

Ever since her maiden gig here back in 2010 at the 200-capacity Esplanade Recital Studio, the singer/shredder extraordinaire has conquered the world with energetic headline sets at sold-out venues. Riding high on her recent successful self-titled album, it would only be suitable that she would a main attraction for Laneway this time around.


JUNGLE

The mysterious collective hailing from the UK have turned many heads with their highly-infectious sound combining the best of 70s funk, soul, psychedelia and modern electronic music. Judging from the amount of people requesting for the band on Laneway’s page, they seem like the popular pick right now.


SBTRKT

While the electronic artist already played to a packed Home Club in 2012, just like St Vincent he has only gotten bigger since then. With a new album just released with a lot of high-profile guest spots (Ezra Koenig, A$AP Ferg, Caroline Polachek of Chairlift), he seems ready for the big stage.


TEMPLES

The quartet hailing from the UK have been praised as "the best new band in Britain" by both Johnny Marr and Noel Gallagher so you know they're not just all about hype. The band's throwback sound to 60s psychedelic rock has been a big hit with audiences overseas but they've yet to touch our side of the world. Seeing how Tame Impala made such a sizeable impact here, it wouldn't be surprising if Temples hop on the Laneway train.



.GIF

It’s been quite a year for the electronic duo .gif, they’ve released an EP, have been hard at work on the gigging circuit, playing Baybeats, 100 Bands, opening for electronic act Baths, and much, much more. It’ll be nice to see them play to probably their biggest crowd yet at Laneway. Plus, who wouldn’t want to see Weish crack a few jokes onstage…



CHARLIE LIM

We still can’t get over how great it was watching Charlie at the Mosaic Music Festival. Two sold out shows, an amazing backing band, man that dude killed it. Heck, we want the whole world to know/see/listen to Charlie Lim so it would be really ace to see up there on the lineup. Plus, everyone should know of The Mothership. 



THE PSALMS

Bring on the noise with The Psalms! There’s always space for something more experimental, as we’ve seen with Laneway’s decision to bring on The Observatory for last year’s lineup and there’s nothing more we want than to hear the explosive sounds of The Psalms. A combination of story-telling, hardcore, and noise rock, it will be a eclectic mix to this lineup. 



Words by Daniel Peters and Delfina Utomo