As we prepare to say a farewell to 2014, we’re already starting to salivate for the new music that’s set to grace us over the next twelve months, so we’ve put a handy list together of the biggest new British albums you should be looking forward to in 2015 (well ones we hope we will be made, at least).
The past year has seen some of the most accomplished work released to-date from so many (Ed Sheeran’s x, and Sam Smith’s debut In The Lonely Hour are just two of the big-name releases that have won awards and accolades since they landed on the shelves), and with Britain now responsible for some of the finest exports in music in recent years, there’s a lot to be excited for for the next twelve months.
So, without further ado (and in no particular order), here goes! Oh, and as an FYI, as we’re posting this before the year’s out, it doesn’t take into account any artists that may, or may not, ‘do a Beyonce’, and drop their album out the blue!
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Settle was one of the pinnacle albums to drop back in 2013; an accomplished debut that not only spiraled Guy and Howard Lawrence into the global big-league, but also spearheaded the UK’s strive for future-house. Fusing elements of UKG with soulful vocals across subtle, and often grimey, house basslines, Settle has been mooted as a classic amongst the genre, and propelled Disclosure onto the world’s limelight as formidable producers and remixers. Already working with the likes of Mary J Blige and Nile Rodgers, a follow-up to their debut hasn’t been confirmed, but is likely to appear at some point in 2015.
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2013 saw MNEK explode onto the scene as an impressive writer and producer, collaborating on hits from the likes of Gorgon City (Ready For Your Love), Duke Dumont (Need U 100%), Javeon (Lovesong), and many more, whilst 2014 saw the young Grammy-nominated musician impact with his own solid work of solo material. From the likes of Every Little Word and Wrote A Song About You, alongside In Your Clouds a couple of months back, combined with his energetic live shows (his self-titled events, The Party MNEK have fast-become the ‘go-to’ place for fans and industry-folk alike), there’s a lot of excitement building for MNEK’s debut studio album. Set to channel the likes of Janet Jackson, Chaka Khan, Black Box and Soul II Soul, the anticipation seems justified. Look out for the collection before the summer.
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British producer/DJ/songwriter Grades has been one of the most exciting young acts to emerge this year, developing an already-strong reputation thanks to his own tracks Freedom and Owe It To Yourself, alongside his remixes of Lana Del Rey’s West Coast and Becky Hill’s Losing (more of Becky, later). His most-current release Crocodile Tears further raised the bar thanks to the song’s soulful take on modern-day UKG/house. Whilst an official album has yet to be announced, we’re excited for what the future holds for Grades, and keeping our fingers-crossed a full-length studio project will drop soon, at least by year-end anyway.
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Years & Years’ rise to fame has been nothing-short of awe-inspiring, and shows, if you know how to utilise social media (as well as have the ability to make some banging tunes), success will quickly come knocking on your door. No-thanks less in part to the trio’s twisted take on Blu Cantrell’s Breathe in the summer, alongside the group’s appearance on The Magician’s sun-kissed Sunlight, (coupled with lead singer Olly Alexander’s strong falsetto), Years & Years’ debut album couldn’t come soon-enough. The group are currently drumming-up support for their new single Desire – cop a listen below:
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Rudimental have yet to announce any kind of new studio record, though the time is ripe for a follow-up to their massively-successful 2013 debut Home. Having so-far taken crowds by storm thanks to their energetic live shows (which unfortunately saw their packed Glastonbury 2014 set rained off), 2015 plans are already in the pipeline for the house/DnB quartet, having already been confirmed to appear at Austria’s Snowbombing Festival in April.
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We’re going to blame ignorance here, but on first listen, James Blake’s 2013 album Overgrown admittedly less than enamoured us…. it took us a few spins for it to finally click, and make us realise the masterpiece he had conjured up. Obviously many others agreed, with Blake walking away with last year’s Mercury Music Prize for that very record.
Whilst a release-date for the project’s follow-up hasn’t been officially confirmed, Blake has indeed been working on new material, both on his own (most-recently on Building It Still), alongside his 1-800 Dinosaur project. With a standout appearance at Glastonbury 2014, plus countless other performances, including closing the Pitchfork Music Festival in Paris at the end of October (watch the full set, here), his third album is absolutely one we’re excited for, particularly if he ends up working with new flatmate (and BFF) Chance The Rapper.
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Lianne La Havas’ debut album (2012’s Is Your Love Big Enough) was an absolute gem of a record, and we’ve heard rumblings of a follow-up in the not-too-distant future. Indeed 2014 was a busy year for the young Camdenite; not only has she worked with Prince on his latest album ART OFFICIAL AGE (providing BVs on Clouds, Affirmation and Way Back Home), La Havas was also responsible for bringing the funk icon to London in the early part of 2014, inviting him into her apartment for a press conference to announce his guerrilla tour in the Capital.
With a stripped-back solo performance at Glastonbury 2014 (where she shared new song Ghost), her second show at the iconic festival, all eyes are on 2015 when her sophomore project is expected to drop.
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Becky Hill’s no stranger to the chart-world, having already secured a No.1 single thanks to her collaboration with Oliver Heldens on Gecko (Overdrive), and that’s all been before she even made her mark on the scene with her own solo material. With her brilliant debut single Losing already covering ground (alongside the promo track Caution To The Wind in late-summer) as well as some pretty-special writing credits in the bag with her bezzie MNEK, 2015’s already looking exciting for the ex-The Voice UK contestant.
The album’s been confirmed, yet the release-date is still something of a secret – fingers crossed we’ll be hearing single no.2 soon though.
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The industry knew there was something exciting about Raleigh Ritchie when he dropped the powerful Stronger Than Ever back at the start of the year, so it’s fairly-obvious that we’re hopeful that his debut album (which follows on from multiple EPs) will continue where the grandiose aforementioned track left off. Ritchie (aka Jacob Anderson, aka the dude best-known for the role of Grey Worm in Game of Thrones) has made no secret about his desire of being classed as a formidable musician – the youngster chose the acting direction to build up his contact-base for a career in the charts, and it’s with that focus in mind that chose a pseudonym to differentiate his careers. Still early in the music-game, and with two Black and Blue EPs already in the bag, we’re left waiting to hear the full-length material Ritchie is capable of.
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“Bye bye 25, see you later in the year!” Adele tweeted earlier in the summer, marking not only the eve prior to her 26th birthday, but also hinting at the title (and release) of her anticipated third studio album. The record’s predecessor, 21, turned the Londoner into a global name, from selling out tours around the world, to even being tasked with writing and featuring on the soundtrack for Skyfall, the 23rd James Bond movie.
We can’t but feel sorry for Adele and the huge pressure 21‘s success has placed her under, but we’re certain with a fair few subjects of material (this time in positive-mode – a wedding and the birth of her first child), we’re expecting something special. Always the perfectionist, we’d be presuming 25‘s delay into 2015 may just be down to ensuring the right music is ready to be heard.
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With his Patterns EP quickly earmarked as one of our favourite collections of 2014 (including the sublime Lianne La Havas-featuring title-track), young Londoner Will Phillips (aka Tourist) is gathering pace as one of the most exciting producers to emerge from the current future-garage/future-house scene we seem to be heading toward. Again, it’s his immaculate attention to the bouncy side of the genre that seems to separate Tourist from the rest (Illuminate, featuring Years and Years another standout example), whilst his work has also driven acclaim from several big-name house-folk (MJ Cole, Annie Mac, Pete Tong amongst others). We’re massively-anticipating what’s next as Tourist takes on the rest of the globe in 2015.
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Ella Eyre has had a pretty-standout couple of years – from becoming a key collaborator with Rudimental, to, by her own right, shining in the land of solo success, particularly in 2014 where she received nomination in the BRIT Awards Critics Choice category, alongside walking away with Best Newcomer at the 2014 MOBO Awards at Wembley back in October. With a couple of belters already in the bag (the funkified Comeback, alongside applying her writing skills for Sigma and Paloma Faith’s anthem Changing), as well as a support slot on Olly Murs’ UK 2015 tour, Ella Eyre’s going to be pretty busy over the next 12 months. Never fear though, the album’s been pretty-much confirmed… phew!
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Regular Stagedoor FM readers should be well-acquainted with TALA. The British/Iranian artist may still yet to be a household name, but with two hugely-satisfying [and impressive] EPs already in circulation (The Duchess and Alchemy), there’s something massively-intriguing as to TALA’s forward-thinking stance on big Mediterranean-inspired electro-pop/soul. An album’s cited as apparently ‘coming soon’; in the interim stream the wonderful Black Scorpio below:
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Black Butter Records have been one of the most-exciting labels to work with over the past year; with their output consistently, errr, consistent of impressive-quality. Elderbrook may lead on a slightly different course to the rest of Black Butter’s repertoire, but this doesn’t deter from the fact that the young producer’s talents are a perfect introduction to the lo-fi-electronica that he exudes so well (and with a ridiculous amount of confidence). Whilst a full-length studio collection hasn’t been confirmed, we’re quietly-confident that when that moment does approach, it will be met with some strong accolades that even Elderbrook himself may not be ready for.
Stream the haunting Could, below:
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Another one from the ‘Black Butter Records School of Brilliance’ comes from Wayward, who earlier this year started throwing out some strong remixes before dropping their debut EP Ugetsu in late-autumn…. and what a perfect time for a release. Their unique stance on modern-day Balearic house transported listeners back to the islands, and was a perfect way to introduce the London duo as an appealing break from big club-based house anthems. Ugetsu’s opening track, Baile sets the scene, with a wonderful slice of horns and percussion to smooth souls. Whilst an album hasn’t been confirmed, we’re using this post as a way of pushing Wayward to get something out the door, even if it drops at the end of 2015. Ugetsu is something you don’t want to miss – one listen and you’ll appreciate why we’ve been supporting Wayward as much as we have:
