Preview: Field Day, Victoria Park, London, 6th August 2011. (Tickets - Nearly SOLD OUT)

Download the This Music Wins Field Day Mix

Enthused so predictably by the childish wave of excitement which unfailingly accompanies the purchase of music festival tickets, I thought that time, now, the best time for me to vent my strong sense of anticipation for Field Day 2011 in to some sort of light contemplative prose. The form of this preview, therefore, is that of me attempting to provide some sort of useful insight into acts well-known and painfully misunderstood, in the hope that a music fan of some form might discover something new from my ten ‘picks’.

1. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti - Can’t Hear My Eyes (MP3)

Ariel Pink and his freakish live show is not the kind of thing you get to see every day - having been the first non-Animal Collective member to sign to their Paw Tracks label, the 33 year old has been recording lo-fi since his youth, spanning across an unknown number of home recorded albums. His most recent LP ‘Before Today’, featured Pitchfork Media’s ‘Song Of 2010’, the grimy-street funk of 70s style ‘Round And Round’, which along with the attached ‘Can’t Hear My Eyes’ might go some way to indicating what you can expect from Saturday’s Field Day set; or perhaps not.

2. Ducktails - Killin’ The Vibe (ft. Panda Bear) (MP3)

Ducktails is the solo project of Matthew Mondanile, guitarist of successful surf band Real Estate, who in a similarly prolific fashion to Ariel Pink, has been putting out a series of albums since 2008, tending towards the more relaxed and breezy side of lo-fi pop. Mondanile plays off the home-recording style with a clear pop sensibility and aptitude for authenticity in his sound. The song above featuring Panda Bear is a great start.

3. Echo Lake - Young Silence (MP3)

London’s Echo Lake have an EP on No Pain In Pop under their belts already, and have been championed in their circles since their emergence earlier this year for their trashy shoegaze and discordant, metallic sound. Their music is loud to the point of ambience, retaining the kind of relaxing states evoked by Slowdive in the 90s, but through a formula of instrumentation and tone which lies in total opposition. Feels strange to write it - but Echo Lake are an ambient shoegaze band by means of avant-garde lo-fi punk, if that’s not a contradiction.

4. SBTRKT - Pharoahs (MP3)

In somewhat of an emerging scene which is gathering increasing momentum with the likes of the UK’s Jamie Woon, Jamie XX and now SBTRKT (pronounced Subtract), 2011 saw the latter première their album via the Hype Machine and gather huge blog attention for song ‘Wildfire’. ‘Future Garage’ and ‘post-dubstep’ are also brands being tossed around, and there’s certainly some truth in such tagging. Expect Sampha to join on vocals and keys in the live show on Saturday.

5. Visions Of Trees - Sometimes It Kills (MP3)

Electronica act experimenting with gothic and dub stylings, following in the footsteps of Fever Ray, Zola Jesus and Grimes with their eery sample splices and vicarious sonic projections. Occasionally human sounds break through the mist into something vaguely audible as language, otherwise the tired and trance-like feminine slithers conceal themselves behind the murk of wistful synths. They succeed in so far as they purvey gothic electronica swept through psychedelia tinged and immersive trip-hop.

6. Anika - Officer Officer (MP3)

Awkward and melodically elusive singer-songwriter taken under the wing of and brought to prominence by Portishead’s most active member Geoff Barrow. His influence certainly shines through, though Anika herself and Beth Gibbons couldn’t be more contrasting - the delicate quivers of emotion which the latter portrays are quickly out-mystified by this youthful kraut-rock influenced performer, her erratic and oddly-resting lexis and lyricism providing a vacant mechanical mannerism both distinctive as it is intriguing. Lots of post-punk, kraut-rock and 80s dub influence.

7. Zola Jesus - Night (MP3)

Classically trained Russian/American singer Nika Roza Danilova forms Zola Jesus, an expansive gothic influenced noise act which reconciles its industrial fringes with its synth-pop core to create an album riddled with outspoken desperation, shuffling electronic percussion and haunting orchestration. Stridulum is a debut album grandiose and life-affirming through its brooding Eastern overtones and tectonic rhythm-shifts.

8. Darkstar - Gold (MP3)

Innovative label Hyperdub released electronic three-piece Darkstar’s debut album, ‘North’ nearing the end of 2010. Classically tied down to the ‘dubstep’ scene by their timely choice of 2-step beats and upbeat tempo, the once-duo have taken on a new member, presumably acquired as a furtherance of their love for garage, guitars and hip-hop beats. The absorbing of these elements, along with that resonant and heavily distorted tugging-at-the-heartstrings vocal shading, in to their music is something which has catalysed a precarious entry to Hyperdub’s fast-developing and innovative following. Moving in to 2011, Darkstar are fronting a movement which is increasingly becoming a key part of London’s electronic music culture.

9. Veronica Falls - Come On Over (MP3)

Veronica Falls rode in on the back of their sometimes fluttering, occasionally sinister guitar anthems in early 2010, and since then have put out a series of singles including the galloping ‘Beachy Head’, and the steady 60s pop inspired ‘Found Love In A Graveyard’. 2011 has seen them book a full European tour and release newest song ‘Come On Over’ from their upcoming debut album, due October 13th.

10. Wild Beasts - Albatross (MP3)

Possibly amongst the most established acts listed here, Wild Beasts have just released their third studio album ‘Smother’ and stunned, as ever, in their headline set at Glastonbury’s Park Stage last month. I’m as stunned as the rest of us as to why the Barclaycard Mercury Prize failed to short-list them for the 2011 prize - it will remain a mystery. Simply unmissable for any one in attendance at Field Day 2011.

The stage times for Field Day 2011 remain unannounced - will update as soon as these are in. Keep checking back or follow me on twitter to keep up to date. 

UPDATE: CLICK FOR FIELD DAY 2011 STAGE TIMES