As spring begins to stir to life, Austin is alive with the sound of music once more. The Texan capital is currently preparing for SXSW to kick off this week (March 8-16), the first major player of the annual festival season. Taking over a slew of downtown venues over the next week and a half, this year’s edition is jam-packed with buzzy prospects from across the globe – not least recent NME Cover stars HotWax, Lip Critic and Malice K, among others.
The largest music festival of its kind in the world, SXSW also plays host to conferences and screenings across the tech, film, education, and culture sectors, but it’s the treasure trove of ace new artists that Team NME will be digging into. Beyond big-ticket acts including Faye Webster and Flo Milli, the event will showcase hundreds of emerging names while representing dozens of varying genres. Festival-goers will be well and truly spoilt for choice…
1300
Who: Korean-Australian collective pushing rap to wild-eyed extremes
Where to see them: Empire Garage – March 15, 11.10pm
Look out for: Having recently signed with a new label (the alt-focused Eastern Margins) and with their mega ‘George’ mixtape due April 4, 1300 are gearing up for a huge summer starting with their debut SXSW appearance. Performing in the basement room-sized Empire Garage, the group’s bombastic mix of pounding beats, hardcore-inspired riffs and the occasional club drop will certainly feel lively enough to shake off any margarita-induced hangovers.
Key track: ‘Lalaland’
Fcukers
Who: Underground dance trio looking ahead, not back
Where to see them: The 13th Floor – March 13, 10pm; Mohawk Outdoor – March 15, 2.30pm; The Creek and Crave – March 17, 12.35am
Look out for: Big dirty stinking bass. Not much is currently known about these three, beyond that the music they’ve released thus far proves they are refreshing and enhancing deep house for the present day. Booming and intricate at once, their songs have genuine replay value – and what comes next should be equally thrilling. It’s still early doors, but SXSW is a fantastic opportunity to catch ‘em live before they level up.
Key track: ‘Mothers’
Girl and Girl
Who: Intricate and big-hearted guitar music that dreams of escape
Where to see them: The 13th Floor – March 13, 8pm; Radio Day Stage at Ballroom A, Austin Convention Center – March 14, 2pm; Lucille Back Yard – March 14, 6pm
Look out for: We reckon this lot won’t struggle to woo in gig-goers to convert. The Aussie indie-punks have already built up a following via recent support slots for Dry Cleaning and Blondshell, but will be hitting the festival circuit with real fervour ahead of a May release for their debut album, ‘Call A Doctor’. The band’s circuitous riffs feel reminiscent of early Car Seat Headrest – the type of material that could mint a future cult classic.
Key track: ‘Hello’
J Noa
Who: Dominican teen rapper with the world at her feet
Where to see them: Rozco’s – March 12, 11pm; Radio Day Stage at Ballroom A, Austin Convention Center – March 13, 2pm; Moody Theater – March 13, 7.50pm; Mohawk Indoor – March 14, 2.30pm
Look out for: Having grown up in a tough, tight-knit Santo Domingo community, a sense of perseverance bleeds through the 18-year-old J Noa’s music. Her debut EP ‘Autodidacta’, released last May, pushed a fierce new talent onto the global stage, and she has since gone on to deliver a killer Tiny Desk concert while working towards her first full-length record. First up, however, is a potentially career-elevating run of Austin shows.
Key track: ‘Autodidacta’
Karin Ann
Who: Shapeshifting pop tunes from the heart of Slovakia
Where to see them: Shangri-La – March 12, 9.10pm; The Iron Bear – March 16, 11.45pm
Look out for: Karin Ann would like to re-introduce herself, please. Having started out as a teenager making gloomy, Billie Eilish-inspired tunes, the now 21-year-old is gearing up for her second act: she has recorded an LP of stunningly lo-fi balladry that feels worlds away from her earlier material. A sense of genuine optimism for what lies ahead underpins all of her gorgeous new music.
Key track: ‘She’
Kneecap
Who: The year’s biggest – and most vital – internet sensations
Where to see them: Valhalla – March 14, 1am; Mohawk Outdoor – March 14, 2pm; The Velveeta Room – 12am
Look out for: NME 100 alumni Kneecap – comprising rappers Mo Chara and Móglaí Bap, plus DJ Próvaí – have been releasing music for the past half-decade, but a series of talked-about TV appearances have made them hot property as of late. As their forthcoming self-titled LP (due June 14) proves, the group are whip-smart and searingly articulate, and have real integrity. They also have a biopic on the way, obviously.
Key track: ‘Better Way To Live’ (ft. Grian Chatten)
Se So Neon
Who: Self-assured duo echoing the glory days of jangle pop
Where to see them: Empire Garage – March 16, 1.10am
Look out for: Established in 2016, Se So Neon – vocalist and guitarist Hwang So-yoon and bassist Park Hyun-jin – may not be as ‘new’ as some of the names on this year’s festival bill, but the pair’s smooth, syrupy sound has enjoyed a real breakthrough as of late. Last year, they played well-received sets in London, as well as at Brighton’s tastemaking festival The Great Escape, and look to continue their ascent with a prime slot at SXSW.
Key track: ‘A Long Dream’
Slow Fiction
Who: Quietly explorative rock music from an ice-cool five-piece
Where to see them: Seven Grand – March 12, 11pm; Lefty’s Brick Bar – March 14, 7pm
Look out for: In search of an ace new band to obsess over while Wolf Alice are on a break? Look no further than Brooklyn’s Slow Fiction. Even at a time where New York bands are breaking through by the dozen, this five-piece’s grunge-y rock sound recalls the confident ambition that defined early Wolfie tracks like ‘Freazy’ or ‘Heavenly Creatures’. Something very, very special is happening here.
Key track: ‘Apollo’
The New Eves
Who: Spellbinding quartet poised to be one of 2024’s biggest new names
Where to see them: Victorian Room at The Driskill – March 12, 11pm
Look out for: First off, the band’s ‘whimsigoth’-inspired outfits – their aesthetic complements the alluring, meticulously-arranged folk songs that they make. Following their very first SXSW appearance, they’re set to perform at a string of UK festivals this summer, including Green Man and the aforementioned The Great Escape, bringing their vocal chants, synchronised choreography and winding flute arrangements to life.
Key track: ‘Astrolabe’
Victoria Canal
Who: A seriously major new name in contemporary pop
Where to see them: Speakeasy Ballroom – March 14, 10.10pm; British Music Embassy at Sheraton (Downright Austin) – March 16, 7.30pm
Look out for: “I think I’ve only found the courage to be myself within the last few years,” the 25-year-old musician told NME last year. Her journey is one of courage and persistence; having been born without her right forearm due to amniotic band syndrome, Canal spent an entire childhood honing her piano skills, before picking up songwriting. Her stirring live shows are now renowned for their moments of communal awe and wonder.
Key track: ‘She Walks In’