Katey Brooks (UK)

Discography: Proof of Life (2010), I Fought Lovers EP (2013), Revolute (2019)

Record Label: Independent

Contact:

Website:

Katey Brooks is a gorgeous singer-songwriter with a beautiful intense vocal. We are big fans of her music here at LCM, with her stunning song 'State of Mine' being one of our favourites. Born and raised in a commune setting between Bristol, London and Arizona, to hippy music-loving parents, Indie Award nominee Katey Brooks’ unique sound and style epitomizes the culturally diverse environment in which she grew up. Drawing influences from artists like Johnny Cash and Kate Bush, her voice is often compared to the likes of Joan Armatrading, and Annie Lennox, and has best been described as a voice “…to melt glaciers” (Venue Magazine).

Known for her powerful and evocative live sets, Katey has played a notable list of amazing shows including London 2012, Glastonbury Festival, WOMAD Festival, a BBC Introducing Stage headliner at Wychwood, several European Festivals, and supported a host of credible artists such as Newton Faulkner, Mercury nominee Lou Rhodes, Mike and The Mechanics, Grammy nominees Cutting Crew, and BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winner Chris Wood.

Besides her own works, Brooks’s “John Martyn-esque” (Manchester Evening News) lamenting tones have earned her features on BBC Radio 2 Children in Need album ‘Bandaged Together’, recorded at Abbey Road with artists such as Bill Wyman (Rolling Stones), Nick Mason (Pink Floyd), and Paloma Faith, as well as compilations with Ane Brun and Anais Mitchell.

Last year was fantastic with Katey being added to the Starbucks playlist worldwide and signing an endorsement deal with American guitar makers Alvarez, joining the ranks of Grammy Award winner Ani Difranco, and Joe Bonamassa. Her ‘Back to Light’ Tour in the Spring received rave reviews and write ups from Metro UK, R2: Rock ‘n’ Reel, Venue and Shakenstir Magazine.

After a summer of shows, festivals and a busy few months tucked away writing for the new album, Katey recently released a brand new EP; which has been highly praised by critics. The ‘I Fought Lovers EP’ is the follow up release to her debut album ‘Proof Of Life’ which reached No.1 in the Amazon Folk chart along with favourable press reviews and BBC Radio 1 and 6 airplay. The EP contain one of favourite songs from Katey the stunningly beautiful 'State of Mine'. The first single and title track from the EP has been featured on Dermot O’Leary’s BBC Radio 2 show, while two tracks were chosen for 6 Music’s Tom Robinson’s mixtape – – it’s haunting, ethereal sound being a great first taste of what’s to come off the second album in 2015. Katey released her debut album ‘Revolute’ in May 2019.

“Love this lady’s voice” (Joss Stone)

“Heartfelt English Gospel” (Tom Robinson BBC 6 Music)

“We’d even compare it to the impact of Jeff Buckley” (Supajam)

“Blown away” (Clare Anderson Late Lounge Show (Jazz FM))

KALEO (IS)

• Band Members: Jökull Júlíusson (Vocals, guitar), Davíð Antonsson (Drums, vocals), Daníel Ægir Kristjánsson (Bass) and Rubin Pollock (Lead guitar)

• Home Town: Mosfellsbær, Iceland

• Discography: A/B (2016)

• Record Label: Atlantic Records

• Contact:

• Website: http://www.officialkaleo.com/

For a few years now Iceland has been creating some great musicians and music. One of my current favourites is Kaleo, a wonderful four piece indie rock/blues band. who we think you will hearing a lot more about this year. Firmly a phenomenon in their home country of Iceland, the four-piece band Kaleo is set to descend upon foreign shores in 2015, bringing their gorgeous blend of folk, blues, country, and rock to a wider mainstream audience in America. Their isolated heritage inspires a unique take on familiar sonic elements, resulting in diversity and freedom on each and every breathtaking track.

Best friends since attending elementary school in the small town of Mosfellsbaer outside of Reykjavik, bandleader JJ Julius Son, drummer David Antonsson Crivello, and bassist Danny Jones began playing together at the age of 17. Honing their skills, they played countless shows around the nation’s capital for a few years before adding guitarist Rubin Pollock to the mix in 2012.

They named the band Kaleo, which means “the sound” in Hawaiian, and started their career in earnest with a handful of well-received shows at the 2012 Iceland Airwaves music festival. They recorded their first pair of original songs in early 2013, the fiery “Rock N Roller” and laid-back, bluesy “Pour Sugar On Me,” which earned Kaleo some radio airplay and press in Iceland. Then, that spring, their cover of the traditional Icelandic ballad “Vor í vaglaskógi” during a live radio show was videotaped and posted to YouTube, where it quickly went viral. The band recorded a studio version of the song in June, which went straight to Number One in virtually every radio station in the country. “It’s a different kind of cover, more dramatic and the tempo is taken down,” says JJ. The buzz for Kaleo had begun.

The band signed to Iceland’s largest record label, Sena, in the fall of 2013 and recorded their full-length debut, Kaleo, in just six short weeks. Five singles would reach Number One and the album would go Gold, receiving high praise and sending the band to shows and festivals in Europe over the next year, including an appearance on the biggest stage in their home country, Culture Night, where they played to 100,000 people and reached 90 percent of Iceland’s population in broadcast. Then, in the spring of 2014, Kaleo recorded the lush, introspective song “All the Pretty Girls” and in one night their destiny to outgrow their small, island nation was cemented.

“It’s a very delicate song. It seemed to speak to a lot of people,” says JJ. “From there everything started to happen. We got contacted from other places: managers, labels, publishers—they all went crazy over one night.” Drawn to Kaleo’s multi-layered dynamics, their ability to play different genres with equal skill, the vocals and mood reminiscent of everything from Bon Iver and Iron & Wine to Coldplay and David Gray, and wise-beyond-their-years songwriting, the world came calling.

Now, signed to Atlantic Records in the US, Kaleo has moved to Austin, Texas, and will begin recording new material with producer Mike Crossey (Arctic Monkeys, Jake Bugg) in London for an EP due this year. Get ready for the sound.