Making a cover of one of the most ubiquitous songs of the
last decade one of your first releases is pretty brave. Making a cover of one
of the most ubiquitous songs of the last decade one of your first releases as a
crackling lo-fi bedroom demo is even braver. But not only do Xylaroo pull it
off, they have the potential to be one of the most interesting artists to
emerge in 2016.
Points of interest:
-They are sisters (Coco and Holly Chant) with a fairly unique cultural background of
their current East London digs and their Papua New Guinean roots, not to
mention time spent living throughout Europe and Asia
-They are off on tour with Matt Berry in December. No, this
is not some acoustic troubadour you haven’t heard of yet, this is the Matt Berry of Toast of London and
The IT Crowd fame
- They’ve just signed to Sunday Best Recordings and will be
releasing their debut album Sweetooth next year
Their inventive take on I Bet You Look Good on the
Dancefloor is a good portent of things to come, both in terms of the tour and
the album. Inventive not in the sense of slowed down acoustic version, we’ve
all seen many a guy or gal attempt this at open mic nights, often to passable
affect. The inventiveness is in the subtle changes they make, and the sweet
harmonies included throughout, reminiscent of the excellent Girlpool and also
leading to comparisons with the marvellous First Aid Kit.
There is a feeling of sheer confidence that comes across in
the recording, despite, or perhaps because of, the fact that it’s such a bare
and personal exposing of themselves. There’s a genuine sense that you’re
hearing the true Xylaroo, before they get hidden behind any production magic.
This is a real heard-it-first moment before they force themselves into wider
consciousness to my mind, and I can’t wait to hear how this translates into a
full LP.
The best versions of
an artist are often the recordings that best get across the live feel, and you
can’t get any closer than this to that feeling. Talking of live, catch Xylaroo
supporting Matt Berry on tour near you:
Full tour dates
Tickets: www.themattberry.co.uk
Wed 2 December Club
Academy, Manchester
Thurs 3 December Oran Mor,
Glasgow
Fri 4 December Riverside,
Newcastle
Sat 5 December Fibbers,
York
Sun 6 December The
Library @ The institute, Birmingham
Mon 7 December The
Fleece, Bristol
Tues 8 December The
Old Market, Brighton
Thurs 10 Dec The
Forum, London
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