A guest posting by swc
JC adds……………………………..
I don’t normally feature two ICAs in the same week, never mind on consecutive days, but this one, which arrived unexpectedly just a few days ago, given that the author was no doubt dealing with the after-effects of a particularly violent snowstorm, does have degree of urgency about it, given what it is covering. And with that, I hand over to our correspondent from the south-west of England.
An ICA of Top Musical Tips for 2026.
Many years ago (ok it was 2008), the parents of a friend mine rented a big old house on the edge of Exmoor for a fortnight over the Christmas period. It was a lovely place, six bedrooms spread across two floors, a huge kitchen, triple glazed fire and bomb proof windows and on the top floor (the third) was something called the ‘Party Zone’.
In that ‘Party Zone’ we partied, sort of. We played some old records from our time at university and watched some football on the massive television whilst gorging ourselves on Doritos and a delightful home-made guacamole. As we tired of that, my friend, lets called him Matthew, largely because it’s his name, asked me, what my top musical recommendation for the coming year was, and I said with barely a moment’s pause to actually think about it,
“Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong. They will be the biggest band in the land this time next year”
Which on reflection was a terrible answer (trust me if you’ve never heard Joe Lean and his sodding Jing Jang Jong, you really aren’t missing much) because Joe Lean and his sodding Jing Jang Jong faded into obscurity faster than the person who came 12th on X Factor in 2008.
Ever since that moment, I have run away as fast as possible when people ask me for my Musical Tips for the year ahead.
Welcome then, to an ICA made up of ten bands and acts that I think will probably be (some of) the biggest bands in the land this time next year. Or ten bands and acts that (some of) will be as famous as Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong are this time next year – if they become world-famous and change your lives for the good, you can credit me accordingly but if their next album or single or whatever stinks the place out then I will deny that I ever said anything.
Oh, by the way, this document is officially the most times that Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong have ever been mentioned in any document anywhere and that includes the NME written guide “A Short guide to the brilliant whizz pop world of Joe Lean and his Jing Jang Jong”.
Side One
MORN – Modern Man (2025, Speedy Wunderground, Single)
Regular readers to my so-called music blog No Badger Required will know that I go a bit giddy when bands appear and insist on using capital letters in their name. So, I have to start side one of this ICA with MORN. MORN are from Wales and ‘Modern Man’ is so far their only release. They make a sort of punky and jagged sound that is full of massive guitar hooks and dynamic vocals and they are a very exciting prospect.
Shaking Hand – Over The Coals (2025, Melodic Records, Single)
The music of Shaking Hand is mostly steeped in that post rock world, where songs slowly build before exploding like a musical firework that takes them off in different directions. Shaking Hand do this very well indeed, their bass lines are tight but grow into a many tentacled beasts, whilst their guitars chime but only when they absolutely have to.
Night Swimming – Freight Train (2025, Venn Records, Single)
If I was writing this in 1985, and I’d just heard Night Swimming for this first time I would have run straight down to my local turf accountants and bet the entire pension on Night Swimming being signed to 4AD Records. They make music that is a whirl of reverb, shivery vocals, tinkling cymbals and waves of gentle feedback. It’s not quite Cocteau Twins, but it would definitely dress up as one of them should the opportunity arise. File under very good.
She’s In Parties – Same Old Story (2025, Submarine Cat Records taken from ‘Are You Dreaming? EP)
Hot on the heels of Night Swimming (see above) come She’s In Parties. They are also named after a song but also make music that sounds like they should have been signed to 4AD Records thirty-seven years ago, and again this is no bad thing at all. Musically, She’s In Parties are all dreamy soundscapes, vocal reverb and guitars that will almost certainly sound better when accompanied by an overactive smoke machine.
Vegas Water Taxi – Brat Summer (2025, PNKSLM Records, Single)
There is something rather special about London’s alt country slacker rock band Vegas Water Taxi. For a start there is the way in which singer Ben Hambro croons in a way that sounds like he has gone to confession but ended up turning it into a total bitching session. Then you have Ben’s lyrics, which are self mocking, funny, occasionally filthy but nearly always warm-hearted. Set amongst all that you have the music, which lurches between post punk and alt country slacker rock that reminds me of Pavement if they were fronted by Dan Treacy from the Television Personalities.
Side Two
The Pill – Money Mullet (2025, Lilot Records, Single)
The Pill are great. Their songs are sharp, loud and swagger with the knowledge that they possess something that will smack you in the face with the power of a bull who has been mainlining amphetamines. That sharpness and swaggering brilliance has seen the band grow amidst a swirl of hype and expectations.
SILVERWINGKILLER – Hold Up (All Firearms in the United Kingdom) (2025, 1000% Triad Funded Records, taken from ‘Triad Funded’ EP)
Manchester’s SILVERWINGKILLER (again, note the capitals folks) merge the chaos of punk rock with the precision of electronica. At the same time they fuse Chinese mythology with pure adrenaline, which gives their music an edge that hasn’t been since Richard James took a drill into his studio. ‘Hold Up (All Firearms in the United Kingdom)’ is rather splendid, if trying to reintroduce a new generation to the wonders of Gabba Techno can ever be described as splendid.
Formal Sppeedwear – Hit N Run (2025, Melodic Records, taken from ‘Single’)
The only remotely new thing about Formal Sppeedwear (apart from perhaps the way the spell ‘Speedwear’) is the wave that they attach to their musical genre of choice. The only problem is that they exist in a world where new wave has because distinctly old wave and so those in the press have coined phrases like post post punk to describe new bands making old new wave music. If that makes sense. Regardless, Formal Sppeedwear sound like Talking Heads and A Certain Ratio at the same time and that makes them great.
Crimewave – Haemoglobin (2025, Fool’s Gold Records, taken from ‘Scenes’)
‘Scenes’ the debut album from Crimewave is quite extraordinary. It’s also quite unbelievable – because it is apparently an electronica album that has been recorded using only guitars and drums, and when you listen to it for the first time (and I recommend you do that, because it’s all kinds of excellent) you’ll sit there, scratch your head and wonder how on earth it can be true and then after all that you’ll play it again and marvel at its brilliance.
Mumble Tide – Pea Soup (2025, Breakfast Records, Single)
Bristol’s Mumble Tide are a very lovely thing. Their music is a hazy, dreamy pop that deserves to be listened to as you walk through some woods in the early autumn as the leaves flutter to the ground. The vocals (courtesy of Gina Leonard) are lush and that fits perfectly with the gentle squall of electronic and the occasional wail of a countrified acoustic guitar.
Thank you for reading, take care out there
SWC
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 