Best of SXSW A-Z: "C"

Hailing from the Utrecht in the Netherlands, C-Mon & Kypski were originally a hip-hop turntablist duo, but have now expanded into a four piece with live instruments. Hailing from the Netherlands, they've described their sound as a mix of 'DJ Shadow, Beck, Gogol Bordello, Fela Kuti, Super Furry Animals and Justice'. To be honest, listening to their single 'Bumpy Road', I can't spot any of those bands, which makes these guys more original than they give themselves credit for. Of course, it doesn't hurt to have an insanely catchy hook, either.

MP3: C-Mon & Kypski - Bumpy Road

Bill Halliday and Gareth Jones, otherwise known as The Cansecos, remind me of two bands who were around briefly in the late 90s - Chakradiva and Arkarna. While that probably isn't the most helpful comparison, if you've heard of either of those groups, you'll know the sort of thing to expect - synth bass, beats and vocals, arranged in such a way that doesn't sound as sparse as you would expect. Smooth stuff.

MP3: The Cansecos - Raised By Wolves

Colour Revolt were one of my favourites from SXSW last year, so I'm glad they're back. This year, they've got their debut album entitled "Plunder, Beg, and Curse". I can't decide if I like their music more than the fact that they've spelt 'colour' correctly, even though they're from Mississippi, or vice-versa. In any case, they're music's fantastic - think of a slightly less bombastic ...Trail of Dead.

MP3: Colour Revolt - Naked And Red

Honourable Mentions:

Clare & The Reasons - Pluto - the harmonies and instrumentation make these guys from Brooklyn sound stereotypically New York-art. Lovely!

Collections Of Colonies Of Bees - Flocks III - possibly the longest track at SXSW, at 11 minutes.