Some music bloggers are so time rich that they are able to sit at their laptops and see music drop into their inbox or other feed sources and post about it instantaneously. Breaking More Waves is not one of those. It’s why we post the Saturday Surf. It’s a chance for us and maybe you to catch up on a few musical beauties that would have otherwise slipped away from our ever fast blog super highway. Here are this weeks.
Curxes – Spectre (Strangers Remix)
Take two electronic acts, let them romp around for a while together and soon they’re making babies. [Strangers] have created this one, a remix of Curxes forthcoming single Spectre. It’s like some sort of ketamine fuelled intergalactic bank robbery with its crashes, sirens and spacey pulses. Look out for a forthcoming animated video from Curxes that mixes architecture and music in equal measure.
Ren Harvieu – Tonight (Alice Ant Remix)
Our love of Ren Harvieu just keeps lifting us higher and higher, so this Alice Ant (that’s Alice not Adam) remix is perfect for bringing us back down to a calmer state, with its trippy electronic repetitive groove and Ren’s voice floating around like some sort of sexy washed out ghost.
The XX – Angels
For those expecting that the group’s new material would be a Jamie XX takeover and full of beat bludgeoning dance floor fillers Angels suggests that those expectations could be off mark. For this is a stripped down, restrained love song that should silence every room it’s played in. Beauty can never be understated but this is understated beauty. Angels is taken from the forthcoming album from The XX which drops on September 10th.
Delphic – Good Life
Another band returning to the fold is Delphic, who have shifted direction a little with Good Life. Unfortunately it isn’t some sort of 2k12 banger reminiscing about just how great Felicity Kendal’s garden allotment was (it’s a 1970’s reference kids – Google it) but instead a catchy Passion Pit-esque pop song, which is certainly no bad thing, but it will never be as good as Felcity’s fruit and veg. Yum yum.
“No one cares about your 'best of 2010' list,” Josh Weller recently tweeted. He may be correct, but that won’t stop hundreds of the things appearing throughout December and Breaking More Waves isn’t going to be any different. We’ll be running down our top ten albums of 2010 from the middle of December – but before that, at the start of the month we’re looking forward and posting our annual 10 Ones to Watch for 2011.
Prior to looking forward, here’s a recap of our 2010 selections from last year.
Ellie Goulding
We said
“With her quivering girlish vocal, an acoustic guitar, neat lyrical phrasing and stuttering laptop electro beats, Goulding could deliver commercially.”
What happened?
Goulding delivered commercially. A number one album in the UK, two top five hits and two further songs that went top thirty, sold out tours - it’s been a highly successful year for Ellie Goulding.
“….threaten to bring an ostentatious, stern, eastern European look back into fashion for bands.”
What happened?
It was Europe that really warmed to Hurts, with the band enjoying charts success in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Greece, Sweden and Finland and even an appearance on German X Factor. In the UK the band took a little longer to find their true audience, but by the time their album Happiness was released it achieved a very respectable chart placing of number four with mixed critical reaction (8/10 in the NME, 2/5 in the Guardian, 5/10 in Drowned In Sound, 3/5 in the Independent and most tellingly 9/10 by Popmatters), they also played one of our favourite gigs of the year way back in February at Wiltons Music Hall in London (here). By the end of the year they were playing sold out gigs, supporting the Scissor Sisters on their UK tour and next year are playing a tour of larger concert halls.
Beth Jeans Houghton
We said
“Quite where Beth Jeans Houghton will fit in 2010 we’re not exactly sure, but she has the voice and the songs to ensure that she can carve out her own space”
What happened?
Houghton toured with another of our Ones to Watch – Stornoway and played a string of UK festival dates. However she didn’t release any material. With her Ben Hillier (Blur, The Maccabees, Elbow) produced album now in the bag ready for release next year, Houghton can continue to carve her space in 2011.
Unicorn Kid
We said
“To the uneducated ears of an over twenty five year old or a solemn indie rock purist, the sounds of Unicorn Kid will just be considered bad music, but for his growing army of fans his electronic urgency is simply something that makes you happy.”
What happened?
In April Unicorn Kid released Dream Catcher a stunningly dirty, glitchy and energetic piece of work that became one of our favourite tracks of the year then followed it up in October with another track – Wild Life. An album is due in 2011 – it’s likely to make his growing army of hyperactive fans very happy indeed.
“It is for this reason we have selected them for our ones to watch list. Not because of musical uniqueness or commercial crossover, but because we can imagine Delphic creating a perfect indie dance summer vibe in fields across the UK.”
What happened?
Delphic didn’t achieve massive commercial success – their album charted at number 8 in the UK, but then quickly disappeared. However as we predicted their moment really came in the summer – their storming set at Bestival hit all the right spots (see our review here).
If a 2010 release from Clare Maguire arrives and it comes anywhere near the quality of those demos, we predict she could win a lot of fans.
What happened?
It took a while but finally in October Maguire released her thunderous debut single Ain’t Nobody, that found extra love through the heavily spacious Breakage Remix. Having played Latitude this summer and supported Hurts and Plan B on tour this autumn, Clare Maguire will release an album in 2011.
When Stornoway appeared on our ones to watch list they were still unsigned. After significant label interest they inked a deal with 4AD allowing them to open their suitcase and share their wonderful songs, releasing their debut album Beachcomber’s Windowsill. The album surprised many (but not us) by sneaking into the UK top 20 album chart. They ended the year selling out the 2,000 capacity Shepherds Bush Empire in London, a far cry from when we first saw them perform to a small crowd at the Wychwood Festival in 2009. On a more personal note, Zorbing and I Saw You Blink are two of our favourite songs this year.
Mirrors
We said
"The dense ambient pulse-pop of the Mirrors reflects the sounds of early OMD"
What happened?
Having signed a deal with their hometown label of Skint, Mirrors released the singles Ways to an End and Hide and Seek and played a number of gigs including support slots with OMD themselves on their 2010 European tour. The band will release an album next year and in the meantime have packaged up their early singles into a mini album which is available to purchase directly from Skints website.
“Her dreamily atmospheric guitar based songs are certainly not the kind of tunes that are going to infiltrate the pop charts, but provide for a smouldering and sleepy listening experience.”
What happened?
Miranda’s David Sitek produced album The Magician’s Private Library was seductively warm and as sleepy as a pillow and duvet set with titles such as Sweet Dreams, Every time I Go To Sleep and Sleep On Fire combined with even more shut eye lyrical content such as “Dreamt of you again last night,” from the slow burning trumpet laden Joints and “Wake up and you’re next to nothing,” from Slow Burn Treason.
Clock Opera
We said
"We love Clock Opera more than our own children."
What happened?
Clock Opera released a number of low key singles during the year including the transcendent Once and for All, toured with Marina & The Diamonds and hope to release an album in 2011. They remain one to watch.
After the limited opening of the Bestival site on Thursday night, Friday found punters exploring the magnitude of the warped wonderland. Walking between the hundreds of multi-coloured flags, castles in the sky bonfires, flame throwing industrial spider shaped stages and cocktail lounges complete with comfy sofas and Bollywood sunshades it was easy to see why Bestival has become such a success. It continues to sell out to bigger crowds each year as other smaller festivals have struggled to grow - for not only is the music line up exciting and eclectic, but the visual delights of the grassy hills of the Robin Hill site are spectacular.
I Blame Coco on the main stage couldn’t be described as such. Her standard stage banter “How ya doing,” and “Hello down there,” didn’t gravitate towards anything but the ordinary, as did her disappointingly average mid-tempo pop rock. Her slightly hoarse and flatly dulled vocal failed to convey any real emotion, and whilst her band was competent there was no sting in the tail.
“If you fancy a dance, you’re in the right place,” announced Silver Columns from the Spider stage. Their Scottish bleeps and grooves lost the hardcore ravers who wanted something faster and more intense, but instead the band were supplemented by a group of punters dressed, possibly ironically, as Chav rejects. These GLC imitators produced some spectacular co-ordinated dancing on the raised podium stage front. When the duo’s megaphone wielding, siren blazing electronica finally came to life with the Bronski Beat / Hot Chip disco groove of Brow Beaten, it was both the band and the chavs who took the applause.
The dancing continued with Unicorn Kid. Having asked everyone to move forward, “because we’re gonna have a dance party,” the new-chip tune prince in Bart Simpson T-Shirt and lion hat brought the energy of an old school rave turned up to a modern warp factor 10 - this was elated laptop craziness. Dream Catcher was glitchily supreme and new single Wild Life divided the young (at heart) from the old. Seeming to want to forcefully create a hole in the stage with his wiry body Unicorn Kid was a highly charged assault of nutty bounciness.
In the Big Top Delphic were somewhat more restrained in their stage presence, preferring to let their music do the talking. Whereas some of their earlier shows (such as here) didn’t really take off, at Bestival they reached the celebratory highs their music strives for. Doubt provided a hands in the air moment and as Red Light merged seamlessly into it, Delphic hit the majestic realms that we predicted they could achieve (here). “Nothings wrong today,” the band sang blissfully on Counterpoint. They couldn’t be more correct.
Next up the Big Top overflowed with punters trying to catch a glimpse of The XX. The Mercury Music Prize effect demonstrated its pulling power and Bestival was the bands unofficial after party. It seemed that everyone had gate crashed. Backed by their trademark illuminated X’s the now three piece showed just why they have touched and engaged people. “I can’t tell you how happy we are to be here,” smiled Oliver Sim before a mass sing-a-long to VCR. Whilst acts like Delphic and Unicorn Kid both create music that is obviously and almost deliberately uplifting, The XX’s set was even more euphoric, even though it was created out of something brilliantly gloomy.
Hot Chip continued the upbeat mood, with their 5th appearance at Bestival, minus Joe Goddard who was on band-leave following the recent birth of his child. Ditching anything that resembled a slow song, Hot Chip played all the hits, with Alexis Taylor sporting his pearly-king-geek-chic and rather comically Goddard appearing via a TV screen. Starting with Boy from School, songs such as Ready for the Floor, One Life Stand and Over and Over kept the electronic buzz kids smiling.
It was left to Dizzee Rascal to close the main stage. Dressed in a Nirvana t-shirt Dizzee covered all bases with his band delivering music that ranged from reggae, rock, pop, disco, soul to old school hip-hop. Hooky, catchy and fun, it was also a little lowest common denominator, but such music snobbery didn't apply to most of the crowd who were happy to bounce to the happy heavens as Dizzee announced “Where’s the f*ckin’ mosh pit crew?” Bonkers finished things off - undeniably a great British pop song - funny, quirky and energetic as Usain Bolt after ten Red Bulls - it left everyone with a sweaty smile.
Tomorrow is the official release date for the new Delphic single Halcyon, taken from the debut album which received the Breaking More Waves Macca at Glastonbury styled thumbs up earlier this year, albeit with the reservation that it was an album to be admired rather than passionately loved.
It has been suggested that Orbital are one reference point in terms of influence for Delphic and certainly this single shares its name with the pioneering electronic duo’s track from their 1992 Radiccio EP, which propped up the Hartnoll brothers ‘Brown’ album in an extended form under the name Halcyon + On + On. Whilst the Delphic track is more song based and firmly in the head-rush on the indie dance floor category, it shares some of the same pummelling beats of the techno-baldy raver's anthems - they kick in around the 1.20 mark. Halcyon, like much of the work of Orbital, also achieves an exultant ecstasy fuelled maelstrom through shimmering synth sounds and a driving propulsive force. One of the best tracks from Acolyte, Halcyon is uplifting and radio friendly, an indie-dance upgrade for 2010.
If there was any question about how music fashion has evolved over the last couple of years, the answers could be found at Brighton Audio. Rather than bands formed out of scruffy lager swilling lads in skinny jeans who think that the world revolves around The Libertines, The Strokes and Oasis, this sold out gig featured two bands bringing a smarter, overtly pompous attire to the stage. Support band Mirrors look more like actors or models with their dark shirts, suit jackets, ties and cooler than thou haircuts. Meanwhile Delphic (pictured) are like scissor sharp cool geography teachers in clean white collars, who only speak to the audience to announce the bands name and to say thank you at the end. Rather like overpriced sparkling mineral water these groups are pretentious perhaps, but refreshing at the same time.
The lack of rock ‘n’ roll styling also applied to the audience behaviour, which seemed somewhat subdued for Delphic. After all, this is a band that seem to promise the possibility of giddying plateaus of euphoric abandon with their focussed mix of electronic preciseness and taught guitars. However, maybe because of the venues slightly cramped low claustrophobic stage, or just the fact that it’s a dreary Tuesday night, Delphic were not able to deliver that big hands in the air moment. The band tick all the right boxes – strobes that suck your eyeballs, sharp near perfect looped instrumentation, beats that blend seamlessly from song to song, glacial cataclysmic rocket ship washes of sound, all of these things bring the band so close to taking off, but they never quite do.
Delphic have a cool unaffected manner on stage – even when a sampler gets knocked over onto the floor it doesn’t seem to phase them – but that manner seems to somehow translate into the music tonight. Delphic obviously understand electronic music and can structure a song perfectly; Red Lights, Doubt and the closing instrumental Acolyte all demonstrating well executed peaks and troughs , but there’s a lack of passion that leaves most of the audience nodding and bobbing rather than pumping and bouncing. If this show had been a sexual liaison it was a perfect gentle kiss with intentions of going further rather than the full deal of a delirious orgasmic rush.
We’ve reviewed Mirrors live shows before here and here and tonight as support act some of their visual aesthetic is lost. The screen on which their minimalist visuals are displayed is tucked to the side behind Delphic’s fluorescent tube lighting, and the masses of keyboards are forced to congregate around Delphic’s drum kit, rather than lining up in a deliberately regimented formation. If anything Mirrors show more humanity and emotion than Delphic though, with the lead singer attempting some fey indie kid meets drunk-uncle at a wedding dancing and attempting to speak to the audience. Attempt is the best description here though. For example Search In The Wilderness is introduced as being “About searching in the wilderness.” Hardly informative or inspiring communication really. The bands music – the sound of the bastard child of OMD and Depeche Mode artificially inseminated through a Juno 60 is at times dark and luxurious whilst on other songs such as Into The Heart displays more than just a knowing wink to the 80’s. In fact Mirrors are so 80’s influenced that they run the risk of just being seen as a parody band – this could be a negative criticism but then we could have said the same of La Roux 18 months ago, and look what happened to them.
Despite these reservations - that for Delphic the gig never really kicked to a higher level, and for Mirrors that they verge on the side of ambience that becomes pastiche - both bands provided incredibly competent musicianship, well structured songs and a synthy seriousness that makes The Libertines et al seem but a distant memory for now.
In the late 80’s and early 90’s when indie guitar music was hugely influenced by ecstasy and the acid house phenomenon, the Madchester scene was born. Pale indie indie boys with floppy fringes suddenly got all loved up and baggy whilst the sounds of 808 State, A Guy Called Gerald, The Happy Mondays, The Stone Roses and The Charlatans sound tracked a moment. Indie dance was born. Suddenly it was okay for bands to play dance beats, loops and shimmering electronic sounds. Acts such as The Chemical Brothers, Orbital and Underworld became loved not only by hedonistic clubbers but by indie kids as well. Tribes merged. The blissed out party went super nova.
Manchester three piece Delphic continue the tradition of that scene, but bring it into a modern context with their debut album Acolyte. It’s a solid indie dance album that subtly pulses and grows out of ambient looped electronica that often references the previously mentioned Orbital, particularly the Brown second album and occasionally New Order. Then amongst the meticulous technology Delphic add in carefully placed moments of rush to the head euphoria. In terms of structure Delphic score high.
The trouble with much indie dance is that it can often fall into one of two categories. First, too frostily cool for its own good and therefore not engaging emotionally with the listener. Or second, it can be too celebratory, feeling lightweight, a quick high for the student disco and a drunken one night stand. Delphic have got the balance right in this respect. Acolyte is an album that can be taken seriously, but make you high. However through its subtleties - the perfectly placed beats, the pleasant but never stretching vocals, the flowing loops, it loses something in its overall gut ripping potential. It’s not an album that we could ever love. Like yes, admire certainly, but it wouldn’t be an album that we would want to take to the grave.
However in the context of the indie disco or a late night festival appearance many of the tracks on Acolyte could take on a whole new meaning. Counterpoint with its slamming driving bass and repeated “Nothing, nothing,” refrain that elevates and builds could lead to couples creating babies on the dance floor in a moment of joyous passion. Likewise the twilight zone repetition and dramatic soundscape of opener Clarion Call could act as an exploding call to the dance floor. But on a more intimate listening experience in the context of a home or on the headphones Acolyte is more an album to regard with a degree of esteem for its quality, consistency and clearness of vision than one to worship.
Tomorrow Delphic release Doubt. It’s the bands third single and follows a steady build in the groups profile over the last year. With previous songs Counterpoint and This Momentary creating enough buzz to get the band onto most tipsters lists at the end of 2009 including the BBC Sound Of list and our very own Ones To Watch 2010 list, Doubt is the moment where Delphic try to up the ante further. In terms of sales however their biggest problem with both this single and the forthcoming album may be that which faces many new bands today - the illegal download. For their sake let's hope the groups record company have realistic expectations and can maximise income from other revenue streams.
Something that is gnawing and nagging at our brain with Delphic is that their sound is just a little too obvious. Yet as clearly visible as this is (discuss, can music be visible ? ) we like it in a 'reasonably pleasant it doesn't offend us' kind of way. Not everything can be ground-breaking. We refer you back to our post on January 1st here for our further thoughts on this issue. Doubt sounds as if the Manchester trio assembled elements of Klaxons, Friendly Fires, New Order, Electronic and the Art Of Noise together to construct their own stuttering indie dance behemoth. Their record companies strategy of pushing Doubt out in a week where traditionally release schedules are light and single sales are low gives Delphic a reasonable shot at stealing a Top 40 chart position, increased radio play, and the chance for new ears to soak up their sound.
We've shown the video in our previous Ones To Watch post, but here it is again. The album Acolyte follows a week later, and we'll be bringing a review of it at some point around release date. The band are also on tour in the UK and Europe in January and February.
If this year has been the year when synths and electronics finally became fashionable and exciting again, then we see no reason why in 2010 things will change, although there is no doubt that the sounds and ideas will progress, possibly towards a darker edge. Whereas many of the acts who have been heading the electronic resurgence are solo artists, we think it is high time for some more bands to get behind their computers. Delphic are one such band.
Delphic are from Manchester. This comes as no surprise as their sound follows a logical progression from other Manc favourites such as New Order and Happy Mondays, in that their futuristic numbers conjure up images The Hacienda, Factory Records and illegal raves. It’s heavily dance based, but they are not just a faceless dance act. The term is of course indie dance. Although the hazy images of Manchester past may be evoked by Delphic this is a band who are also looking forward rather than simply trying to replicate their favourite influences. Oasis they are not.
Formed out of the remnants of another band named Snowfight In The City, Delphic have already released two singles, the Orbital-esque looping Counterpoint and This Momentary through Kitsune, a song which takes you on a euphoric journey of tribal drums and floating vocals to a state of blissed euphoria. Next up is Doubt released Jan 4th 2010. It sounds a little less New Order and more Friendly Fires in its jittery dance workout with a chorus owes a small debt to the Klaxons
Delphic create music that is full of both club bound hedonism and headphone introversion, which has the potential to deliver some big rave-tastic moments come summer festivals in 2010. It is for this reason we have selected them for our Ones To Watch list. Not because of musical uniqueness or commercial crossover, but because we can imagine Delphic creating a perfect indie dance summer vibe in fields across the UK, although probably not wearing silly festival hats.
After two days of almost incessant main stage hogging, Sunday takes Breaking More Waves to virtually every other point on the Bestival site.
Peggy Sue's alt. folk harmonies give a lo-fi kiss to a large hungover crowd at the Jim Beam Bar. Conveying hippyish ideals with flower garlands in their hair, lyrics declaring that “Love will save the day,” and strong soulful female vocals the group are just the tonic for sore heads. After they finish with a stomping version of The Sea The Sea they sell out of the CD’s that they’ve brought with them, a good sign.
The shadow of a ferris wheel creates rotating patterns on the arc shaped canopy above the stage as Ohbijou play songs from their album Beacons. With silken strings and lush violins tussling with Casey Mecija’s angelic girlish vocal, their folk rock sound could easily become twee and indistinct, but it never does, always falling into something more substantial. Intro To Season sounds like Arcade Fire snuggling up with Joanna Newsom and barely lasts over two minutes, but is so lovely it wouldn’t be strange to be found wanting to give the band a hug.
Over in the Big Top Hockey demonstrate with a beach ball that yanks can’t do soccer, and neither do these lads seem to be able to score any musical goals. The bands white boy indie funk has a fair amount of groove but lacks capacity for tunes. It’s only when the LCD Soundsystem sound-a-like pop of Too Fake gets an airing that ears stir. When one particular loon of a punter manages to get on his friends shoulders and presses his face close up to the camera filming proceedings, his ugly mug covering the large video screens to the side of the stage, and it is the highlight of the set, you know something is wrong.
Delphic from Manchester are much better, particularly when they drop their guitars and let washes of indie dance synths cascade around the tent on the loopy and Orbital influenced Counterpoint. Then there is the monumental This Momentary with its “Let’s do something real,” chanted vocal call to arms, where building percussion creates space and energy that given a later night appearance would have developed into a transcendental hands in the air moment.It may not be staggeringly original, 'indie dance' is the category here, but if they can create a body of work as good as these two songs they will be onto something.
Back at the Jim Beam bar Polly Scattergood (pictured) is resplendent in silver, pink feathers and neon yellow / green. Polly is an unusual creature, although very young she seems much older, her girlish vocal and dark sometimes sexual lyrics confusing the issue even more. “You can spit on my French knickers sir, you can call me a whore, if you roll in, roll out, roll up to the Bunny Club,” she sings in a destitute vulnerable manner during Bunny Club, her next single. On Other Too Endless she utters “And I gave you my body, and when I said I did I meant it, and you gave me your anger, and for that I’m still trying to vent it.” It’s all pretty disturbing stuff, with themes of suicide, abuse and clinging on to long gone lovers permeating her performance. Yet despite these themes Polly sings with a smile and theatrically poses her way round the stage as if she were auditioning for Yo Gabba Gabba whilst unsettling electronics add to her blend of broken Prozac Nation pop. It’s oddly schizophrenic and enjoyable all at the same time.
Doves represent our first and only trip of the day to the main stage. The band provide a functional greatest hits set which is watched by Guy Garvey of Elbow in the wings. Doves are talented and accomplished musicians (even permitting the false start on the opening song they play) but after four albums their sound and set is becoming predictable. We would have bet our lives on them finishing with There Goes The Fear, and indeed they do. We said it earlier this year and we stand by our statement that we wish that Doves would now go and do something to surprise us. Maybe a rejuvenation of the Sub Sub ideas would be a neat twist to the left ?
The Bandstand area of Bestival is virtually empty as The Cordelier Club play with just a smattering of friends and stragglers watching. The Cordelier Club sound is very much one of adult middle of the road pop from the eighties with a powerful female rock vocal. There are hints of Stevie Nicks, Roxette, The Pretenders and Eurythmics circa Revenge - not particularly hip reference points, but it is exactly that and the quality of their songs that makes the band stand out. The group have hook after hook, sharp enough to gut wrench you in. One listen to Fire In The City with its “Don’t stop, we go far, running from the city in a getaway car,” chorus and our head is spinning dizzily. Stolen Lovers is even better with big Radio 2 styled high catchiness, it could easily sneer with vibrant abandon from the top of the pop mountain. In a festival full of oddness, The Cordelier Clubs mainstream position seems strangely leftfield and staggering brilliant because of it.
And talking of odd, we take a brave (many would say stupid) decision to miss Elbow (who as much as we love we have seen many times before) to sample Squarepusher, who we have never seen and on paper sound like they will tick our box. If ever there was an argument for taking risks then this would be it. Squarepusher would blind us with brilliance and we would go away happy. Unfortunately the whole thing is a massive endurance test. Faceless experimentation can be brilliant at times, but in the Big Top Squarepusher barrage us with dirty noise, erratic beats and utter chaos in their sound. Headache inducing tosh. Sometimes there’s an argument for playing safe as well. Apparently Elbow were brilliant. Damn.
And with that Bestival begins to draw to a close. There is more dancing to be done still, but in terms of live music that’s it. Bestival 2009 was the biggest yet and in places (Kraftwerk particularly) was the best it’s ever been. There is no doubt that Bestival as a festival has changed. The quirky randomness that the original first two events in particular had still exists, but it has been pushed to the side through its sold out 40,000 capacity popularity. There will be some who will say that the festival has lost its vibe or soul, and certainly the respect for the site at the end of the event seems to have disappeared with the camping areas resembling other large festivals in terms of littering (see video below) and some graffiti terrorism spoiling the hand crafted artwork in the main arena areas. However there will be others who say that there is now even more fun to be had and that the organisation of the event gets better every year. Purely in terms of live music (sound issues from the main stage notwithstanding) and bill quality Breaking More Waves is of the opinion that Bestival 2009 was the best yet. God knows how Rob Da Bank and crew are going to top Kraftwerk next year, but we’ll be looking forward to finding out.
