This Leeds-formed, Cambridge-based quartet of graduates have become pretty much the most hyped new band in the UK these past couple of months, with their debut album 'An Awesome Wave' picking up some feverishly enthusiastic reviews. It's something that seems unusual for an arty band with no obvious big pop hits. Their nerdy name, Alt-J, is the keyboard command for the delta sign on a Mac computer for heaven's sake, they're hardly going to be ruling the airwaves with radio-friendly party bangers. So what is it about this bunch of arty types that makes them so popular, and can they repeat the hype when their album, preceded by first Stateside single 'Fitzpleasure', drops in the US in September?
Dissect their music and you soon begin to built a picture of how these innovative sounds have drawn people in. While they may be unconventional, they're the kind of unconventional that the public are familiar with. Pick apart their songs and you'll find elements of Radiohead, The xx, Foals, Bombay Bicycle Club, Wild Beasts and other such left-field darlings. It's essentially a list of all the experimental 'indie' type bands who've achieved cross-over success in recent years. Alt-J don't rip them off, nor do they sound exactly like any of them, it's more a hybrid of those bands, but a sound that's still their own. It seems that Alt-J have appeared at just the right time, just when listeners ears are open to less mundane, and more challenging music. Expect to be hearing plenty more praise for these guys on both sides of the pond.
Download 'Fitzpleasure' for free by heading here
Alt-J's website
Stream the album in full
Buy the album
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