DUFFSTER'S 8 EMERGING CANDY PICKS: WEEK 12

Kate Bush is set to return with 15 live shows after 35 years in the wilderness, great news. The current crop of so-called popular artists should be handed free seats at the Hammersmith, with the hope their music improves and view a performer with... clothes on, a rare site. But then again perhaps not.

Thank fuck we have emerging candy like Iberia, Molly Beanland, CuckooLander, Raury and more goodness to keep you sane, and our ears pricked. Artwork by Zofia Bogusz @zofiaart.

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IBERIA - SWANSEA

Iberia's self-titled debut album has been one of my most anticipated releases over the past year or so. Today (24th) the Berlin based Swedish duo finally put out their LP via the stellar Hybris label. (It'll be my first vinyl purchase of 2014.) We brought you their "Glide" visual a few weeks ago & here is another taste of Iberia's soaring electronic vibe.

CUCKOOLANDER - DUMB DEE DIDDY DUMB

It helps when your friend happens to be Charli XCX & can plug your debut song via social media. Truth be told, Holly Hardy (drummer for Charli's live sets) wouldn't need much promotion from her BB to gather interest from this, her first solo track, "Dumb Dee Diddy Dumb," under the moniker 'CuckooLander' - this quality would inevitably filter through. A great slice of indie rock made all the more accessible from a vocal that could rival that of XCX.

MOLLY BEANLAND - REAL LIFE

Molly is not new to our regular readers; after we featured the 'Modern-day purveyor of power ballads' (week 4), she soon made it onto our Pop, Chill & Best Video lists & we were all smitten.

Molly's back with her 80's inspired dreamy brilliance, "Real Life," that'll have you strapping on the roller-skates, dusting off the neon leg warmers and plugging in the disco ball for a circuit around the lounge - just me then? This is what pop needs right now, more Beans less Artp00p!

SUVI - FIND YOU

Female solo acts have been tearing up the blogosphere this year. Every other day, an intriguing female artist emerges to add their name to the fold. In fact, we should do a post to highlight this. Suvi is the latest on my Nordic radar to note. The Finnish songstress creates atmospheric electro-pop layered with some bad-ass brass on "Find You."

RAURY - GOD'S WHISPER

Quite possibly the coolest 17-year-old emerging right now is Atlanta's refreshing Raury, who dropped the "Bloom" debut last year and now followed-up with "Gods Whisper" that'll have many taking notice of this new talent. The visual for his latest alternative indie track is a trip through his local neighborhood for a bonfire with the Stone Mountain saviors.

GOLDBLOC - BLACK GOLD EP [FREE DWNLD]

Boston-based Goldbloc create ''music for the mind'' and it's a fair description from the duo that consists of producer Goldenhaus and the exquisite vocalist Solei (who I'm sure I've heard of prior to this project). Deep edgy downtempo is their sound & Solei's soulful voice cultivates the quality in their debut Black Gold EP, which you can grab over on Soundcloud as a FREE download. Yeah, the entire EP is free!

AUTUMN - GHOST

Jay Kane and Thomas Hobbs combine to bring us emerging candy duo, Autumn, who serve up a great slice of electronic bliss. Whilst the name is hardly original and used by fuck knows how many bands, the pair sweep that initial sigh aside when I hit play on their debut, "Ghost," a track that wouldn't feel out of place on London Grammar's LP. We'll be following the Brisvegas pair closely after this intro.

BEATRICE ELI - GIRLS

It's hard to single out my favourite Swedish siren at present, I need to see 'em more live and then maybe figure out who is a cut above the pack. Beatrice Eli is the reason I had this thought after watching her latest video for the delicious "Girls," which is hands down her best effort to date and will surely be her breakthrough. She delivers with a panache that utterly captures our attention.

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See ya next week. Keep it Bitcandy!

About Robert Duffy

Robert Duffy is a Horticulturist. When he's not explaining a Dahlia from a Digitalis, you'll find him pursuing his passion - cultivating new music. He has a moral obligation to share great music, be that to various social platforms, the blogosphere or a random tree.