The Urban scene in Brighton is pretty niche. I like it that way. Here are my 5 favourite local Brighton bands from the Urban scene:
1. AlongCameShifty - Here’s a brief run-down on how Hip-Hop was born: It began with Funk music, which branched off into Disco, which then branched off into Hip-Hop. AlongCameShifty (featuring members from Concept of Thought and Frankie Stew & Harvey Gunn) pays homage to the roots of Hip-Hop with a high-energy and infectious Funky sound. Check out their latest track ‘Patterns In The Sky’, released over halloween:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBKx1WvPdbg
2. Half Crown - Crazy, wild, passionate. These are the words that come to mind whenever I discuss these guys. After seeing them at an End of The Trail Records showcase this summer, I had to look further. Led by the insane Louie, the band throws pretty much everything I said about FS&HG out of the window. Their sound is completely out-of-control and wild, which makes them one of the best live bands in Brighton. Their songs are well-structured, the melodies are catchy and fun. It’s really obvious right from the first note that they mean business. There’s a controlled method within the mayhem.
Check out their ‘Show of The Year’ on December 5th at the Old Market. Listed in Brighton Noise and What's On Brighton:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1216461621712707/
3. Normanton Street - Musicians often talk about their songs being ‘art’. Well, I think this very much applies to Normanton Street. After seeing them play an intimate gig at The Bees Mouth in 2013, I was instantly hooked. For any students out there, I’ve found their music to be great for when you’re writing essays! Their mellow sound reminds me of The Roots’ legendary ‘Things Fall Apart’ album: Chilled, artistic and just damn good!
The constantly touring band doesn’t have any Brighton dates coming up, but they’re definitely worth seeing when they're back in town!
Free download of their latest track ‘Take Time’ available here:
https://normanton.bandcamp.com/
4. Frankie Stew and Harvey Gunn - Featuring one of the members from Concept Of Thought, FS&HG have quickly risen to be one of Brighton’s hottest Hip-Hop acts. Their mature sound avoids the common pitfalls of new/young acts. The music just speaks for itself. It’s mellow and easy to listen to. Simple!
Check out their recent session with SB.TV (featuring Normanton Street) here:
https://www.facebook.com/online.sbtv/videos/10153426107634667/
5. Moby Slick - After a relatively quiet summer, Moby Slick are back! I first saw these guys when they were supporting K.G in March this year. A Funkilicious sound, which can cater to many different moods, with some Hip-Hop influences thrown in from time to time. It’s fresh, it’s cool, it’s fun. Check them out and hopefully we’ll see them back on the live circuit very soon!
0. K.G - Come on, of course I had to include my own band! I'll let the music speak for itself and you can decide if we compete with the above bands:
https://soundcloud.com/kgmusicuk/sets/kgmusic
Our 2015 End-of-Year Demo is coming in December!
