Ones To Watch At Sugar Mountain 2016

Melbourne’s annual music and arts festival, Sugar Mountain, returns this month with a stellar roster of international and home grown talent, performing across a number of stages and galleries throughout the grounds of the Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne Arts Precinct. If you’re heading to the one day event on the 23rd January, be sure to check out our top picks of this year’s unmissable acts at the event.

Hot Chip

This pioneering British dance act needs no introduction! With countless hits including ‘Over and Over’, ‘Ready for the Floor’, ‘Boy from School’, ‘Shake a Fist’ and more, as well as receiving countless awards and accolades the world over, don’t miss this party-starting five-piece as they bring their indie-disco-synth-pop to our shores for one hell of a show-stopping performance! As seasoned festival performers, having played the likes of Glastonbury, Bestival, Big Day Out, Splendour In The Grass, Lollapalooza, Coachella and more; we’re sure to be in for one hell of a performance! Treating us to new material as well as tracks from their latest offering, 2015’s ‘Why Make Sense?’, this headline act is most certainly one not to be missed! If you can’t make it to Sugar Mountain, Hot Chip will be playing sideshows in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. Do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it now!

Courtney Barnett

2015 was definitely Melbournian Courtney Barnett’s year. Quickly garnering a strong fan base across Australia, the UK and United States, as well as gaining critical acclaim throughout the world’s music press; this talented singer-songwriter is well on her way to becoming one of Australia’s new hottest exports! Having already been hailed as the ‘next Bob Dylan’, it will be interesting to see what’s next in store for this rising star in 2016. Treating us to material from her Grammy nominated and ARIA award winning debut ‘Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit’, suffice to say, Courtney’s appearance at this year’s Sugar Mountain is a hotly anticipated one to say the least!

Empress Of

New York-based, Honduran/American synth-pop star Empress Of aka Lorely Rodriguez, will be making her exciting Australian debut at this year’s Sugar Mountain. Though, she is no stranger when it comes to performing live, having already played the likes of SXSW, Iceland Airwaves and Pitchfork’s Summer Music Festival, as well as impressively touring with acts including Jamie Liddell, Jungle and Florence and The Machine. Enjoy hits from her latest offering ‘Me’, released through XL Recordings last year, and also watch out for her all-star backing band which includes electropop singer Kimbra on vocals and singer-songwriter Dev Hynes on guitar, of Test Icicles, Blood Orange and Lightspeed Champion fame.

Le1f

Openly gay New York rapper and producer Le1f is going to be dropping his progressive and unique avant-garde electro hip hop style at this year’s festival, while bringing issues such as racial injustice and Trans rights to the forefront, through his hard hitting lyrics. Don’t miss what is bound to be an energetic, mesmerising and impassioned set; if Vice are anything to go by, simply putting it: “To watch him perform was to watch grace, fury, and passion in action.” Catch the larger than life artist as he treats us to material from last year’s acclaimed release ‘Riot Boi’ – which has already spawned banger ‘Koi’ – as well as his bass favourite ‘Wut’ and saucy singles ‘Boom’ and ‘Sup’. Melbourne, get ready to bounce!

Dâm-Funk

If you love soulful funk, then you do not want to miss California’s Ambassador of Boogie, Dâm-Funk. His summery sound will have you moving to his glitter ball electro funk, which manages to perfectly tip its hat to the 70s, while at the same time still keeping us firmly in 2016! Having already collaborated with the likes of Snoop Dogg, Peanut Butter Wolf, Disclosure, Flea, Q-Tip and many more, this is one act that is sure to bring the noise! Don’t miss this eclectic performer as he showcases tracks from last month’s release ‘Invite The Light’, as well as a whole host of other surprises! It’s going to be a good one!

Book your tickets at sugarmountainfestival.com

Hot Chip 2016 Australian Tour

By Sandy Dhaliwal