The city of Liverpool is undoubtedly one of England’s most iconic and important, a sprawling metropolis bathed in rich musical and cultural history. Liverpool was, of course, the birthplace of all four Beatles, and has spurned out the legendary likes of The La’s, Gerry & the Pacemakers, Echo & the Bunnymen, and Elvis Costello. It is a city that thrives on the close-knit community of their home-bred music scene, the kinship having banded together to save soon-to-be-demolished fabled music venue The Kazimier with countless celebrations of the local music (namely the most recent Club Evol). The Liverpool music scene is ever-vibrant – Circa Waves being the most recent breakthrough act – and with foundations laid by the Scouse successes of the 60’s to 80’s, the city never being in short supply of great music. Here are five of the most exciting and upcoming prospects that Liverpool has to offer.
5. The Probes
Having supported Echo & the Bunnymen at the O2 Academy Liverpool, as well as playing a Cavern Stage slot at this year’s Sound City festival, Liverpool natives The Probes are one of the city’s most exciting young prospects. The band members were helmed together by a shared love of Joy Division, and it is an influence that gleams through their music; their 2014 Synesthesia EP fuses the sounds of a more enthusiastic Interpol with a sombre Tame Impala.
Track ‘Marrakech’ features Ian Curtis-slash-Tom Smith sounding vocals with dark, hypnotic, echoing guitars and a penchant of psych rock. ‘Sunshine State of Mind’ is as entrancing, coated with dizzying chords and sinister bass. They are a band that sound lightyears beyond their age, tinged with a grim yet refined quality that may as well have been found on Turn On the Bright Lights. The Probes are very much their own band, however, wearing their influences on their sleeves but gracing our ears with a magnificent sound that is, quite clearly, them.