#10: JAGAARA

So, you know how Haim basically came and took the world by storm with their furiously infectious retro indie pop? Does anybody fancy hearing the British version? You do? Well, you’re in luck. Jagaara are three sisters – Jane, Cat and Ruth – from Finchley in London and, much like their American counterparts, they deal in sunny West Coast indie pop. Minus the R’n’B tinges.

The sisters grew up listening to Radiohead, Led Zeppelin and Kate Bush and more recently moved on to loving Blood Orange, Lykke Li and Bon Iver; their influences can all be heard on Jagaara’s polished sound, which blends elements of folk, rock and electronica. Their single Faultline earned them a heap of critical praise this year, including from Q, NME, The Guardian, GQ and Metro. Basically, everybody loves them. But with good reason.

Jane’s powerful vocals are the central focus of both their recordings and barnstorming live shows, with Ruth and Cat providing luscious harmonies and hypnotic, highly atmospheric instrumentation. Their heartbreakingly beautiful songs earned them a place at this year’s Latitude festival playing to a packed-out crowd. And why not? Their music is accomplished and polished and, while the comparisons to Haim are always going to be inevitable, they stand on their own feet as skilled musicians and composers in their own right. Take a bow, Jagaara, 2015 could well be your year.

Words by Eugenie and Tip by Hector Barley

Jaggara was originally featured on October 7th  with words from Neil Wood