Lo-Fi

Freya Hollick is a young singer-songwriter originally from the country town of Ballarat, Australia. She records lo-fidelity songs and sings in a voice of ethereal beauty. The themes of her lyrics span from psychedelic imagery and fairytale characters to personal experiences, and those of friends and acquaintances. Freya's music is largely influenced by the Beatles, Nick Drake and the Velvet Underground, while she also takes inspiration from Syd Barrett, and more contemporary indie artists such as Eels and M. Ward. She is sometimes compared to Emiliana Torrini.

Surf City first came in to existence when bored friends Davin Stoddard and Josh Kennedy met at a party in Mt Roskill in 2004. Tired of the heavy avant-garde music that was prolific at the time Stoddard and Kennedy teamed up with Josh’s brother Jamie and Logan Collins to form the band. Originally called The Fibs and then Kill Surf City their fascination with fast guitar pop and the early '80s sound of Dunedin soon saw them develop their own unique and catchy sound.

Best Coast is a surf pop band which formed in Los Angeles, California, United States in 2009. The band consists of Bethany Cosentino (vocals, guitar), Bobb Bruno (bass, drums) and Ali Koehler (drums). The band released their debut album, "Crazy for You" on July 27, 2010 on Mexican Summer Records. The album debuted at #37 on the Billboard Hot 100. Beach blanket lo-fi pop from Bethany Cosentino, (formerly of Pocahaunted), inspired by Bethany’s longing for Los Angeles while spending her days in NY attending Eugene Lang College, Best Coast sprung forth during her first days back in California.

Chad Valley – the alias of Hugo Manuel – is part of the same Oxford collective, Blessing Force, that Fixers belong to, and there is a similar feeling of 60s music being given a shimmery modern electronic makeover. But maybe because there's just one of him he is able to give the project greater focus; there is no dilution, or sense of boxes being ticked, with Chad Valley – it's just one idea, gloriously stretched out over four tracks on his sublime self-titled debut EP; one long wave of luxuriant sound after another.