The ultimate Dunk! 2014 festival line-up introduction

DunkfestivalWeb-210x210Updated: all bands in here now! Original story: Listen to and read about all announced bands on the Dunk! 2014 Festival in Belgium! 23 bands to discover here! The tracks selected in this blogpost should be a good reference on what to expect from each band. Be prepared for this great line-up! Top attractions: Motek, GIAA, The Seven Mile Journey, Sleepmakeswaves, EF,  Aesthesys and Steak Number Eight.

 

 

 

1. Alright he Captain - United Kingdom

Alright the Captain is a 3-piece band that plays very kinetic postrock / math rock. Lots of up-tempo tracks that should keep you alert. It's very experimental that differs from classic postrock and in a way, reminds me a bit of older Maybeshewill albums. Heavy bass-sounds.



 

2. Zero Absolu - France

This one-man-band from France leans towards post-hardcore, postrock and elektro with vocals. The music in cinunction with the vocals, have an American feel to it. Lots of loud tracks with aggressive vocals. His live performance is accompanied with video-feeds that should relate to all emotions during the show.



 

3. Steak Number Eight - Belgium

These guys were the first band I ever made an article about on this website. I saw them at Paaspop festival in 2011. This then very young band was a big surprise for me and they continued to develop their music in a hybrid of energetic hardcore / post-metal / sludge and postrock. This band is a sight to behold with upbeat tracks that should set the crowd on fire.



 

4. Alias Empire - Ireland

These guys from Ireland sound very electronic with some uptempo triphop beats and vocal powered tracks. They have a futuristic / artstic feel and I'm excited to experience if this band will get the crowd going. Not anyone's cup of tea, but after a couple of Postrock bands, this could be a welcoming diversion. Expect some nice visuals accompanying their music. Take a look at their beautiful website!



 

5. EXXASSENS - Spain

This will be a great way to get to know this band. I frequently see the name of this band, but I never delved into their music. This will be a nice opportunity. Upon first listening, they sound great. Melodic postrock with atmospheric elektro tunes and guitar riffs, combined with space elements, deliver a great sound. This track, Fallen, is epic.



 

6. Arms and Sleepers - United States

This duo from the States is pretty well known. The Dunk! crew should schedule this band when some fresh air and relaxation is needed. Funky, trippy, upbeat ambient sounds deliver great tunes for lounge bar-atmospherics and a breather after the hard stuff.



 

7. God is an Astronaut - Ireland

No introduction needed, I presume. Fantastic, ethereal spacy tunes with great guitars and elektro.



 

8. Indignu - Portugal

Get ready for some classic Postrock with a Southern Europe flavor. Distorted guitar waves, accoustic  / Spanish guitars and violins. A nice mix of soft and loud tracks, this band will deliver a steady performance to relax and enjoy.



 

9. Syberia -  Spain

Heayvy guitars and bass-thumping tunes, this band puts itself within the Postrock genre, but also has a definitive Post-Metal flavor.



 

10. Upcdownc - United Kingdom

Not only a cheatcode in the Sonic Games, but also a cool Postrock band form the UK.  They have a lot of tracks that are on the opposite side of the spectrum. Some loud, trashing stuff and some calming / soothing tracks. Every track has a nice melancholic feel to it, so this shoud be a diverse performance at Dunk! 2014.\



 

11. MOTEK - Belgium

Maybe the best Postrock band from Belgium, Motek is a band that had a great year and this experience will be cultivated during Dunk! 2014, I hope. Quality postrock with great atmosphere is the deal here. Could be one of THE bands on the Festival.



 

12. The Seven Mile Journey - Denmark

Wow, where did this band come from? Totally unknown by me, but after hearing some of their tunes, I'm going to buy me some digital albums! Fantastic emotional stuff with a dark atmosphere, sometimes develops in nice guitar works. Should be a moody live-set at Dunk! 2014 for the quiet listeners.



 

13. Industroika - Belgium

This is some weird mix of noise, pedal effects and guitars. Not my cup of tea, but hey, there's some really creative music in here. Could be fun to watch.



 

14. Sleepmakeswaves - Australia

A pretty big band in the scene, this will be one of the headliners of the show. Sleepmakeswaves create fantastic resonating postrock, that any lover of the genre will relate to.  Fist bumping guaranteed!



 

15. Lymbyc Systym - USA

Another band that pops up regularly in Youtube search results while trying to listen to some stuff of the cool The American Dollar Band. A nice mix of elektro, piano and positive tracks.



 

16. Le Seul Elément - France

Some heavy stuff from France. Not necessarily  loud guitars, but a hellish atmosphere in their ambient / drone and sludge sounding tracks. Should be an exhausting listening session, but in the right atmosphere, this will get you hypnotized.



 

17. Lost in Kiev - France

Like Motek, another band that had some great attention in 2013: meet Lost in Kiev. Cinematographic Postrock with highly atmospheric tunes ans spoken words. A great album that's free to download on Bandcamp, so give this one a good spin before enjoying them live at Dunk! 2014 festival!



 

18. Kerretta - New Zealand

Some heavy melodic Postrock from New Zealand. This three-piece band will give you a great time on stage.



 

19. Aesthesys - Russia

Another great band in the line-up of Dunk! 2014 festival. Great upbeat Postrock with some cool ambient / Vangealis-esque tunes. One to watch!



 

20. The Best Pessimist - Russia

Wow... great ambient and uplifting Postrock. This band will surely raise your heart while on stage. Very positive music in tight arrangements. Neo-classical stuff that should make for a great performance.



 

21. This Quiet Army - Canada

After the uplifting music from The Best Pessimist, here's This Quiet Army:  a one mans band with dark and grooming ambient / noise and soft metal tunes. Expect 13 minutes noise / drone stuff and 12 minutes almost post-metal tracks. A lot of diversity, all with a glooming atmosphere.



 

22. EF - Sweden

Well, for me this is one of the most anticipated bands for Dunk! 2014 festival. EF has a great  album history. Just listen to   Hello Scotland or their new album Ceremonies. Fantastic stuff. This album released next to GIAA Origins, but EF was constantly on my playlist. Lots of emotional tracks, nice vocal-work and fantastic instumental tracks and parts. Eager to see them live!



 

23. Nadja - Germany

Combine noise, shoegaze, stoner and some postrock and you've got Nadja. Dark atmospheres, some jazzy loops, some tracks more than 20 minutes long... In all: a rare combination that could be quite good live. I've got some slight Jesu  vibe.  Here's their newest track:



 

24. Mannheim

Dutch based Mannheim is pretty heavy. Combining Noise, powerfull drums and blazing guitars, should re-ignite you when your energy is low. Soms saxophone is a welcome addition. Can't decide yet if this is my cup of tea tough.

25. Ufomammut
Sonic Psychedelia, with some Roadburn / doom guitar vibes. That's Ufomammut from Italy. Much heavier than many other bands on Dunk. Dark vibes channeling through the atmosphere and should be programmed in the setlist when all is dark and drunk. That will be one hell of a journey.

26. And So I Watch You From Afar
A big name for Dunk! 2014, ASIWYFA... You know this band, I'm sure. You know this band because you owe it to yourself to know this band. Their new album is a bit lighter, some chanting vocals, but their ever hyper, kinetic, upbeat guitars and drums are still there. This is a band that should get the party started at Dunk.


 

27. Year of No Light
This announcement was pretty awesome if you ask me. Year of no Light is doom, stoner, post metal with dark, brooding themes. Listen to Vampyr, a mammoth in its own... or listen to their masterpiece: Ausserwelt. Fantastic, hypnotizing stuff.... Perséphone live... fingers crossed.


 

28. Tides from Nebula
Another fantastic name for Dunk!2014... Tides from Nebula. Loud, kinetic postrock but with great melodies and never shy of some nice elektronic tunes. Could be one of my top gigs on Dunk! 2014. Just listen to the track below!


29.Halo of Pendor
Swedish, one man project "Halo of Pendor" has a lot in common with the folk / singer-songwriter kind of sound, with some atmospheric ambient tunes.


Final comments

Phew.. it's  a wrap. I'm very excited about Dunk! 2014 festival, hope to see you there!

 

Tickets: http://www.dunkfestival.be/dunkfestival/tickets/

 

Cheers,

Berrie Goossens

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