Huge headliners like Eminem and reunited Outkast draw enormous crowds to Chicago’s Lollapalooza, but it’s the dozens of name in smaller print that make it a truly diverse, cutting-edge festival.
They’re also why music festivals are such a fantastic place to expand your musical palate by learning about new music. Thanks to the slew of top-notch releases last year and the first quarter of 2014, tons of talented new acts and established favorites are performing new work while touring all over the country. As always, dozens of the best of them are stopping in Chicago for Lollapalooza. Let's not let them get overshadowed by the big names and all-star reunions this year. Whether you’ve had your fill of EDM, gotten sick of pop radio, or just want to learn about new music, here are ten awesomely eclectic artists you can most likely catch away from the main stage at Lollapalooza:
[new page = 10. Parquet Courts]
Brooklynite punks Parquet Courts have earned lots of attention in the past few months for their rudimental garage rock sound that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Generous amounts of distortion and feedback fuse their catchy riffs and almost-spoken vocals into mosh-worthy songs that exude who-gives-a-damn ennui. That ‘tude promises to make Parquet Courts a thrilling afternoon show that’ll get attendees totally psyched for the rest of the day’s acts.
[New page = 9. Darkside]
The new project of downtempo musician Nicolas Jaar and multi-instrumentalist Dave Harrington, Darkside slings smooth, minimalistic disco. The duo made a name for themselves by releasing chilled-out remixes of every track on Daft Punk’s much-talked-about Random Access Memories under the moniker Daftside before releasing their fantastic debut LP Psychic. Using heavy amounts of reverb, pitch shifting, slick guitar jams, and incredible synthesizer tricks, their music conjures the feeling of a beautiful nighttime walk through New York City in the rain.
[new page = 8. White Denim]
White Denim’s jam-based recordings and homemade Austin studio make this band a true bedroom rock act. Though they’ve been releasing music since 2008, they’ve only recently gained significant attention for their 2013 US tour with psych rock superstars Tame Impala. One listen to their bluesy jams pulled straight out of the ‘70s and you’ll wonder why it took them so long to get the recognition they deserve.
[new page = 7. Chance The Rapper]
Chance The Rapper got his start when 10 Day, a free fourteen-track mixtape that he released after a two-week suspension during his senior year of high school, caught the attention of Forbes and fellow hip-hop artist Childish Gambino. Chance is best known for his great, soul- and jazz-inspired mixtape Acid Rap (also completely free!), which has earned him attention all over the music media. The whiny-voiced musician has also been busy collaborating with the likes of Childish Gambino, Skrillex, and even Justin Bieber.
[new page = 6. Flume]
Flume is the breakout act of Australian producer and DJ Harley Streten. His self-titled debut’s mix of hip-hop, R&B, garage, and chillout earned him plenty of attention at home and across the Pacific in the United States, and for good reason. His genre-bending music captures all the tension and excitement of dance music in a less overblown package.
[new page = 5. Warpaint]
Warpaint is an LA-based, all-female rock band that’s sure to draw big crowds with their dreamy, psychedelic sounds. On their new self-titled second album, liberally applied guitar and vocal effects create darkly atmospheres that are propelled forward by cool disco-like drumming. It’s a mystifying experience that’s sure to make an incredible nighttime show.
[new page = 4. Jagwar Ma]
Hailing from Sydney’s lively electronic music scene, the Australian synthpop duo Jagwar Ma light up the room with funky basslines, colorful electronics, and a heaping portion of reverb in the vein of bands like MGMT and Yeasayer. Their debut album Howlin’ dropped on January of this year to critical acclaim thanks to the duo’s ability to combine accessible pop songwriting and experimental ideas into rad, psychedelic-inspired synthesizer jams that are impossible not to dance to.
[new page = 3. London Grammar]
You might recognize London Grammar from their feature on the heady Disclosure track “Help Me Lose My Mind.” The easy slowjams, beautiful vocals, and gentle instrumentation on last year’s If You Wait make them a great group for those wanting to take things down a notch in between higher-energy sets. Even better, their Sunday timeslot makes London Grammar’s laidback stylingsthe perfect medicine for the inevitable hangovers from the previous days’ debauchery.
[new page = 2. Blood Orange]
Blood Orange is the solo project of British musician Dev Hynes, who turned heads with his New Wavy R&B on last year’s excellent Cupid Deluxe. Hynes has made a name for himself in the music industry by writing and producing for the likes of Florence + the Machine, Solange (the more soft-spoken sister of Beyonce Knowles), The Chemical Brothers, and Sky Ferreira. His sexy new album is as star-studded as his resume, with contributions from Dirty Projectors’ David Longstreth, Chairlift vocalist Caroline Polachek, Clams Casino, and others.
[New page = 1. Cut Copy]
Cut Copy has been setting dance floors aflame since the release of their instant classic In Ghost Colours in 2008. The Australian four-piece seamlessly blends house music, synthpop, alternative rock, and indie pop into vivid danceables with unique indietronica sounds. Their latest and most straightforward release yet, last year’s Free Your Mind, brings 1967 Summer of Love-inspired bangers to their already-amazing concerts, which the band truly performs live using guitars and analog synthesizers. Seriously, for anyone planning on getting down at Lollapalooza, Cut Copy is not to be missed.