Known for their distinct fashion sense— Victorian-era punk rock attire with evident Baroque pop influences—the band has swiftly garnered attention for their theatrical and maximalist approach to music. Meeting during fresher’s week in London three years ago, the journey from their first gig, which drew an audience of 20, to supporting the Rolling Stones in Hyde Park reflects their meteoric rise within just three years.

Lead singer Abigail Morris expressed disbelief, saying, “This doesn’t feel real. Has anyone got a pillow I can scream into?” Adding a touch of humour, Guitarist Lizzie Mayland remarked, “We’re going to have to do a collective sob.”

The band faced strong competition from artists like pop-soul vocalist Olivia Dean, renowned DJ Peggy Gou, South African sensation Tyla, and soulful talent Elmiene in the Sound of 2024. The selection process involved a discerning panel of more than 140 industry experts and artists, featuring names like pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo, British singer-songwriter Declan McKenna, and the electronic duo Chase & Status.

Having clinched the prestigious Brits Rising Star prize in December, the BBC Sound of 2024 stands as another noteworthy milestone for The Last Dinner Party. The band recently faced and dismissed rumours of being “industry plants,” with their unique style and gothic ballads standing testament to authenticity.

The Last Dinner Party, consisting of Abigail Morris, Lizzie Mayland, Emily Roberts, Georgia Davies, and Aurora Nishevci, are set to release their debut album, ‘Prelude to Ecstasy,’ on February 2. Their February headline show at London’s Roundhouse on the eve of the album’s release (February 1) is already sold-out. Still, for those eager to catch them live, the band is embarking on a UK and European tour in the coming weeks, with tickets available for purchase here.

pic.twitter.com/bA6LVFCRMd

— XL RECORDINGS (@XLRECORDINGS) January 1, 2024

Burial’s most recent release, Infirmary/Unknown Summer was in collaboration with Steve Goodman, also known as Kode9. The 2023 EP takes a more ambient approach, featuring spoken word sections, laid-back beats, and pitch-shifted vocals. In comparison, the new work teased by XL Recordings is aggressive, noisy, and raw. The clips feature distinctly different sounds from the ones produced with Kode9. This tonal shift may explain the change in label, a step away from the relaxed 2023 EP. Although the South London producer is currently signed to Hyperdub Records, owned by Kode9, Burial has worked with XL in the past. 

In 2020, Burial teamed up with XL, Kieran Hebden, better known as Four Tet, and Thom Yorke on two tracks titled ‘Her Revolution’ and ‘His Rope’. Since XL Recordings hosts a wide range of electronic producers, it is not out of the question that we may be getting another collaboration from Burial and another XL signed artist. Some of the major producers currently signed to XL Recordings are Overmono, a Welsh duo made up of Ed and Tom Russell, and Peggy Gou, a South Korean DJ and producer whose real name is Kim Min-ji. A potential collaboration between Overmono and Burial may seem more likely than some would think, with the glitchy aesthetic of both teaser videos matching that of the Overmono brand. 

We can speculate all day but all we currently know is that Burial is working on something new with XL Recordings. 

Luke Huxham of Broadwick Live has given the following statement concerning the festival’s birthday, “We always wanted our 15th anniversary to be our best ever, and it was incredible to celebrate this milestone with so many people in our spiritual home of Victoria Park. Connecting the best artists in the world, both living icons and meteoric talent, with passionate audiences through the power of live music is why we love what we do.”

Over the years, All Points East’s Field Day has evolved into an event committed to Dance and electronic music. This year’s Field Day lineup further confirmed such a reputation when pioneering groups Chemical Brothers and Kraftwerk 3D took to the London stage. German masters of the electronic genre, Kraftwerk were first to take the stage at Victoria Park. Their Field Day show was one of the concluding performances of their 3D tour and saw the duo bring their unique brand of dance music and kaleidoscopic visuals to the capital. Their set included many of the group’s beloved hits including “Trans-Europe Express”, “The Model” and “Tour De France”.

Set times for the East Stage today at @fielddaylondon – we’ll see you there! #chemicalbrotherslive pic.twitter.com/KWT0NpdwWA

— The Chemical Brothers (@ChemBros) August 20, 2022

Billed to close this year’s Field Day was The Chemical Brothers, the English dance-electronic outfit made sure to pull out all the stops within their set. Their headlining performance was packed with hit singles such as “Galvanise”, “Swoon” and “Star Guitar”. Speaking on the group’s set, CEO and Field Day organiser Gareth Cooper has stated, “That was bigger and better than anything London has seen or heard this year. The Chemical Brothers’ unmissable live set shows why no act has had a bigger impact in UK electronic music, both here and internationally. The Chemical Brothers really showed London how it’s done!”

During the day, those in attendance were treated to a long list of artists who performed across the six stages. Also billed to appear at yesterday’s event were Peggy Gou, Bklava, CICI, Daniel Avery, Eliza Rose, Erol Alkan, a DJ set by Fjaak, Floating Points, Emerald B2B Jossy Mitsu, Helena Star, Kareem Ali, Logic 1000, Luxe and Mary Anne Hobbs.

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After moving to Brockwell Park for 2018 and Drumsheds for 2019, they are moving back to their old stomping ground of Victoria Park in East London for the 15th anniversary. They first returned to the famous Victoria Park in 2021, which represented a homecoming after they missed out on Summer 2020. The 2021 edition sold out in February, even when the UK was deep in lockdown with no end in sight, showcasing the festivals popularity in the scene.

The previous time the festival was held in Victoria Park was 2017, a day which hosted an impressive variety of acts including Death Grips, Flying Lotus, Run The Jewels, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, and a headline act from Aphex Twin at the massive Barn stage.

Acts to perform at 2022’s Field Day include Floating Points, HAAi, Kareem Ali, Otik, and Tourist, as announced in November last year alongside the headliners, Kraftwerk and The Chemical Brothers.

A few artists on this line-up are returning acts, such as Moodymann who performed at the 2017 edition and Floating Points who performed a live set at the 2019 edition in Brockwell Park.

On their website, Field day revel in their return: “Field Day festival is set for a glorious homecoming, with Victoria Park in East London unveiled as the location for this year’s anticipated show. Taking place on Saturday 20th August 2022 as part of the APE Presents programme, the festival will showcase some of electronic music’s most revered artists.”

Gareth Cooper, Field Day’s Director, said: “Off the back of a successful year last year, we’re delighted Field Day is returning to Victoria Park to celebrate its 15th edition.

“This year will be our biggest yet and we’re excited to welcome two of the most iconic acts in the history of electronic music to the festival, as well as a selection of the most ground-breaking artists in the industry.”

Tickets for the festival have been on pre-sale since November and are already on their fifth release, although these tickets are now likely to sell out after this new line-up announcement. You can buy tickets on their website here.