The Wonderfront 2024 Lineup is finally here, and as you can tell, we went deep this year. Our roster is full of spectacular and diverse music up and down the bill, and we want to take a chance to highlight some of the artists that you may not have encountered before. Below is a guide to some of our hottest FRIDAY (May 10th) music.
BAKAR:
Indie pop rock that is grounded in deep presence and connection with the groove. For the people who prefer their photos on film and like to sing along with their eyes closed in the sunshine. For fans of: Cage the Elephant, Dominic Fike, Dayglow, Daniel Caesar, etc.
It’s only fitting that Bakar’s first single was called Big Dreams, as not only has he exploded onto the indie pop scene with a ferocious lust for life that emanates in every note, but his music floats with a dreamy, infectious optimism that uplifts the heart. His keynote single Hell N Back is an undeniably summertime staple, but to call Bakar a one hit wonder would be a disservice to yourself more than anyone else. Songs like Alive! and The Mission show off Bakar’s peaks and valleys as a well-seasoned journeyman capable of bringing you along his ride, and Small Town Girl is an earworm that you’ll need some luck to get out of your head anytime soon.
PARIS TEXAS
Post punk rap that blends 90s grunge rock stylings with cutting edge modern lyricism. For the people who break skateboards in the passionate pursuit of landing their newest trick, and for those who will pick up their neighbor in the mosh pit. For fans of: Nirvana, JID, Joey Bada$$, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, etc.
Paris Texas has that rare, intrinsic quality about them. They bleed life from every pore. There is no denying it or escaping it, so you might as well stretch your neck before their show because your head will bang. FORCE OF HABIT, the ultimate song of their freshman album, released them onto the scene like bulls in a china shop. Their drunken flow ice skates through their Nirvana-esque instrumentals at times, yet songs like Everybody’s Safe Until… and PANIC!!! stare you in the face in a direct and energetic act of youthful confrontation.
SUDAN ARCHIVES:
Indie hip hop/pop inspired by both traditional African folk music and current Afrobeats, blending the stylings of a world class violinist with utterly unique and dance driven beats. For the people who notice and indulge in the flowers when they bloom, and for those whose tastes like to explore beyond the norm. For fans of: Kaytranada, Fred Again.., Erika Badhu.
Sudan Archives is perhaps the most indefinable artist on our lineup. Her uniqueness does not deserve a meek attempt at explanation from me, but it does deserve your time. Her soulful beginnings in Nont for Sale and Home Maker are a good introduction to her world, and now acquainted, one graduates to Come Meh Way and, finally, this epic ODESZA rendition of Selfish Soul.
PHONY PPL
Soul driven R&B that fuses hip hop and neo-jazz to move your feet and touch your soul. For the people who take a minute to step outside on a clear night, and who listen to their music loud with all the windows down. For fans of: Anderson .paak, Kaytranada, The Beatles, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Joey Bada$$, Hiatus Kaiyote.
The five piece r&b stylings of Phony Ppl treat every song as a journey in the same way a Parisian jazz band would, giving you so much more than the carbon copy filler that plagues so much of hip hop and R&B nowadays. Having been around and swimming through the underground since 2008, Phony Ppl have earned their due, maintaining a perfect balance between the evolution of their sound and staying truthful to what makes them most unique. Their biggest hit, Why iii Love the Moon, feels almost Shakespearian in its romanticism and yearning, and End of the Night may well be the modern definition of groovy. Their entire 2015 album Yesterday’s Tomorrow is deserving of a Sunday afternoon listen, if you have the time, but if you need convincing, then give the orchestral epic (reminiscent of The Beatles) Somehow a listen. Special note to their Friday collaborations, with On My Shit employing Joey Bada$$’s help, and Kaytranada snagging production credits on Warmest Winter.