For three days each year, Brighton's gaudy seaside tourist spots get taken over by The Great Escape - the UK's most comprehensive new music festival.
Like a British equivalent to SXSW, the event pitches up in every venue, bar, pub and outside space big enough to hold a few amps and a crowd, and promises to play host to an array of emerging talents that will go on to bigger and better things in the not-so-distant future.
Over the years, the festival has seen everyone from Foals, to The XX, to even Adele pass through its doors as mere young whippersnappers hinting at greatness, and this year's cast were no exception. Here are our top five acts of the weekend, who we'd advise you get to know sooner rather than later…
1. Jungle
Though the aura of mystery surrounding them might have helped Jungle secure a fair portion of early hype (the band released no press shots or interviews around their first singles and even still refuse to reveal their names), the queue stretching down the road for Jungle's heaving show was due to far more than just promotional tactics.
Easily the buzziest gig of the weekend, the group - who play live as a seven-piece - were an effortlessly sultry fusion of disco influences, killer guitar hooks, falsetto harmonies and a dash of soulful funk. If you can't dance to this, then you can't dance to anything.
Key tracks: 'Busy Earnin'', 'The Heat'
2. Fat White Family
This bunch of South London gutter-dwellers have slowly been gathering a devoted following since the release of their lascivious, moral-shunning debut 'Champagne Holocaust' last year. Their 2am show at The Great Escape, however, proved that the group have the real possibility of crossing over from niche, underground favourites to a genuinely big proposition.
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Stripped down to a grotty black thong and covering himself in barbecue sauce, frontman Lias Saoudi led the nearly 400-strong crowd singing back every word like he was inducting them into a cult. This is the sound of the underbelly going overground.
Key tracks: 'Touch the Leather', 'Heaven on Earth'
3. Superfood
Cramming so many people into a last minute basement gig that breathing seemed basically an impossibility, Superfood (birthed initially from the same Birmingham scene that's recently given us Peace and Swim Deep) put on one of the most celebratory shows of the weekend.
Their wide-eyed, free-spirited take on a host of '90s influences (think early Blur meets Supergrass) is all about ramshackle, youthful fun and the likes of recent single 'Bubbles' and sweetly doe-eyed new offering 'Meet Me in the Parking Lot' are as perfect a soundtrack to an impromptu, sweaty house party as they come. The quartet has a debut LP due later this year and we wouldn't bet against it being one of 2014's finest.
Key tracks: 'TV', 'Superfood'
4. Telegram
East London four-piece Telegram played two shows on the Friday and put more energy into that combined hour than most other bands could do in a week. Channelling a glam-rock-inspired '70s tip, but with enough spontaneous punk spirit to give it a careering, permanently-on-the-edge-of-collapse appeal, the band are a mesmerising tornado of wild stage presence, sassy riffs, 100mph drumming and dubious facial hair.
Add to that singer Matt Saunders' wonderfully Welsh, Gruff Rhys-ish brogue and the likes of forthcoming single 'Regatta' and early favourites 'Follow' and 'Folly', and it all makes for a beacon of excitement that's about as far from boring as they could possibly come.
Key tracks: 'Follow', 'Rule Number One'
5. Demob Happy
This bunch of Brightonites might be really new, but their band of testosterone-fuelled garage rock seems about as guaranteed a success as you can get.
Looking like Kings of Leon circa 2003 and hitting the golden sonic sweet spot between dirty, grunge-influenced rock 'n' roll and effortlessly catchy melodic hooks, they've already got more future hits up their sleeves than bands ten times their senior. Just trust us on this one.
Key tracks: 'Rattlesnake', 'Wash It Down'
Who were your favourite new acts to perform at The Great Escape this year? Leave your comments in the box below:
