The restrictions are finally gone and the festival summer is at the door. What’s better than artist releases in days three? We start our super week by stating that the world’s best Tame Impala [AYY] is ready as one of this year’s headliners at the festival. Pinch yourselves in the arm the best you want, it won’t change the fact that Tame Impala is coming to Way Out West in 2022!
Perfection has never sounded sexier than when one-man band Tame Impala’s great genius Kevin Parker patiently sits behind the dials. Sold-out venues, headline performances at mega festivals such as Coachella, Glastonbury and Lollapalooza Chicago, boundless tributes and collaborations with Kanye West and Travis Scott – Tame Impala has done most of it. In 2020, the fourth album “Slow Rush” came out and the thing was settled: Tame Impala is one of the best and most influential acts of the last decade.
The festival passes to Way Out West sell like butter in the sun and a clear audience record is in sight. If you haven’t secured your ticket yet, it’s time to do it now.
On Friday 18 February at 10.00 we will release a limited number of one-day tickets for Way Out West 2022. In connection with that, we will also tell you which artist is playing on what day. Hang on to the lock if you want to pinch any of them.
Tame Impala [AYY]. Perfection has never sounded sexier than when one-man band Tame Impala’s great genius Kevin Parker patiently sits behind the dials. And with the impeccable 2015 album “Currents,” the whole world understood it. In 2020, the fourth album “Slow Rush” came out and the thing was settled: Tame Impala is one of the best and most influential acts of the last decade.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds One of the planet’s most exciting and uncompromising live acts. Born out of the rubble of The Birthday Party and have today released 17 albums, the latest of which, Ghosteen, met all expectations and a little more. The band’s first gig in Gothenburg this century takes place with us in Slottsskogen.
First Aid Kit. A raw, almost primal ability to convey the power of music in its truest form. A gift that has bewitched Sweden not only, but the whole world. Sisters Klara and Johanna Söderberg sing to each other and we are invited to listen, it is a rare privilege.
Yung Lean. Genuine feelings are hard to overlook and a raw, unfiltered conveyor of true feelings is what has made Swedish Yung Lean a style maker in contemporary hip-hop.
Girl in Red [NO]. Raw talent, honesty and openness. With the long-awaited debut album ‘if i could make it go quiet’, Girl in Red has turned up the volume but remained true to her skinlessness.
Burna Boy [NGA]. His Afrobeats music with elements of both R&B and reggae (“afrofusion” he calls himself) has taken him to Coachella, to a sold-out Wembley Arena in London and an equally sold-out Partille Arena here in Sweden. Next stop: Slottsskogen.
The Tallest Man on Earth. A one-man power plant. Talk about getting a lot out with small funds. The concerts with The Tallest Man On Earth are filled with both energy and an unfiltered proximity. Just like the singer’s own figure on stage, Kristian Matsson’s lyrics are often in motion, the listener is taken on a tumultuous life journey. The music also never feels stagnant or petrified, often spreading it with life, hyper-awake sensitivity and a finger-picking forward movement on the guitar. The Tallest Man On Earth is one of our most long-lived and acclaimed music exports, constantly in demand in concert halls and at festivals all over the world for over a decade. But then he has the ability to get the audience’s full attention regardless of the setting or surroundings.
slowthai [UK]. He is funny and merciless, self-revealing and uninhibited. He makes fun of the upper class, the Queen and racists, but most of all his un euphemistic images from a Brexit-crisis British kingdom are among the most accurate right now. Growing up in Northampton, slowthai was a hyper-energetic semi-thug who, by his own admission, could have gone really wrong because if it had not been for the fact that he then came into contact with the music and in his punky grime had an outlet for all his pent-up zeal. Anyone who has seen his physical, intense, sometimes sparsely dressed live performances probably knows what we’re talking about.
Margo Price [US]. “Everybody wants to know / how I feel and what I think,” sings country crooner Margo Price midway through his third full-length “That’s How Rumors Get Started” released in 2020. Price – singer, songwriter, producer, guitarist and percussionist – doesn’t have his heart on the outside as casually these days. Since the 2016 debut, many people have wanted to know how Price feels and thinks, but instead of scooping it all out, she has created an album full of layers to get people to listen more carefully. We are extremely happy to welcome this songwriter to Slottsskogen next summer.
Sons of Kemet [UK]. There is an undoubted relevance of British Sons Of Kemet. The jazz supergroup led by iconic saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings takes aim at both body and mind as they deliver their distinctive blend of free jazz, African rhythms, Caribbean dub and tones from the Middle East. On the new album “Black To The Future” (2021), the theme revolves around the tragic death of George Floyd and the subsequent Black Lives Matter movement and the result is – as always with Sons Of Kemet – raw, melodic, intricate and explosive.
Ty Segall & Freedom Band [US] Ty Segall’s importance to 21st-century garage rock cannot be overstated. Restlessly, he has over 13 albums, several EPs, singles and countless collaborations continued to breathe life into the rock flame. Always raw, always on the move, never boring. On his latest album Harmonizer (2021), Segall experiments with synthesizer, creating a new chapter in his ever-changing catalog.
Nilüfer Yanya [UK]. Some debut albums are almost too good. Like British Nilüfer Yanya’s super-acclaimed, eclectic masterpiece ‘Miss Universe’ from 2019. Thankfully, it doesn’t seem to have been a coincidence. In 2020 came the equally amazing EP ‘Feeling Lucky?’ and earlier this year came ‘stabilise’, the first single from the upcoming album ‘PAINLESS’. We proudly welcome pioneering indie hopeful Nilüfer Yanya to Way Out West in 2022.
Arooj Aftab [PK]. With his breakthrough album ‘Vulture Prince’, Pakistani Arooj Aftab has created one of the best albums of the year. Inspired by jazz, Arabic poetry, classical Hindustani and people, she has built a hypnotic moving document of mourning for her younger brother who tragically recently passed away. We are extremely proud to welcome Arooj Aftab to Way Out West 2022.
AJ Tracey [UK]. West London’s own AJ Tracey doesn’t seem to have any restrictions. Grime, drill, pop, dancehall or garage – everything fits when the acclaimed rapper builds his multi-layered stories. Without the backing of record companies, he has built a large audience all over the world and with the new album “Flu Game” (2021) he cements his position as one of England’s most exciting rappers.
Kings of Convenience [NO]. “Quiet is the new loud” is not only the motto of Norwegian duo Kings of Convenience, but also the name of their influential 2001 debut album. Ever since then, they have remained faithful to the idea that great emotions can fit in small gestures. With their minimalist, almost whispering indie folk and their unfailing talent for songwriting, they’ve remained relevant for over 20 years. After a nine-year hiatus, they returned earlier this year with the acclaimed album “Peace or Love.”
Little Simz [UK]
British rapper Little Simz and her sylvassa pen have been hyped to the skies ever since she debuted in 2014. Living up to expectations of this kind can be crippling, but for Little Simz it seems to have acted rather as a driving force. Her third album, “Sometimes I Might Be Introvert” (2021), is her best yet. It is sincere, ambitious, important and absolutely brilliant and with it she cements her position as one of the greatest talents of our time.
Holly Humberstone. Remember that name. Few artists in recent times have made as big an impression in a short time as this 21-year-old singer-songwriter from Grantham. Over two EP’s – the most recent, The Walls Are Way Too Thin, released this year – Humberstone has introduced its personal songwriting to the world. And the world, it’s listened. In just one year, she has managed to amass over a staggering 100 million streams. The gig at Way Out West this summer will be her first in Sweden.
Bright Eyes [US]. Bright Eyes was formed by conor Oberst in Omaha, Nebraska. Along the way, Mike Mogis and Nate Walcott joined and became permanent members of the band, which for many years was closely associated with the Saddle Creek label. With a distinct mix of indie, folk, emo and punk, Bright Eyesett got a big following of fans via records such as Fevers and Mirrors (2000), Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground (2002), I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning (2005), Digital Ash in a Digital Urn (2005), Cassadaga (2007) The People’s Key (2011), Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was (2020) Mwn band was also influential. First Aid Kit said of Bright Eyes that “they were the reason we started making this kind of music at all”.
Black Country, New Road [UK]. Londonböridga Black Country, New Road är bland det hetaste du kan lyssna på just nu. Med ena foten i Slints monotona protopostrock, The Fall och Bad Seeds-gnissel, och den andra stadigt förankrad i samtiden representerar det här sex personer starka bandet något tämligen unikt på dagens musikscen. Efter att länge bara haft två släppta låtar (och i samma veva blivit utsedda till världens bästa band av The Quietus) kom i februari bandets debutalbum – unisont hyllade For the first time – och i februari nästa år kommer dess uppföljare Ants from Up There. Kommer det vara lika bra? Med det här gängets track record i åtanke är det en lågoddsare att tro det.
Anaïs Mitchell [US]. Hon har kallats en av sin generations främsta låtskrivare och en nationell skatt. Hon har headlineat spelningar världen över och haft sin musik med i mängder av årsbästalistor. Hon är en tredjedel av supergruppen Bonny Light Horseman, och under 2020 var hon en del av Time Magazines prestigefyllda TIME 100-lista. Anaïs Mitchell är den Vermont-baserade singer-songwritern som har gjort det mesta men som fortfarande inte är klar. Tidigt nästa år landar hennes första album sedan 2012 – ett självbetitlat giv skapat tillsammans med vänner från bland andra Bon Iver och The National.
Caribou [CAN]. Suddenly. Om du frågar oss är det titeln på ett av förra årets bästa album, tillika det första på sex år signerat Caribou. Räkna med eufori när Dan Snaith gör Way Out West.
Romy [UK]. Vanligtvis en tredjedel av The xx. Tanken att stå i Slottsskogen och dansa till ‘If this world comes to an end, I want to be there with you’ känns oerhört trösterik just nu. Detta blir ett DJ-set att minnas.
Fred again.. [UK]. På en bädd av ljuv electro och utifrån röstmemon, YouTube-klipp, fragment från dialoger eller videos från halvt bortglömda utekvällar skapar Fred again.. en mosaik av minnen, känslor och tankar. Hypen är redan igång, nästa sommar är det här vad vi alla dansar till.
Princess Nokia [US]. En möjligheternas symbol och en unik röst i ett tidvis strömlinjeformat musiklandskap. Med dubbelalbumet ‘Everything is Beautiful’/ Everything Sucks’ tog hon världen med storm och med den årsfärska nya bangern ‘It’s Not My Fault’ visar Princess Nokia att framtiden tillhör henne
Pa Salieu [UK]. De senaste två åren har minst sagt varit anmärkningsvärda för Englands hetaste nya rappare Pa Salieu. Från att tragiskt blivit skjuten i huvudet i slutet av 2019 till att ett par månader senare släppa den massiva singeln ‘Frontline’: ett stycke innovativ UK rap som fick kritiker och lyssnare att kollektivt kora Coventrys stolthet Pa Salieu till framtidens röst.
Bikini Kill [US]. Punkrockikoner! Bikini Kill, med Kathleen Hanna som kompromisslös och ojämförlig frontfigur, är ett av de senaste decenniernas mest banbrytande, spännande och stilbildande band.
beabadoobee [UK]. Londons nya indiehjälte. När hon släppte den sovrumsinspelade lo-fi låten Coffee 2017 hade hon säkert inte föreställt sig att hon kort efter skulle vara ett enormt internetfenomen efter att ha blivit samplad av en rappare. Efter det har hon släppt två EPs och 2020 kom det hyllade debutalbumet ‘Fake It Flowers’.
Kite. När biljetterna till Kites konsert på Kungliga Operan 2020 släpptes fick trycket sajten att krascha – två gånger. Det säger något om hängivenhet hos fansen till Sveriges bäst bevarade pophemlighet.
Jayda G [CAN]. Mer artist än renodlad discjockey. Musiken hon spelar i sina DJ-set – ofta en riklig portion av vintage-märkt disco, boogie och soul – brukar ha en betoning på upplyftande dansmusik fylld av vitalitet och energi.
Arab Strap [SCO]. I slutet av 90-talet var Skottland en indie-stormakt. Med band som Belle & Sebastian, Primal Scream och Teenage Fanclub betraktades det lilla landet som nästa Seattle. Bland dessa utmärkta band var Arab Strap alltid det mörkaste. Med sina konfrontativa, dekadenta texter – pratade eller sjungna på bredaste skotska – fångade Arab Strap den särskilda atmosfären i ett Storbritannien efter Thatcher med sina electro-akustiska beats.
Q [US]. Det är inte ett smeknamn eller en förkortning för något. Q är helt enkelt hans namn. Och likt hans namn är hans musik avskalad. Strippad från allt överflödigt. Den senaste EP:n ‘The Shave Experiment’ (2020) är fylld av sparsamt arrangerad alternativ R&B smyckad med en trollbindande falsett, elektriska gitarrer och ett ömt, själfullt berättande.
Michael Kiwanuka [UK]. Som nästan alla verkligt angelägna artister utplånar Michael Kiwanuka gränsen mellan det personliga och det politiska. I hans låtar och i hela vår värld hänger ju allting ihop. Tar du bort det ena blir det andra betydelselöst.
ARTISTER KLARA FÖR WAY OUT WEST 2022: Tame Impala [AUS] Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds [AUS] First Aid Kit Burna Boy [NGA] Yung Lean Slowthai [UK] Girl in Red [NO] The Tallest Man on Earth Kings of Convenience [NO] AJ Tracey [UK] Little Simz [UK] Michael Kiwanuka [UK] Caribou [CAN] Margo Price [US] Anaïs Mitchell [US] Holly Humberstone [UK] Arooj Aftab [PK] Sons of Kemet [UK] Fred again.. [UK] Black Country, New Road [UK] Romy [UK] Ty Segall & Freedom Band [US] Princess Nokia [US] Pa Salieu [UK] Bikini Kill [US] Nilüfer Yanya [UK] beabadoobee [UK] Kite Jayda G [CAN] Arab Strap [SCO] Q [US]
Med reservation för eventuella ändringar. Fler artister tillkommer.
