SXSW 2022 Preview: Part 1
Written by Julianna Smith on February 2, 2022
South by Southwest (or SXSW, as it’s abbreviated) is one of the biggest and best festivals out there.
Spanning a 9-day period (March 11-March 20) and showcasing over 300 artists, SXSW “celebrate[s] the convergence of the tech, film, and music industries” (sxsw.com). With a music festival, film festival, numerous conferences and exhibitions, and a comedy festival, SXSW guarantees something for everyone.
Among the 300+ artists performing this year, there are a few from Houston — and we at Coog Radio want to celebrate them. Here’s the list of Houston artists, from B-H (L-T will be in Part II).
Combining agitated instrumentals with vocals which combine a laid back flow and shout-speak tone, BBY Kodie is on several news outlets’ radars. See this article from Complex, or this one from Elevator Mag, or one from Gritty Vibes. You get the picture. BBY Kodie may be on the rise, and it seems that SXSW is one of his next big moves.
Dende juxtaposes his agile flow with mellow pop vocals, layered over tracks which feel like a medley of RnB, neo-soul, and pop. His Facebook says he takes inspiration from “John Legend and Kanye West…Passion Pit and Purity Ring.” If I had to pick, I’d probably compare his style to that of Daniel Caesar, Kali Uchis, and Rejjie Snow, too.
Combining his love for ’90s rap icons with the classic Motown and soul he grew up listening to (according to his Spotify “About” section), Doeman brings a genuinely unique spin to the rap scene. At just over 10,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, Doeman is still fairly undiscovered, but he’s got a great sound (and story!).
Dodie Miller-Gould of Lemon Wire wrote that Free Radicals “redefines serious jazz” — and I don’t know much about jazz, so I’m inclined to take her word for it. What I do know, though, is that their most popular song on Spotify is called “Trainyard Ska.” So if they are a jazz band who dabbles in ska, that’s pretty freaking cool.
Another rapper for the list is Guapo, who you might know better as “Mr. Put It On.” With over 4 million views on YouTube, “Mr. Put It On” got Guapo an IG caption shoutout from Lil Baby (“Call Me Mr Put It On …… The Way I Rock These Clothes,” it reads), and a shoutout in Houston Trend Mag, among other things. He’s also worked with Maxo Kream and Monaleo, as well as several other prominent Houston rappers.
Multi-instrumentalist Hamond makes music “that can’t be easily tied to a place or time” (quote from his Spotify “About” section). His music is an eclectic-pop mashup with RnB undertones. Fans of Alt-J, Glass Animals, Lucky Daye, and Japanese Breakfast may like his style.
If you want to catch the music festival, head to Austin any day between March 14-20. SXSW has got you covered.
Continue reading
