Revealed: T Break '09 winners

Published on Thursday 4 June 2009 09:36

When it comes to getting yourself noticed, few showcases are as effective for Scotland's unsigned musical talent as T Break.

Every year at T in the Park, Scotland's biggest music bash, the winning bands are rewarded with a set in the T Break tent, in front of a whole host of potential new fans, music writers and industry scouts.

Almost 1,400 entries have been whittled down to just 16 by the judging panel, so here we reveal each winning act, with a few words on where they're from, what's been said so far, what they sound like, and how many MySpace hits they have (just as an at-a-glance indication of their current status).

• For more on the best up and coming music in Scotland, visit the Under the Radar blog

Tango in the Attic

From? Glenrothes, Fife

Hype? "The more I hear from them, the higher I rate them" - Vic Galloway, Radio 1

Sound? Vampire Weekend with Fife accents

MySpace hits: 68,244

Little Eskimos

From? Alloa/Yetts O Muckhart/Stirling

Hype? "We haven't stopped listening to the music since we've been off tour" - MySpace comment

Sound? Brash, wide-eyed indie-rock songs

MySpace hits: 23,434

Mike Nisbet

From? Oban, now Glasgow

Hype? "Your set was ace last night" - MySpace comment

Sound? Wearily uplifting singer-songwriter in the Stephen Fretwell mould

MySpace hits: 13,308

My Cousin I Bid You Farewell

From? Glasgow

Hype? "You can already imagine crowds singing with drunken glee" - Us

Sound? Unashamedly huge rock music with a delicate heart

MySpace hits: 39,639

The French Quarter

From? Stirling

Hype? "This band create the big sonic soundscapes loved by later Radiohead albums" - Daily Record

Sound? Brooding, ambitious post-rock of the quiet-loud-quiet variety

MySpace hits: 37,131

Punch and the Apostles

From? Glasgow

Hype? "One of the best live bands in the world right now" - Jim Gellatly, Radio Scotland

Sound? Stomping olde-world blues and folk, with sax and accordion

MySpace hits: 44,857

Ming Ming and the Ching Chings

From? Glasgow

Hype? "Ming Ming fuse the visceral horror-schlock stomping of The Cramps with Josef K's iconoclastic rumbling" - Us

Sound? See above, with added adrenalin

MySpace hits: 20,285

Dead Boy Robotics

From? Edinburgh

Hype? "Two fellas construct something wonderful out of the dance/ noise/punk/electro sound they've been building" - The List

Sound? Synth-fuelled electro for the XBox generation

MySpace hits: 12,133

Barn Owl

From? Glasgow

Hype? "You write lovely songs" - MySpace comment (And we've been meaning to feature them on the blog for ages - Ed]

Sound? Indie for grown-ups, with handclaps and stirring crescendos

MySpace hits: 35,342

We Are Trapped in Kansas

From? Ayr

Hype? "Scotland's most accomplished math rock act" - Us

Sound? Intricate, spindly guitars underscore yearning vocals

MySpace hits: 74,458

G1ft

From? Glasgow

Hype? "Shimmy Shake is big bro, like the eastern vibe" - MySpace comment

Sound? Ballsy hip hop with an exotic edge

MySpace hits: 14,294

Maple Leaves

From? Glasgow

Hype? "Nice harmonies you've got" - MySpace comment

Sound? Achingly sweet indie-pop with girl-boy harmonies

MySpace hits: 7,080

Gong Fei

From? Dundee

Hype? "Punky indie nonsense, for fans of Mclusky, Shellac, Hot Club De Paris" - Promoter

Sound? Skewed, propulsive indie-punk

MySpace hits: 5,177

Homework

From? Edinburgh

Hype? "Great gig there lads" - MySpace comment

Sound? Bass-heavy electro-rock crossover

MySpace hits: 3,273

Brother Louis Collective

From? Glasgow

Hype? "Louis and his collective are surely destined for a larger stage" - Sunday Mail

Sound? Polished indie with a Scottish accent, flute and piano

MySpace hits: 47,746

Popolo

From? Dundee/Glasgow/St. Andrews

Hype? "Incorporate dance music theory with rock practice to create concise blasts of breakneck pop" - TenTracks.co.uk

Sound? Math rock ambitions meet off-kilter guitars

MySpace hits: 36,145

T in the Park takes place at Balado, near Kinross, 10-12 July