Halina Rifai: Scots will go the distance at NY’s CMJ Music Marathon

MUSIC events and media company, CMJ Holdings Corp, continue the annual tradition of hosting their Music Marathon in New York.
By HALINA RIFAI
Published 30th Sep 2015, 13:07 BST

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Glasgow trio PinactGlasgow trio Pinact
Glasgow trio Pinact

The initial line-up includes several of my favourite Scottish artists. Hector Bizerk, Pinact, WOMPS and Garden Of Elks will be launching a sonic assault on NYC, each with their own distinctive identities.

CMJ Music Marathoh has been vital in the evolution and development of several musicians. Taking place between the 13th-17th October this year, it provides a notable platform for artists travelling from Scotland.

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All four artists will bring something unique to CMJ’s Music Marathon. Pinact will appeal to the slacker punk-pop lovers with their fuzzed-out angst; Womps’ face-melting fretwork and ferocious onstage antics make them a mesmerising presence; Hector Bizerk, among Scottish hip-hop’s best, are made up of frontman MC Louis and percussionist Audrey, who provides an unshakeable rhythmic backbone. Garden Of Elks, having, in my opinion, produced one of the strongest albums of 2015, will conquer the stage with ear-bleeding guitar riffs and untamed vocals.

John Lowis, aka Louis, and Audrey Tait of Hector BizerkJohn Lowis, aka Louis, and Audrey Tait of Hector Bizerk
John Lowis, aka Louis, and Audrey Tait of Hector Bizerk

• Listen to a Podcart-curated playlist of the Scottish bands heading over to CMJ Music Marathon

For some, this trip may be dismissed as something of no great importance, but it has to be stressed how significant this is. The world is a massive place and for these artists to be selected to play is not only a remarkable achievement, but it also illustrates how rich and accomplished Scottish music is.

I look forward to our stateside friends and CMJ attendees seeing some of what we have to offer. I couldn’t be prouder to live in a country that boasts such talent.

• Halina Rifai is a Glasgow-based writer for Scottish music blog Podcart, http://podcart.co/. For more information on CMJ Music Marathon, visit http://www.cmj.com/marathon/

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