Did you think festival season was over? The weekends of smuggling cans in your jeans while traversing fields may have been and gone, but there is one last hurrah in the calendar. Sheffield’s Float Along has been building a reputation as one of the best ‘one-day’ festivals around, and this year’s lineup cements their spot as a champion of the best new music going.
The Float Along lineup is jam-packed with fantastic artists, each taking up a slot in some of the Steel City’s best rooms: don’t panic, Howl are here to hand-pick the very best of the bunch.
TTSSFU, Leadmill Steel Stage, 3:30pm:
TTSSFU is one of Manchester’s hottest prospects: having worked their way up the ladder of venues and support slots, there are huge things on the horizon for Tasmin and her band. Their brand of melodic dreampop and shoegaze is a real winner, and with crowds and hype growing by the day, catching TTSSFU at Float Along will earn you serious ‘I was there’ points in a few years.
Howl Spotlight: Studio 54
Honeyglaze, Leadmill Steel Stage, 8:15pm:
Their sophomore record, Real Deal lands this week and Honeyglaze are riding the crest of a wave. Having blossomed from their melancholic indiepop beginnings, Honeyglaze’s new record sees them taking on shoegaze and muscular post-rock sounds to great effect. The record is sensitive and personal, but brash and loud in equal respect. Honeyglaze are not to be missed.
Howl Spotlight: Don’t
Formal Sppeedwear, Sidney & Matilda Factory, 4:30pm:
Formal Sppeedwear are borne out of the weird and wonderful Windmill scene, borrowing angular post-punk sounds from their contemporaries, FS combine the frenzied technical post-punk of early Black Midi, Squid and BC,NR with furious drumming and impressive guitar work. For fans of Speedy Wunderground-esque post-rock, Formal Sppeedwear are one to catch.
Howl Spotlight: Bunto
Dog Race, Corporation Room 2, 4:30pm:
Dog Race have found success with their formula of avant post-punk, blending traditional chunky percussion with brilliant bizarre synth and electronic parts.Single ‘The Leader’ saw them shoot up the 6 Music playlist: Dog Race are without doubt hot property right now, and their live shows have grown the band’s cult following.
Howl Spotlight: The Leader
Antony Szmierek, Leadmill Main Stage, 7:45pm:
Dance music’s answer to John Cooper Clarke is taking up residence at The Leadmill: his unique mix of hip-hop, garage and poetry is a real winner, and Szmierek has worked his way through bigger rooms, higher festival spots and regular radio play. The man has a knack for finding the beauty in the mundane, and when mixed with his musicianship, it's simply unmissable. He’s even doing a Q&A with the legendary Steve Lamacq earlier in the day (6:30pm at Sidney & Matlifa Gallery).
Howl Spotlight: Rafters
Shame, Leadmill Main Stage, 9pm:
Your headliners for Float Along ‘24 are the mighty Shame. Three albums deep and Shame are an established concern these days: muscular post-punk has given birth to more avant garde and experimental work on their latest effort, 2023’s sensational Food For Worms. Shame have a penchant for incendiary live shows, and following new music shows at Brixton’s legendary Windmill, their Float Along headline set is bound to be one for the ages.
Howl Spotlight: Six-Pack