The student musicians taking over the Brighton music scene

Brighton is home to an incredibly active music scene, filled with musicians who are trying to break barriers and make a name for themselves. Here are several amazing up and coming student musicians  you can say you were listening to before they got famous…and actually mean it.

The Stealers

Formed in August 2019, this three piece post punk band are taking the music scene by storm. Their sound is largely inspired by rock and punk music but they also enjoy incorporating each others unique taste into their music. This ranges from bassist Junior’s liking for Limp Bizkit, or their drummer Noah taking inspiration from techno music. Creatively, songs vary in how they are produced but it usually starts with the band in one room going off of one riff, or just generally jamming together.

Another aspiration of them is to work with producers such as Kenny Beats, Jim Abbiss, Rick Rubin and Run the Jewels. They have just released their latest single “She Said” on all streaming platforms and sold out their single release party that took place earlier this month. You can expect a heavier sound from future tracks, but still with the signature fiery Stealers sound. The band is very proud of their festival debut over the summer at Isle of Wight, and The Alt Escape, as well as having their latest single played on BBC Radio 1. They are hoping to continue to play gigs, and festivals and release more music to be played on radio in the coming months. The Stealers are here to stay, so stick around as you are definitely in for a treat.

You can follow The Stealers on Instagram to see their latest updates (@thestealersband), and listen to them on Spotify and Apple Music.

Photo credits to Angus Butcher

FLOWVERS

Pronounced flow-verse, this foursome was first brought together by both old and mutual friends. Musically, they first took inspiration from bands like The Stone Roses, Smashing Pumpkins, and Slowdive but started to lean into a more classic punk sound, similar to that of The Clash, or Fontaines DC. Don’t expect the same thing twice is what they would tell potential new listeners, especially since FLOWVERS do not necessarily have a specific genre that they identify with, and use a mismatch of sounds to create fun music that people can have a dance to. Each song is unique to the last, and FLOWVERS do a good job of combining all of their varying musical interests and moods to create something. By doing so, they hope that their audiences would find at least one song from the band that resonates.

When making music, it usually starts with an initial idea that is brought to rehearsals and then they grow the idea from there. Then, the band goes through the motions of polishing, refining, and finding a solid structure, as a group, over the course of a few weeks. “It’s a very collaborative process – there’s no individual driving ego in the band,” is what Henry, the bassist, said when asked about the creative process, “it’s really just four individuals with their own taste that bring something to the table and we all have fun doing so.” Looking forward, they’ve got a couple new single releases in the next few months, all leading up to their EP release in the new year, which they all describe as “the best collection of songs that they have ever put out.” FLOWVERS also have a headline show in Brighton on 19th December at Green Door Store, followed by a show in Portsmouth on the 23rd December.

You can follow FLOWVERS on Instagram to see their latest updates (@flowversband). Be sure to listen to them on Spotify, Apple Music and all other streaming platforms.

Photo credits to Hadyn Gwyn

Osk

Oskar Cunningham, otherwise known as Osk, grew up around musicians and music. With his dad being a drummer himself, and his mum working with Paul McCartney (who he affectionately refers to as ‘Uncle Paul’), being in the creative industry was really a no brainer for him. It wasn’t until lockdown when Osk really started to follow his passion for making music. Whilst being largely inspired by Tupac and hip hop in general, Osk pulls from different genres and finds inspiration all around him when creating music. “From the scratch” is how he describes it, where instead of taking samples as other hip hop artists do, Oskar creates his own sounds based on what is around him using different instruments, beats, percussions etc.

Being part of the creative process from beginning to end means he really takes the time to make the songs, mixing, recording and mastering, and he is very proud of each song he creates. Most especially, his EP, “Kismet” which he describes as an introduction to Oskar, his life and to the music scene. He describes himself as ‘a platform’, not just for him and his music, but for those around him as well. Osk has an EP expected in December called ‘Burning Palo’. Comparing this to Kismet, Oskar describes this as a way to showcase the talented people he works with day in and day out. Filled with songs that describe their day to day lives, it is also about healing and embracing your emotions and vulnerability.

You can follow Osk on Instagram to see his latest updates (@oskmuzik), and listen to ‘Kismet’ and all of Osk’s songs on Spotify, Apple Music and all other streaming platforms.

Photo credits to Harry Murugan

The Loose Fits

The Loose Fits are still relatively new to the music scene, but are already making waves as they go. They interpret their band name as something that defines them — loosely fitting into multiple genres and sounds. Musically, they take a lot of inspiration from other four piece bands like The Beatles. Individually, they like to bring each of their own music taste to the table when it comes to making music as a band. They describe themselves as an indie folk rock band, but lately have been leaning into a heavier, more high energy sound especially when performing live shows. Most songs start with Joe and/or Shi (both guitar and vocals) having melody, chords and lyrics and then they show the rest of the band, Sophie (drums) and Dan (bass), and the four work together to build the song from there. It’s a very collaborative effort, from start to finish, and takes a lot of trial and error to find something that fits well.

The Loose Fits are most proud of their headline show at Green Door Store which happened on the 3rd November, as well as their debut album, Why Is It Always Wednesday? They have also just headlined a show at XOYO in London. Follow them on Instagram to see when they announce the release of their upcoming EP.

You can follow The Loose Fits on Instagram to see their latest updates (@theloosefits), and listen to their debut album on Spotify, Apple Music and all other streaming platforms.

Photo credits to Andrea

Atlantean

Otherwise known as Nathan, Atlantean considers himself a ”multimedia artist”. He is a rapper, producer, and a graphic designer, creating cover art for friends like Oskar. His moniker is largely based on old civilization, but is also an homage to his hometown. Hailing from St. Helena, a tiny island in between Africa and Brazil, Nathan hopes to use his platform to put St. Helena on the map. Whilst the island has a rich culture, there is not much cultural artifacts to show, meaning he only has his experiences and memories to remind him of home. He hopes to bring his St. Helenian experiences back, while also showcasing it to the world.  Growing up he gravitated towards old country music and old reggae music.

When he makes music, he takes inspiration from classics, but mostly soul and R&B. Music to him is all about telling the truth and being honest, and Atlantean often looks around and within himself for inspiration. Sonically, he likes the expressiveness of soul music as it gives a lot of space for ideas to flow. He views his music as something that is all about supporting others, and aims to break away from typical UK drill sounds. Looking forward, he is excited about the collaborative project he has coming up with Oskar as well as other artwork he created for upcoming releases.

You can follow Nathan on Instagram to see his latest updates (@atlantean___). Be sure to stream his song with Osk, “Suga” out now on all streaming platforms.

Photo credits to Harry Murugan

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• We asked Sussex’s international students about their biggest culture shocks 

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