ESG To Headline Sugar Mountain 2013

The Sugar Mountain boutique music festival is once again ready to take over a section of the Melbourne CBD in January 2013 and they have secured some mighty fine acts to kick their announcement off with a bang.

The main Sugar Mountain event will take place at The Forum Theatre on Saturday 19 January, though you will also be able to experience parts of the festival in venues such as ACMI, Rooftop Bar, Polyester Records and Melbourne Central throughout its duration.

The first musical acts on board for this multi-sensory event are impressive and intriguing, to say the least, here they are.

ESG, Action Bronson, HTRK, Kirin J Callinan X Kim Moyes, Laurel Halo, Peanut Butter Wolf, Woods

ESG

It might not necessarily have been ESG's intention to be as hugely influential as they have been since their self-titled debut EP dropped in the early-1980s, but they have played a huge part in the development of underground music all the same. The band, initially comprising of sisters of the Scroogins family, play kinda poppy, funky, polyrhythmic music that has been sampled heavily over the years, but deserves to be enjoyed in its natural state. Earlier this year the band announced their final ever tour and we weren't at all expecting they'd make it over here, so their inclusion on Sugar Mountain has us very excited indeed.

ACTION BRONSON

This is a guy who has just started his career as a rapper in the past few years, but has already proven that he's an underground hip hop voice not just highly indebted to the work of east coast legends like Nas, Ghostface Killah and The Chef himself, Raekwon, but a voice that will continue the east coast hip hop tradition with aplomb. Bronson, who just so happens to be an actual chef himself, hits Australia for the first time in 2013 and Sugar Mountain is the first date scheduled thus far.

HTRK

London-based Melburnians HTRK are one of the more acclaimed acts to come out of Australia in recent years and while they might not be household names, they're the kind of band that send a shiver up the spine of those in the know. They are back in Australia early next year for only the second time in the past half a decade or so and you can catch them on the big stage at Sugar Mountain.

KIRIN J CALLINAN X KRIS MOYES

We had nightmares after the release of this clip earlier in the year and we have been cursing the names of Kirin J Callinan – the musician responsible for WayTo War – and Kris Moyes who directed the video. The two of them are teaming up to deliver something (we have nmo idea what) for Sugar Mountain and we're shaking in our boots just thinking about what it might be. We won't miss it though, because if it's anything like their previous work it will be absolutely breathtaking.

LAUREL HALO

Brooklyn-based exponent of very palatable experimental electronica has elements of ambient, psych, techno, dub and pop music if you listen hard enough, but taken on face value it's just really stunning music. There is seemingly an equal amount of heart and intelligence in Laurel Halo's songs and we are intrigued to see how they will come across on the live stage.

PEANUT BUTTER WOLF

Somewhat of a stalwart of the hip hop game these days, Peanut Butter Wolf has the runs on the board to prove that he is worth seeing. His biggest claim to fame is the fact that he is the founder of the insanely amazing Stones Throw Records but he has a number of great records, mix tapes and compilations to his name that cannot be ignored. If you're interested in old school hip hop delivered with a new school attitude, then you need to get around Peanut Butter Wolf if you haven't already.

WOODS

Free wheelin' indie folkies Woods have been pretty prolific in their time together, dishing out generally pretty bright, pop-driven tunes that are packed full of interesting hooks. Another Brooklyn-based act, Woods make their trip to Australia fresh from the release of their new record Bend Beyond, which you can expect to see in record stores within the next couple of weeks.