Funky Sounds From Across the Pond: Dylan Cartlidge Brings his Bass and His Afro to SXSW

CLICK HERE To Go Back To Blurred Culture’s SXSW Artist Page For March 13th, 2019

AUSTIN, TX- On March 13th, Antone’s hosted the AWAL Showcase featuring a slew of talented up and coming artists, the first being Dylan Cartlidge from Yorkshire, UK. His story is quite unique. He was featured in a BBC documentary last year about his home town and during filming he actually received an offer from Universal, quickly rising in popularity without releasing a single album.

The first thing you notice when Cartlidge takes the stage is that he’s a fairly large guy with absolutely killer afro. On this night he wore an electric shirt, and a bass guitar, and stepped onto the stage with two band-mates (on drums and keyboard). Everything about his appearance screamed “FUNKY”, and everything about his performance confirmed that.

His music was a blend of funk, hip-hop, and indie rock dominated by a heavy bass lines which made for a head-bopping array of music. He played a short catalog of released songs that include “Up & Upside Down”, “Higher,” and “Scratch, Sniff.” Cartlidge’s many musical influences can be heard in his own music. He has taken from a wide spectrum of genres and artists: 70’s funk, Kid Cudi, the Gorillaz and many more that make his instrumentals have very groovy beats.

His most recent EP called Monsters Under The Bed displays a full array of sounds and styles that make him a unique talent. Whether it’s singsong with a catchy hook in the title track, or a more lyrical rap approach in “Higher,” the EP shows a growth in Cartlidge as he’s able to showcase a variety of very entertaining music in a compact project. His signature bass guitar is prominent throughout the EP, yet he’s able to create songs with unique rhythms that are memorable and very fun to listen to.

Dylan Cartlidge may not yet be a household name here in the US but I think he certainly left his mark in Austin, Texas. The young and talented Yorkshire native toured with Darwin Deez last fall in the UK which I hope leads to some US appearances outside of SXSW. As far as I’m concerned, he’ll only become more popular as he releases more music and goes on tour. His charisma and talent is just that undeniable.

It was a pleasure seeing an artist in the infancy stages knowing how much potential he has and thinking about what he can become. Cartlidge’s performance at SXSW made me a fan and I’ll be sure to follow his career going forward. If you’re in the UK by any chance between July 26 and July 29^th, he’ll be playing at the Deer Shed Festival in Thirsk.

Follow Dylan Cartlidge on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

CLICK HERE To Go Back To Blurred Culture’s SXSW Artist Page For March 13th, 2019

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