Balloon Ascents are a five ­piece alt­-rock band from Oxford, with influences ranging from Mogwai, Tame Impala and Radiohead to Neil Young and The Beatles. Playing misty-­eyed melancholia over psychedelic math beats, as well as their more grooving J.J. Cale-­inspired material, they offer a truly unique glimpse into the musical melting pot of Oxford. Having played together since the age of thirteen, the band has recently emerged from their home­ built studio to much acclaim, hitting the 2014 hard with new material and hearts newly freed from the schoolyard.

Over the summer, Balloon Ascents embarked upon their first European tour, with over ten gigs across three countries, playing both acoustic and plugged in, recording sessions and playing at record stores, venues, cafes and living rooms across Europe.

This autumn, the band have been recording their debut EP packed full of songs from the European tour. They’ve also had a busy 2014 in general, playing over 50 shows, including five Sofar Sounds sessions (the band were picked for the ‘best of Sofar’ playlist with their performance of Aberration being ‘definitely one of our favourite Sofar performances’ according to Sofar sounds), multiple BBC Introducing radio plays, have done interviews & live sessions, and appearances at UK festivals including headlining the Oxford City Fireworks Display. During their recent (and biggest headline show yet) at the O2 Academy 2 in Oxford, the band announced their eagerly awaited debut EP, which will include live favourite ‘Cutout’ – the demo of which was included in Nightshift magazine’s top 10 songs of the year. The EP will be released in January 2015.

Duotone is the alias of songwriter Barney Morse-Brown, cellist with multi-platinum artist Birdy and BBC Folk Award winners the Imagined Village, Chris Wood, Eliza Carthy and Jackie Oates. Duotone’s new album Let’s Get Low, written at home on his narrowboat, reveals a songwriter who is unafraid to explore real-life experiences that are often hidden from view. His debut album Work Harder & One Day You’ll Find Her (2009) and critically acclaimed second LP Ropes (2011) saw Duotone navigating his way through the loss of his wife; Let’s Get Low, after two years in the making, presents a new perspective on his experiences and explores the meaning of home and his sense of place. He has made a remarkably optimistic collection of songs.

More information at www.tigmus.com