Formation - Look at the Powerful People (2017)

South London-born electronic/dance group Formation drew early comparisons to LCD Soundsystem, despite forming some years after the big indie/electronic boom that LCD epitomized. Formation formed in 2013, at a time when the combination of soul, indie, and electronic music was more prevalent; in fact, their sound owed as much to bands from the previous generation -- such as LCD Soundsystem and Friendly Fires -- as it did to the U.K. house scene in the early 2010s and their indie/soul contemporaries, including Jungle, Blood Orange, and the Invisible, to name a few. The idea for Formation was originally conceived by twin brothers Will Ritson (vocals) and Matt Ritson (synths), although they quickly recruited Jonny Tams (bass), Sasha Lewis (synths), and Kai Akinde-Hummel (drums). Within a year, they had released their debut 12" in the form of a self-titled EP. 2015 was their breakthrough year, kicking off with their second EP, The Young Ones. That same year, they were invited to support Foals on their European tour. Soon after the tour, they released another EP, Under the Tracks, which featured their first big single "All the Rest Is Noise." They capped off 2015 with a Nomination for Best New Artist at the NME Awards. 2016 included a string of U.K. festival appearances and the writing and recording of their debut album, Look at the Powerful People, which saw release in early 2017. ~ Liam Martin.