Truck Festival preview

Recalling the hippy slogan 'think global, act local' Truck festival has consistently championed acts local to its Oxford region who've then gone on to big things. Before the Steventon farm event we can be sure some star Oxford acts will light up the festival firmament and beyond - here are our top tip.

Flights of Helios
While this enigmatic Oxford act have only two soundcloud tracks thus far to boast of their version of a traditional Irish lament nevertheless strikingly juxtaposes space bound disconnected yet soothing Spiritualized ambience with full chested vocals replete with authentic folk inflection. Evocative, mysterious stuff which suggests a potential Truck highlight as well as a passage straight to BBC 6music's Freak Zone.

Fixers
Fixers meanwhile should provide the perfect woozy dream pop drenched in enough echoing Beach Boys memories to fill a whole canyon.

Spring Offensive
Penning lyrical vignettes where suicides climb into rivers the colour of lead, Spring Offensive have hearts of C86 era bedsit misirabilists whilst still providing a tonic for the troops with some spry indie guitar music. As this sometimes slides into frostbitten folk textures reminiscent of Gravenhurst and epic foreboding recalling I Like Trains their sound has a classy edge of the pensive kind.


Robots with Souls
Robots with Souls meanwhile may be a one man band Oxford answer to Nine Inch Nails. With grinding guitar textures as corrosive and industrial as Neil Young's 'Hey Hey, My My' except dipped in biohazard, shouty, angst ridden vocals give a stadium lift. Live rust indeed!