A list of bands tipped to break through in 2020

Breaking2020

Y Delyn is an outtake from 'Angel'. The album turned out to be much too long for vinyl, and so this piece had to get the cut. I actually wrote the song, with original words, 2 or 3 years ago, back when I first thought it would be funny to make an album called 'Angel'. The words in this version are three verses of 'hen benillion' ('old verses'), and have the same metre as the words to 'Helynt Ryfeddol' and 'Angel'. One of the verses also makes a reappearance right at the end of the album, to a different tune. The title means ‘The Harp’, and each verse is about death, or disappearance, but in a poetic rather than bleak way. Merry Christmas! 

Y Delyn

Let's be honest, we've all dreamt of a Christmas Number 1—beating X Factor folk, novelty anthems, and nostalgic festive fun to the top spot this seasonal time. So bis, Art Brut, and your friends at Alcopop! Records are gunning for it this year! A classic Indie Pop anthem Christmas Number 1*.* In the Vinyl Singles Chart. Yes, it's the only chart that really matters, and the only chart you can possibly top with less than 500 copies, presuming of course that Oasis or Wizzard haven't stuck some f*cking reissue out...but they might not have? And in that case, we reckon we've got a little squeak at this. So let's bloody go. Top of the Pops and all that!

Make Your Own Kind Of Music

‘Freak Midwinter’ is a de and re-construction of 'Bleak Midwinter'. It’s playful dirty-sweet acid disco, capturing some of the bubbling chaos of the season, with echoes of Fat White Family meets The Moonlandingz. I started singing new lyrics to the classic Xmas song. It flowed and partied itself up!

Freak Midwinter

'Parting Gift' was recorded at ANU Studios with Matt Barnes, capturing the gentle chemistry of Skink, an instrumental improvisation trio from Canberra. The track drifts through moments of calm and quiet intensity, built from spontaneous interaction and deep listening between the players. It feels like a reflection — spacious, emotional, and unhurried. 

Parting Gift

'We Know That You Will' follows a guy trudging through Christmas cheer like it’s wet cement. His wife keeps telling him to lighten up, so naturally he does the opposite—cracking cold beers and taking moody night drives. It’s holiday spirit, just slightly dented.

We Know You Will

I’ve been playing this song live for a while now and It didn’t make the album that I’ve just finished so rather than let it rot away on my hard drive I’ve gifted it to you.

19th Symphony

I've Gotta Know is the first of three stand alone singles that I recorded with Jon Clayton at OneCat Studio. It's a jangly, punky, indie pop song about a situationship, and like the song 'Free Food' it has a 'talky' bit in the middle that is different every single time I play it. As with that song, we recorded this song totally live, including the lead vocal, just did a few takes, each version being a different length and with a different middle section, and then I picked one to layer a bit of acoustic guitar and jazz organ over and that was that. 

The next two tracks - 'Forever Your Love' and 'Oversea, Underland' - will be released early in 2026. I plan to record different, longer versions of each of them for the next album.

As with Here Comes The Actual Band, the Actual Band on these recordings comprised myself (vocals, guitars, a bit of keyboards), Mar K (The Ethical Debating Society and The Charlemagnes) on bass, Lily Rae (Fightmilk) on drums. 

I've Gotta Know

This year's festive offer is our take on The Kinks' 'Father Christmas' - the original packs in humour, massive guitars and a social message and I hope we've done it justice. Massive thanks to Joyzine Deputy Editor Paul F Cook for pulling all of this together, and to Toby, Aitch and Mansell for adding their talents into the mix. I'm also on it.

Mansell - Bass
Aitch - Bass / Bells / Vocals
Toby - Vocals / guitar
Paul Maps - Vocals
Baron Von Paul F Cook - Guitar / Vocals / Keyboards / Drum programming / production

Father Christmas

This track is on my second solo album Sleeping Dogs, due out in Feb 6th 2026. It has been in my live set for a while and though a strange on in the set, it is probably the most normal on the album. I love this song… an ode to how good chemistry leads to good things in ways that seem abstract at the time ! 

Things I Didn't Know Were There

'Mull Of Kintyre' doesn't actually mention Christmas, but it was a Christmas hit when I was little and always feels festive to me. Also, it's dead easy (and fun) to play, so when Chris and I had a bit of spare time in our first recording session this seemed like a great song to do

Mull of Kintyre

Tabloid Newspaper

Hotel Lux - Tabloid Newspaper

Sweetness

Written and recorded by The Novus
Produced by Gavin Monaghan & Liam Radburn @ Magic Garden Studios, Wolverhampton

Release date Feb 21st 2020

#jointhenoise / Vallance Records

FROSTY - FEBRUARY TOUR

01 Feb LONDON - Roadtrip & Workshop (Independent Venue Week)
02Feb COVENTRY - Coal Vaults @ The Tin with Demob Happy (IVW / DIY mag)
11 Feb LONDON - 26 Leake Street (with Blackwaters)
13 Feb LONDON - Old Blue Last (with The Clockworks)
19 Feb MANCHESTER - Soup Kitchen (with King Nun)
20 Feb STOURBRIDGE - Claptrap ('Frosty' hometown launch party)
23 Feb BRISTOL - Mothers Ruin
29 Feb LONDON - The Good Mixer (charity event unplugged)

The Novus socials all @ thenovusband

INSTA
https://www.instagram.com/thenovusband/
FB
https://www.facebook.com/thenovusband/
TWIT
https://twitter.com/thenovusband

Frosty

There's A Riot Goin' On - Management / promotion company based in London UK

Sweetness

Sink Ya Teeth

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