Lightspeed Champion (UK)

The Øya Festival hereby brings you an artist of whom much is expected in 2008. Lightspeed Champion is the new project of Dev Hynes, the guitarist of the now dissolved Test Icicles, a band that gained a lot attention a few years back with their explosive mix of screamo, punk, metal, and a timely dash of danceable rock. The only audible residue from those days, however, is the tendency to experiment with genres and sounds like they were costumes from a theater dressing room.
With the debut album ‘Falling Off the Lavender Bridge’, London-based Hynes has returned to his American roots (he was born in Houston), both physically and musically. The album was recorded in Nebraska, under the skilled leadership of Saddle Creek’s house producer Mike Mogis, also known as a member of and producer for i.a. Bright Eyes. This association is easy to hear, because the Americana-inspired sound is sprinkled with steel guitars, organs, strings, brass, and vocal harmonies.
British music mags like NME and Uncut have taken a fancy to Lightspeed Champion, and Mojo even included the band on their list of eight acts to watch out for in 2008. Come to Øya in August and find out just why!

www.lightspeedchampion.com
www.myspace.com/lightspeedchampion