Welcome To The Room... Haim

The cynic inside of me wonders if Haim, the new hotly-tipped 3-piece sister act from L.A., really deserved to win the BBC Sound of 2013 competition. In the Autumn, adverts for their Don't Save Me video were popping up all over Youtube, and that sort of exposure doesn't come without a foot in the door and the backing of a major label. 

Besides, being nominated for the Sound of... prize is somewhat of a poison chalice - Marina & The Diamonds anyone? - and Haim appeared to be well on their way to success already. That said, their debut single proper is the definition of an earworm, with a vibe so quintessentially Californian that it gives Fleetwood Mac a run for their money and leaves Katy Perry in the shade. The video (this decade's answer to Fragma's Toca's Miracle) completes the energetic atmosphere:

Notwithstanding the track's surprisingly poor performance (#32 UK, a low-charting first outing is seemingly par for the course for Sound of... selections), Haim have clearly got a knack for a good tune, and lead singer Danielle's Michael Jackson-esque vocal tics complete their Summery, familiar vibe. Just like their similarly infectious label-mates The Pierces, Polydor are bound to give their career more life than their tragic teen idol namesake, starting with their next single Falling:

First Aid Kit | Emmylou

Channelling the tight-knit harmonies of The Pierces and the wistfulness of a more mature Taylor Swift, up-and-coming folk sister act First Aid Kit are, shockingly, not from the American West but from Sweden. However, the video for their new single Emmylou (yes, Harris) does in fact hail from the deserts of California; a clip that ties in nicely with the country stylings of the track.

Johanna and Karla Söderberg (had I mentioned their names earlier the Scandi link would have been less scandalous) follow Katy Perry's lead with a reference to June and Johnny Cash, music's golden oldies du jour. Unlike The One That Got Away, the duo manage to balance out the twee with enough quirk to work - think Amy MacDonald's This Is Your Life crossed with yet another one of Bat For Lashes's dreams. As they trailer their second album The Lion's Roar, the two-piece asks: "just sing, little darling, sing with me". It shouldn't be long before the likes of Radio 2 will be taking them up on their offer.