encore introducing ~ shannon wardrop

Name: Shannon Wardrop
Genre: Indie
For Fans Of: Nico, Courtney Barnett, Warpaint
Location: London//Maidenhead
Facebook//Twitter

It's rather difficult to pin down exactly what Shannon Wardrop is. Fusing the pinnacle of 60's blusey-pop, with  (at times) Tame Impala inspired psychedelia and everything in between, she's certainly not an artist scared of pushing the boundaries. Nor should she be ~ uncovered by Encore NI after a haunting cover of The Kinks classic 'Waterloo Sunset', Wardrop's falsetto is a hark back to the Great British songstress' of another age, the ease of which she shifts through the gears of her own voice truly hypnotic.

Whilst there is an undoubted nostalgic quality to Wardrop's voice, her songs sound neither dated nor worn. Instead tracks like 'Cloud Nine' carry a rockier element, part Courtney Barnett, part Warpaint. What we're left with is a young artist with a near complete sound. 'Meet Me By The Waterfront' is a hazy build of atmospheric guitar, channeling the pop sensibilities of The Ronettes through the tear stained eyes of Lana Del Ray. It's maudlin charm never forced upon the audience, as it's simply allowed to be. 'Medicine' see's her guitar-driven influences return to the surface, as Wardrop tells of 'Conversations with herself' and being 'stuck in reverse'. 

From listening to Shannon Wardrop, it's quite clear she was born in the wrong century. In a modern musical landscape dominated by money and auto-tuned voices, we should feel very lucky she has been.

Taylor Johnson

Check out Shannon Wardrop's cover of 'Waterloo Sunset' for BBC Introducing & her original song 'I Got You' below⁞►