West Holts is the outernational rhythm hub of Glastonbury, taking you on a journey from spiritual jazz and neo soul through cosmic disco, dance queen divas, breakbeat culture , afrofunk, reggae, hip hop, psychedelia and music that defies any categorisation at all.
This year’s West Holts mix and poster are below, as well as a full guide to all this year’s offerings…
Mix by West Holts DJ Dave Smeaton
FRIDAY
Sofia Kourtesis
Although the Peruvian DJ and producer relocated to Berlin to find acceptance for her queer identity, her latin roots are central to her creative spirit. Her much-loved album, Madras, features Afro-Peruvian percussion, sampled street protests from her native Lima and even a rare guest appearance from Manu Chao. However, it’s the four to the floor pulse of Berlin that propels her sound and has delivered her a global audience. Live she exudes a possessed exuberance that is as irresistible as her shifting rhythms.
Asha Puthli
The queen of cosmic disco, Asha left her native Bombay to pursue an extraordinary career in music. Initially she started in jazz, working with the likes of Ornette Coleman before signing with CBS to release a string of albums that spawned such proto-disco classics as Space Talk and Right Down Here. In the seventies she inspired artists as diverse as Andy Warhol, Salman Rushdie and Donna Summer. Her refusal to disavow her Indian heritage and change her name eventually cooled her relationship with her label. However, her music lived on through crate digging DJ’s and she was sampled by many of the biggest names in hip hop. Last year, saw a string of remix releases from the likes of Dimitri From Paris and Psychmagik which bought her music to a whole new audience. Now acclaimed musician, Shawn Lea (Amy Winehouse, Lana Del Rey) has helmed a new band to bring this truly inspirational artist back to the stage.
Squid
Their music is all about tension and release, control and chaos mustered by five exceptional musicians. On last year’s O Monolith, drummer and vocalist, Ollie Judge sings (yelps?) about rats, Romans, police brutality and neolithic monuments, apparently an attempt to craft a spiritual album but filtered through the necessity of cynicism. This duality manifests itself in their explosive live sets that veer from icy calm to moshpit madness.
Noname
The Chicago raised rapper / activist has been hailed by Rolling Stone as one of the best rappers alive and by the New York Times as one of the most important voices of her generation. Her uncompromising lyrics may denounce capitalism and the many other ills that she sees benighting her community but they’re always delivered with wit and warmth. She’s backed by a live band that channels the daisy-age feel of her musical universe.
Sugababes
Looking back on it, the Sugababe’s roadblock performance on the Avalon stage in 2022 seemed like firing the starting gun for one of the most remarkable comebacks in musical history. You could argue that the Sugababes never really went away but naming rights issues and multiple personnel changes didn’t help the cause. So, it was deeply satisfying to see the original trio of Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhán Donaghy back in control and playing ever bigger stages. While the nostalgia factor can’t be denied, two decades worth of gold-plated pop bangers makes them one of the most impressive acts of our time.
Danny Brown
It’s a surprise, perhaps more to himself than everyone else, that Danny Brown has become almost an elder statesman of underground hip hop. The Detroit raised rapper was always known for his hedonistic party fuelled lifestyle where the substance abuse became part of his creative core. However, that life is not sustainable and after a period of rehab, Brown bounced back leaner, more focussed and with a new found energy to his live performances. It’s not like the Danny Brown we knew and loved has gone. We still get that unique nasal voice, dark humour and twisted wordplay, not to mention his ability to cause dancefloor havoc. The Guardian described his recent London show as “a thrilling bounce back” so catch him while you can.
Heilung
The mysterious and enigmatic Nordic / Germanic collective Heilung don’t do concerts – they perform rituals. Beginning with an incantation to remind us that we are all one people, what then unfolds is a wild ride through a primordial soundscape they describe as “amplified history” A cast of warriors commanded by a shaman share the stage with musicians playing instruments, some made from human bones. A subtle electronic pulse connects with the present while the hauntingly beautiful vocals of Maria Franz and the guttural throat-singing of Kai Uwe Faust transport you to somewhere far back in time. Simply put, you will never witness anything like this.
Jungle
Formed in 2013 by childhood friends, Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland, Jungle have dropped four albums earning billions of streams and headlined festivals all over the world. Their latest release, Volcano gave us classics like Back on ’74 and Dominoes which showcase their unique blend of disco, soul, hip hop and RnB. Their whole visual presentation is similarly strong, particularly the beautifully choreographed videos. With dancers joining them for this performance it promises to be as visually spectacular as it is sonically outstanding.
SATURDAY
47Soul
Palestinian legends, 47Soul were formed in Lebanon just over a decade ago. Their first release, Shamstep, lent its name to what became a genre in itself, taking traditional musics from the Levantine and blending them with influence from hip-hop, electronica, and R&B. Their unmistakable sound, infectious energy and thought-provoking Arabic and English lyrics exploring all themes from the political and philosophical to direct calls to the recognition of the common humanity of all people.
The Skatalites
Formed in Kingston, Jamaica back in 1964, The Skatalites are the pivotal root of all the great music that’s come out of the island since then. They pioneered ska and rocksteady that not only laid the foundations for reggae but remain globally popular genres today. The band contains players who go back to the original lineup including percussionist Larry McDonald and trombonist, Vin Gordon. Between them, the current lineup have played alongside all the Jamaican greats from Bob Marley, to Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and Toots and the Maytals.
Alogte Oho & His Sounds of Joy
Alogte Oho’s brand of gospel music owes little to its American counterpart other than beautiful vocal harmonies and a shining sense of positivity. Hailing from the Frafra community of Northern Ghana, Alogte’s music is sinuous afrofunk showcased over two great albums on the Philophon label. Onstage they are pure joy with Gilles Peterson declaring that they were the best band he’d seen all year.
Corinne Bailey Rae Presents Black Rainbows
After scoring massive global hits with tracks like Put Your Records on and Like A Star Corinne returned last year with her most complete and transformative release to date – the hugely acclaimed Black Rainbows album. Inspired by her time at Chicago’s Stony Island Arts Bank, a sprawling archive of black history and a contemporary creative hub, Black Rainbows is an album of lessons learned and stories told. The emotional and musical breadth it contains is dazzling, ranging from the punk rock of New York Transit Queen to the spiritual jazz of A Spell, A Prayer. Remarkably it all comes together as a whole, particularly in the live setting where Corinne’s narration helps steer us through her journey. You need to witness this true artist at the hight of her creative powers.
Nitan Sawhney
Nitan Sawhney CBE is the holder of an Ivor Novello Lifetime Achievement Award and dizzying array of honorary doctorates, fellowships and national and international awards. He’s produced over 70 TV and film scores and works for orchestras, theatre, dance and video games. Somehow, he still finds the time to produce a string of musically diverse albums from 1995’s Migration to last year’s Identity, both titles that identify themes present throughout his work. His sound is at once distinctive and diverse often featuring the pulse of the tabla and hints of Indian ragga whether it’s a ballad or slice of contemporary drum & bass. He always assembles an amazing cast of musical accomplices with Identity featuring contributions from Guy Garvey, Hak Baker, Joss Stone and many others. Gary Lineker even makes an appearance narrating on Illegal, a track concerning the UK’s treatment of immigrants – a topic close to West Holt’s heart. We are honoured to have the great man return to Glastonbury after too long an absence.
Black Pumas
Guitarist Adrian Quesada and vocalist Eric Burton have created something truly special with the Black Pumas. There sound is a swaggering onslaught of psychedelic soul that may nod to artists as diverse as Neil Young, Sam Cooke and the Wu-Tang Clan but really stands as something that is uniquely theirs. Quesada had already had a successful career, even playing alongside Prince. When he decided to put his own project together, he managed to find Burton who had been busking in his native LA. Burton made the move to Austin, Texas and a creative partnership was born which has so far lead to two Grammy nominated albums and incendiary live shows across the world. This will be a Glastonbury debut to remember.
Masego
Despite his Jamaican roots, there’s a pan-Caribbean feel to the US singer and saxophonist’s music that often exudes a tropical warmth. The mixture of RnB, afrobeats, soul and traphouse jazz helmed by Masego’s commanding stage presence has seduced audiences around the world. His unswerving charisma and musical prowess will ensure another classic Glastonbury debut.
Jessie Ware
It’s that mix of high glamour and down-home relatability that has helped propel Jessie Ware to superstar status. She may have garnered the status of a high-powered disco diva but she radiates inclusivity, particularly toward the LGBTQ community who she has long championed. Her music dissolves the line between dancefloor ecstasy and sexual pleasure, her powerful voice alternatively commanding and beguiling. “Pleasure is a right” she exclaims on That! Feels Good!, the eponymous lead track from her latest album and nobody at Glastonbury is going to want to dispute that.
SUNDAY
Matthew Halsall
We are so delighted that Matthew has agreed to open the stage on the Sunday. This is a service to us all as his music has the kind of healing power that everyone can appreciate by this point of the festival. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Alice Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders, Halsall’s brand of spiritual jazz also nods to the contemporary electronic sounds of artists like Bonobo and the Cinematic Orchestra. The Manchester trumpeter, composer and bandleader has produced nine gorgeous albums on his own Gondwana label and last year headlined the prestigious Royal Albert Hall. Don’t miss this leading light of the UK jazz renaissance.
Jalen Ngonda
Raised in Washington DC but now based in Liverpool, Jalen released his debut album on the legendary Daptones label last year to huge acclaim. Come Around And Love Me showcases, Ngonda’s emotionally stacked falsetto that echoes Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield. It also displays some serious songwriting chops that nods to the Beatles and the Beach Boys as much as the legends of soul and RnB.
Balming Tiger
West Holts continues to explore the world of alt K-pop with the riotous collective of singers, rappers, producers and cinematographers that make up Balming Tiger. They’re not as slick or tightly choreographed as their more polished K-pop counterparts but display an anarchic energy that’s hugely infectious. In fact, RM from BTS is a huge fan and collaborated with them on Sexy Nukim (Sexy Feeling).
Steel Pulse
A very welcome return for one of the world’s greatest reggae bands who’s 40 year career has given us so many classic albums and anthemic tracks. Their latest offering, Mass Manipulation proves they’re still a creative force with tracks that stand up alongside their totemic tunes such as Handsworth Revolution and Ku Klux Klan.
Jordan Rakei
His latest album, The Loop (out May 10th) is the culmination of an ever increasingly ambitious series of recordings since his 2013 debut. Its an album of deep emotional thrust, expansive widescreen soundscapes and deeply irresistible grooves. The New Zealand born artist will be touring his new album in October including two headline nights at the Royal Albert Hall. We’re lucky enough to get the first performance showcasing his new material with a band resplendent with strings, horns, a gospel choir and guest vocalists.
Brittany Howard
The Nashville based singer and guitarist gained worldwide fame fronting the much loved Alabama Shakes. In 2018 the band announced that they were going on hiatus and the following year she released Jamie, her debut as a solo artist. The album received huge critical acclaim with seven Grammy nominations, winning Best Rock Song for Stay High. In February she dropped the follow-up album, What Now, an even more ambitious, creative and personal album than its predecessor. This one’s gonna be special.
Nia Archives
Its just inescapable that this is Nia Archives moment. The release of her debut album, Silence is Now, felt like just the latest stop on an express train that is still racing forward. There have been plenty of other key points along the way like winning a Mobo, opening for Beyonce and of course, releasing a whole string of next-gen junglist anthems. The 24 year old Bradford native, born Dehaney Nia Lishahn Hunt is not just pushing the boundaries of the music but also how far she can push UK breakbeat culture into the mainstream. She’s spoken of the inspiration she got from Britpop – as much from the sense of optimism and togetherness it inspired as the actual music. Coupling the thundering breakbeats with thoughtful and tender lyrics displays an acute pop sensibility that going to see this express hurtle through the biggest arenas.
Justice
The last time the French duo Gaspard Augé & Xavier de Rosnay brought the Justice juggernaut to Glastonbury it went down as an all time classic set from the stunning lightshow to coolest crowd crowd-surfing moment ever. Now with the release of their latest album, Hyperdrama, they’re set to return with an even bigger production and a thrilling new set. While the album features collaborations from Thundercat and Tame Impala, Hyperdrama is the duo’s own unique vision. It’s a sonic palette of filtered beats, cosmic disco and sci-fi techno. It’s a widescreen blockbuster of an album but the way Gaspard and Xavier work, you know its going to get an even gnarlier outing in the West Holts arena.