Since its inception in 2005 Dot to Dot has looked to deliver a multi-venue, multi-genre music festival across Bristol and Nottingham that champions and deftly pairs innovative up-and-coming artists with those already firmly at the top of their game. Venues hosting this year include O2 Academy, Bristol Beacon, Thekla, Strange Brew, Louisiana, The Fleece and Rough Trade. In the lead up here are our top five picks of artists you have to catch!

Jockstrap

Björk backed new Rough Trade signees Jockstrap have had a swell of hype around them for some time. It is easy to see why with the project melding a mind-bending exploration of genre and song structure with a deep playfulness and swirling intensity of emotion. Musically traversing between classical, harsh electronic sounds and high and low fidelity production. Jockstrap really do feel like they are at the forefront of something new sonically in British music.

Sipho.

A deft combination of gospel, R&B and electronic pop Sipho.’s music delves into complex topics such as his relationship with god and cynicism of organised religion as well as Black male identity and hypermasculinity. What this results in is some of the most thoughtful, beautiful and enigmatic music out there.

Mandy, Indiana

If you fancy industrial beats that will pummel you into a pulp, high intensity thrashing drums and boundary pushing guitar this is the group for you. Their explosive live sets are the talk of the underground and with fans from Daniel Avery, Scalping and Girlband you won’t want to miss this set.

Bob Vylan

Bob Vylan are everything that is exciting about music at the moment. A killer combination of punk, grime and high energy no bullsh*t lyricism that doesn’t flinch from discussing the harshness of life in the UK. The cost of living crisis, modern day racism and classism are all covered in their independently released charting album ‘The Cost of Life’. Hard topics but discussed head on with eyes wide open. If this hasn’t intrigued, you the live show looks genuinely insane – prepare to be thrown around by the most supportive and lovely crowds you will see around.

Ghetts

Arguably the top lyricists in the UK at the moment Ghetts hardly needs any introduction at all. He is one of the greats of Grime who has collaborated with a plethora of other iconic artists and peers such as Stormzy, Kano and Skepta. His unique twisting but powerful flow combined with a more recent willingness to explore different genres and collaborations for example his recent track with Moonchild Sanelly signal that he will only continue to go from strength to strength. Come see an artist at the top of his game simultaneously solidify his legacy and reach into the future of UK grime itself.

Tickets for Dot To Dot 2022 are still available and can be purchased here.