A band founded at university emerges online amid a torrent of blog buzz. With just a track or two to their name, further details remain shrouded in PR-manufactured mystery. A familiar story, perhaps, yet not one that British trio London Grammar fully intended to write for themselves. "Everyone was saying we were being really secretive, because only [first track] 'Hey Now' was out. It's just the way things happened," says percussionist Mr Dot Major. "We didn't gig for 18 months so it looked as if everything appeared out of nowhere," agrees vocalist Ms Hannah Reid.
When "Hey Now" appeared on SoundCloud last December, the trio - each of them barely over 20 years old - had been holed up in guitarist Mr Dan Rothman's garage writing their debut album. "We were given time and a lot of patience," says Ms Reid. "Which is quite rare actually." The soulful electronica of "Hey Now" - led by Ms Reid's stunning vocals - was immediately picked up by British radio DJ royalty, and also by, to date, nearly half a million SoundCloud listeners. EP Metal & Dust, released in late February on their own imprint, lengthened the fervour set by their debut single - the dancier, Massive Attack-like beats of the title track a particular highlight.
The often-superficial online high that new bands bring in tow has translated into live success for London Grammar. A sold-out headline show at Electrowerkz in London on 27 March was followed by a 4 May gig at the Live at Leeds festival - their biggest to date. "We thought we'd fill half the room. It was rammed," says Mr Major. And having featured on dance favourites Disclosure's debut LP, and with new single "Wasting My Young Years" (we expect we'll be hearing the chorus a lot this summer) out now, it seems there are real foundations to the hype.
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