Future Bubblers introduce the brightest undiscovered music talent across England

Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood Music search for untapped skills — Brainfeeder and Ninja Tune execs join artists LV, Swindle and Sway as mentors for the next generation of leftfield English artists, DJs and producers.

London’s grip over the British music industry often squeezes the air out of the rest of the country, leaving many regional scenes under-appreciated, unloved and – tragically – unheard.

Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood Music knew there was a ton of talent hiding out in bedrooms and basement venues around the country, so they hooked up with Arts Council England to launch Future Bubblers, a three-year talent discovery programme.

Using local partners in cities around the country, they went offline to discover the next generation of artists, producers and DJs, through demo drop boxes at record stores and open session nights.

In keeping with Brownswood’s progressive ethos, the Future Bubblers team went after artists who are doing something new, a bit radical, eclectic or just off the hook!

After a lengthy selection process, they’ve just announced the nine artists for the project’s first year.

To guide the emerging talent through the programme, Brownswood have reached out to their extended family and arranged a solid roster of mentors to share their experiences: Swindle, Sway, Alex Patchwork, Will Horrocks from LV and Victoria Port from Anushka and Brainfeeder and Ninja Tune execs.

Check out the full list of new artists on the Future Bubblers website.

To give a small taste of what’s to come, here are three mentor/mentee collaborations we’re most excited about.

Yazmin Lacey x Victoria Port (Anushka)

Yazmin-Lacey-Brownswood-Bubblers-Huck-Magazine-C

After years of writing and bedroom performances Yazmin took to the stage late 2013 and hasn’t looked back since. Born and raised in East Ham and residing in Nottingham, her music’s been described as featuring, “Sultry tones and dynamic melodies” with a diverse range of influences from jazz to funk, soul to lovers rock, folk to electronic.

Snowy x Sway

Snowy-Brownswood-Bubblers-Huck-Magazine-C

Snowy has been one of the prominent figures in the growth of the Nottingham grime scene. Starting out in youth clubs with fellow MCs, he’s gone from strength to strength and now has developed a high profile within the local scene.

Munro x Will LV

Munro-Brownswood-Bubblers-Huck-Magazine-C

Soulful, relaxed, rhythm-focused jams whatever the weather. Brewed in North London, matured in South Melbourne, spilt in Manchester – now bubbling…

Find out more about Future Bubblers and how you can be a part of the programme in the second and third years.


Latest on Huck

Smiling person in black wetsuit riding surfboard on calm ocean with rocky hills in background.
Sport

Maryam El Gardoum is breaking new shores for Morocco’s indigenous surfers

The Amazigh Atlantic — Through her groundbreaking career and popular surf school, the five-time Moroccan champion is helping women find their places in the waves.

Written by: Sam Haddad

Dimly lit underground carpark, long winding corridor with concrete walls, floor, and pipes above.
Activism

Youth violence’s rise is deeply concerning, but mass hysteria doesn’t help

Safe — On Knife Crime Awareness Week, writer, podcaster and youth worker Ciaran Thapar reflects on the presence of violent content online, growing awareness about the need for action, and the two decades since Saul Dibb’s Bullet Boy.

Written by: Ciaran Thapar

Colourful embroidered jackets worn by two people, with skateboarder visible in background. Bright colours and graphic designs on the clothing.
Sport

Volcom teams up with Bob Mollema for the latest in its Featured Artist Series

True to This — The boardsports lifestyle brand will host an art show in Biarritz to celebrate the Dutch illustrators’ second capsule collection.

Written by: Huck

Black and white image showing a group of shirtless men socialising, some laughing.
Culture

A visual trip through 100 years of New York’s LGBTQ+ spaces

Queer Happened Here — A new book from historian and writer Marc Zinaman maps scores of Manhattan’s queer venues and informal meeting places, documenting the city’s long LGBTQ+ history in the process.

Written by: Isaac Muk

Four persons - three women and one man - posing outdoors. The women are wearing elaborate clothing and jewellery.
Culture

Nostalgic photos of everyday life in ’70s San Francisco

A Fearless Eye — Having moved to the Bay Area in 1969, Barbara Ramos spent days wandering its streets, photographing its landscape and characters. In the process she captured a city in flux, as its burgeoning countercultural youth movement crossed with longtime residents.

Written by: Miss Rosen

A person wearing a black cap and holding a sign that says "What made me"
Music

Tony Njoku: ‘I wanted to see Black artists living my dream’

What Made Me — In this series, we ask artists and rebels about the forces and experiences that shaped who they are. Today, it’s avant-garde electronic and classical music hybridist Tony Njoku.

Written by: Tony Njoku

Huck is supported by our readers, subscribers and Club Huck members. It is also made possible by sponsorship from:

Accessibility Settings

Text

Applies the Open Dyslexic font, designed to improve readability for individuals with dyslexia.

Applies a more readable font throughout the website, improving readability.

Underlines links throughout the website, making them easier to distinguish.

Adjusts the font size for improved readability.

Visuals

Reduces animations and disables autoplaying videos across the website, reducing distractions and improving focus.

Reduces the colour saturation throughout the website to create a more soothing visual experience.

Increases the contrast of elements on the website, making text and interface elements easier to distinguish.