2015 Favorite: Flyte

I discovered Flyte sometime in September, and by the time Spotify's Year in Music came out, "Please Eloise" had already topped my streamed songs list. You might call that embarrassing (I might agree), but it just confirms what I'd known after the first listen: Flyte's music is catchy as hell. The London quartet specializes in perky indie pop, with tight harmonies, funky riffs, and a polish that makes it clear why Island Records scooped them up in 2013. 

I caught the band twice last fall, first for their sold-out show at Sebright Arms and again at St. Stephen's Church for the Communion New Faces tour. If I hadn't already considered them a band to watch in 2016, these two shows confirmed it. With songs like "Light Me Up" (a standout track, and incidentally my third-most streamed on Spotify) and "Faithless", they got the crowd of new listeners at St. Stephen's dancing—which is no easy feat when church pews are involved. And at Sebright Arms, the band didn't disappoint their diehard fans: the intimate venue was filled to the brim with people singing every word. It was one of the most invigorating shows I saw all year. 

So, friends, keep your eyes on Flyte. They're radio-ready, put on an excellent live show, and play the sort of music that will win anyone over.