Let the countdown commence... it is just two weeks until Latitude Festival kicks off! This is the first of our 15 selected acts that we think you should catch...

With so much to see on the line-up, we thought - in our role as an official media partner of the event - that you might like a few names highlighted, and an excuse to see and hear some exclusive content. We kick off with one of DiS' favourite discoveries of recent times...

Perfume Genius

Mike Hadreas (aka Perfume Genius) seems to live in another place and time. It's a world somewhat more melancholic than the one most of us live in, and it's a land where everyone drifts between tears and sleep. Hadreas sends telegrams from this universe by occasionally crawling to his piano to pen another sad song or a bittersweet pop dittie. Yes, I guess he may be what some people might call 'miserable', but that doesn't mean he isn't one of the most uplifting and soulful young musicians working in music today. Ever since hearing his debut album Learning, DiS has been in awe of his ability to share his heart ache, which sends shivers down every nearby spine and always brings our day to a standstill. His live show is as gentle as it is intense, and you can see him headlining the i Arena at Latitude on the Sunday night, so if you were planning on making an early exit, you might want to massively rethink that idea...

Here's an exclusive live session from the folks at Bands in Transit of Perfume Genius performing the track 'Hood' from his brilliant new album Put Your Back N 2 It.

Read More...

• DiS' Latitude Festival mini-site featuring reviews and photos of previous years, and details about this year's event
• Interview (2012)
• Interview (2010)
• 8/10 Review: Put Your Back N 2 It
• 9/10 Review: Learning
• Drowned in Sound's albums of the year 2010

Latitude Festival is the award-winning festival which takes at Henham Park on the beautiful Sunrise Coast. Bon Iver, Elbow and Paul Weller are all set to headline the 7th Edition which takes place from 12th 'til the 15th July 2012. latitudefestival.co.uk

Playlists

DiS has put together a Spotify playlist featuring a heap of acts you can watch.

The festival have also put together an official playlist: