Name: CHVRCHES
Featured track: "The Mother We Share"
Country/City of origin: Glasgow, Scotland
Genre: Synthpop
In one sentence: "Like all great pop, it has an instant appeal and the ability to wake you up" – The Recommender
Why we chose them: The Scottish trio's "The Mother We Share" has landed on every "top track" list from the BBC to Fader and NME. Synths build and build on top of one another which counter vocalist Lauren Mayberry's otherwise honeyed voice. It's not exactly dance, but it's not exactly goth-pop, either. As for the spelling of the band's name, they switched the "u" and the "v" so Google wouldn't bury their artistic efforts beneath loads of actual churches.
SXSW official showcase: Wednesday, March 13 (12:30 a.m.) at Red 7