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Stag & Dagger Festival is back for another year of musical mayhem in East London on Friday May 21st. We took out our magnifying glasses to examine a mouth watering lineup and this is what we had to say including another delectable festival mix for you.

Baby Monster are a band from Portland Oregon and some people that side of the pond are calling them the new MGMT. Think MGMT’s electronic tinged epic first album rather than their current psych-influenced ramblings.

For Fans Of: MGMT, Klaxons, Soulwax.

Venue: The Stag’s Head, 10.15pm.

Mount Kimbie are Brighton duo Kai and Dom who are spearheading the world of dubstep these days. Not that we’re experts but we have it on good faith. Remixes for the likes of The xx and more recently Foals (Spanish Sahara) would seem to agree.

For Fans Of: Burial, Flying Lotus, Caribou.

Venue: Scrutton Street Studios, 11.30pm.

Javelin are Brooklyn via Providence duo George Langford and Tom Van Buskirk. They’ve remixed the likes of Health but more importantly their debut album ‘No Mas’ contains some of the most vibrant electronic jams you’ll hear all year. Someone say par-tay!!!

For Fans Of: Passion Pit, Dan Deacon, Neon Indian.

Venue: Camp (Upstairs), 10.00pm

Active Child we saw recently, interviewed at The Great Escape (post coming soon) and just all round endorse, even if it is early live days for the LA whizz. Go see him and say you were there at the beginning.

For Fans Of: New Order, The Human League, Fleet Foxes.

Venue: Camp (downstairs), 10.10pm

Is Tropical are an identity obscuring three piece from London who sound like they will be an absolute riot live. This is high on our agenda.

For Fans Of: Foals, Late Of The Pier, Klaxons.

Venue: Queen Of Hoxton, 10.00pm

O. Children are a London based four-piece with a leggy front-man who in our minds possesses Christopher Lee‘s singing voice. We saw them once before with awful sound so this is a chance to set the record straight or write them off. The Jokers Of The Scene Remix of their ‘Ruins’ single is COLOSSAL.

For Fans Of: Bauhaus, The Horrors, Joy Division.

Venue: The Stag’s Head, 11.00pm

Django Django are Scots living in London and another band we haven’t given the chance to shine again since awful sound killed their set for us at Camden Crawl 2009. They’ve certainly got potential on record though so worth another shot.

For Fans Of: Here We Go Magic, Animal Collective, The Beta Band.

Venue: Queen Of Hoxton, 12.00am

White Hinterland is another Portland (the new Brooklyn?!) local, Casey Dienel, who is one of the current jewels in the Dead Oceans crown. On her second album Kairos she’s switched jazzy flourishes for electronic blips and bleeps and it’s oh so much better. ‘Icarus’ is one of the tracks of the year.

For Fans Of: Dirty Projectors, St Vincent.

Venue: The Macbeth, 9.00pm

Timber Timbre are a Montreal Canada duo that carve out dark, atmospheric, bluesy tunes using an array of guitar, piano and sparse percussion. Front man Taylor Kirk’s rich, soulful voice acts as your guide throughout.

For Fans Of: Dead Man’s Bones, Tom Waits, Tom Brosseau.

Venue: Rough Trade East, 6.30pm

Archie Bronson Outfit the beardy West-Country 3-piece are finally back with their second album ‘Cocounut’ and they’ve added electronic heart to their dark desert-chord fuelled mayhem. They’ll no doubt be a formidable live proposition as ever. The band did have to cancel Sunday’s Leeds gig due to a bereavement so it’s best checking with the venue before heading out.

For Fans Of: Queens Of The Stone Age, The Kills, Joe Gideon & The Shark.

Venue: The Macbeth, 11.00pm

The Radio Dept is Johan Duncanson. He’s played with various members since as far back as 1995. As it stands they’re a 3-piece and their latest album ‘Clinging To A Scheme’ came out this year on Labrador Records and includes ‘Heaven’s On Fire’ which is verging on the perfect left field pop song.

For Fans Of: Friendly Fires, Air France, Jens Lekman.

Venue: The Legion, 11.45pm

Dominique Young Unique was one of our undisputed highlights of The Great Escape 2010. She is only 18 years old but possesses the confidence and presence of a long time pro which she will undoubtedly become. Great tunes to back up Dominque’s Florida ghetto rap come courtesy of Yo Majesty’s UK producers Hardfeelings. Shake it!

For Fans Of: M.I.A, Yo Majesty, !!!

Venue: Hoxton Bar & Kitchen (Room 2), 10.30pm

Wild Palms are a much touted young London group who put out their second single through One Little Indian yesterday, May 17th. Everyone from us to the BBC has picked them out as a band to watch. So why not er.. watch them.

For Fans Of: The Fall, PiL, Bauhaus.

Venue: Hoxton Bar & Kitchen (Room 1), 8.45pm

Spectrals is a one man music making machine from Leeds called Louis. He employs a band when playing live mind you. Glorious sun-drenched Spectorish Spectral noise and a penchant for doo-wop.

For Fans Of: Girls, Brian Wilson, Phil Spector.

Venue: Jaguar Shoes, 10.45pm

Some more bands to check out:

Trailer Trash Tracys: 93 Feet East, 9.00pm

North Atlantic Oscillation: The Legion, 9.30pm

Still Flyin’: Jaguar Shoes, 9.45pm

Exlovers: Catch, 11.20pm

Banjo Or Freakout: Cafe 1001, 11.30pm

The Phenomenal Handclap Band: Hoxton Bar & Kitchen (Room 1), 10.45pm

Primary 1: Hoxton Bar & Kitchen (Room 1), 9.45pm

Class Actress: Camp (Upstairs), 9.00pm

Othello Woolf: Catch, 8.50pm

GET TICKETS HERE and for everything else you want to know including full venue details and lineups head to the Stag & Dagger website or download the Stag & Dagger Event Programme.

Stag & Dagger 2010 Music Mule Mix by musicmule