When it comes to getting yourself noticed, few showcases are as effective for Scotland's unsigned musical talent as T Break.
Every year at T in the Park, Scotland's biggest music bash, the winning bands are rewarded with a set in the T Break tent, in front of a whole host of potential new fans, music writers and industry scouts.
Almost 1,400 entries have been whittled down to just 16 by the judging panel, so here we reveal each winning act, with a few words on where they're from, what's been said so far, what they sound like, and how many MySpace hits they have (just as an at-a-glance indication of their current status).
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For more on the best up and coming music in Scotland, visit the Under the Radar blogTango in the AtticFrom? Glenrothes, Fife
Hype? "The more I hear from them, the higher I rate them" - Vic Galloway, Radio 1
Sound? Vampire Weekend with Fife accents
MySpace hits: 68,244
Little EskimosFrom? Alloa/Yetts O Muckhart/Stirling
Hype? "We haven't stopped listening to the music since we've been off tour" - MySpace comment
Sound? Brash, wide-eyed indie-rock songs
MySpace hits: 23,434
Mike NisbetFrom? Oban, now Glasgow
Hype? "Your set was ace last night" - MySpace comment
Sound? Wearily uplifting singer-songwriter in the Stephen Fretwell mould
MySpace hits: 13,308
My Cousin I Bid You FarewellFrom? Glasgow
Hype? "You can already imagine crowds singing with drunken glee" - Us
Sound? Unashamedly huge rock music with a delicate heart
MySpace hits: 39,639
The French QuarterFrom? Stirling
Hype? "This band create the big sonic soundscapes loved by later Radiohead albums" - Daily Record
Sound? Brooding, ambitious post-rock of the quiet-loud-quiet variety
MySpace hits: 37,131
Punch and the ApostlesFrom? Glasgow
Hype? "One of the best live bands in the world right now" - Jim Gellatly, Radio Scotland
Sound? Stomping olde-world blues and folk, with sax and accordion
MySpace hits: 44,857
Ming Ming and the Ching ChingsFrom? Glasgow
Hype? "Ming Ming fuse the visceral horror-schlock stomping of The Cramps with Josef K's iconoclastic rumbling" - Us
Sound? See above, with added adrenalin
MySpace hits: 20,285
Dead Boy RoboticsFrom? Edinburgh
Hype? "Two fellas construct something wonderful out of the dance/ noise/punk/electro sound they've been building" - The List
Sound? Synth-fuelled electro for the XBox generation
MySpace hits: 12,133
Barn OwlFrom? Glasgow
Hype? "You write lovely songs" - MySpace comment (And we've been meaning to feature them on the blog for ages - Ed]
Sound? Indie for grown-ups, with handclaps and stirring crescendos
MySpace hits: 35,342
We Are Trapped in KansasFrom? Ayr
Hype? "Scotland's most accomplished math rock act" - Us
Sound? Intricate, spindly guitars underscore yearning vocals
MySpace hits: 74,458
G1ftFrom? Glasgow
Hype? "Shimmy Shake is big bro, like the eastern vibe" - MySpace comment
Sound? Ballsy hip hop with an exotic edge
MySpace hits: 14,294
Maple LeavesFrom? Glasgow
Hype? "Nice harmonies you've got" - MySpace comment
Sound? Achingly sweet indie-pop with girl-boy harmonies
MySpace hits: 7,080
Gong FeiFrom? Dundee
Hype? "Punky indie nonsense, for fans of Mclusky, Shellac, Hot Club De Paris" - Promoter
Sound? Skewed, propulsive indie-punk
MySpace hits: 5,177
HomeworkFrom? Edinburgh
Hype? "Great gig there lads" - MySpace comment
Sound? Bass-heavy electro-rock crossover
MySpace hits: 3,273
Brother Louis CollectiveFrom? Glasgow
Hype? "Louis and his collective are surely destined for a larger stage" - Sunday Mail
Sound? Polished indie with a Scottish accent, flute and piano
MySpace hits: 47,746
PopoloFrom? Dundee/Glasgow/St. Andrews
Hype? "Incorporate dance music theory with rock practice to create concise blasts of breakneck pop" - TenTracks.co.uk
Sound? Math rock ambitions meet off-kilter guitars
MySpace hits: 36,145
T in the Park takes place at Balado, near Kinross, 10-12 JulyThe full article contains 654 words and appears in scotsman.com newspaper.
