I spend a lot of time(purely for research purposes !!!) in a pub in London which gives a platform to new and up and coming artists, manly unsigned,the trend appears to be about 70% Folk,in all it’s various forms,from electric,to trad,even to what I can only describe as physchadelic folk,maybe a few illicit substances helping out there!
The venues supplies a full backline (foc) but rarely is the drum kit option taken up,percussion is usually provided by a guy or girl banging on something that looks like a box of some sort,maybe it’s a proper instrument that I haven’t heard of yet.
The songwriting is melodic,in a contemporary sense.
Because of the nature of the place,they do ask that people listen and don’t talk while the acts are on and I heard some very very good stuff there,some not so good as well of course.
I think there will always be a place for electronic music but from what I hear the trend is toward acoustic and real instrumentation, a single Cello is not unusual in a lot of the line ups.
Michael