Electric Picnic has had quite a ‘new UK talent’ feel to it today, with Lianne Le Havas and Michael Kiwanuka both playing excellent sets in the sweltering sunshine today. Le Havas showed exactly why she is considered one of the most promising new artists of the year when she played a stormer of a set at 3.30pm in the Electric Arena. Songs like ‘Old’ and ‘Forget’ were among the finest musical treats of the day so far.

Michael Kiwanuka, a recipient of a 5-star review from entertainment.ie for his debut album Home Again earlier this year, was another fine example of the new soul sounds coming out of the UK currently. Perhaps his sounds would have been more suited to the more intimate confines of a tent, compared to the Main Stage, but that was just a minor quibble. Oh, and his afro’d guitarist might be the ‘coolest’ musician at the whole festival. Dude’s got swagger.

Our two most eagerly anticipated gigs of the entire weekend are coming up over the next couple of hours – Elbow (Main Stage, 8pm) and James Murphy’s DJ set (Little Big Tent, 9pm). Colour us very, very excited.

Stay tuned for our – unbiased, we promise – appraisal later in the evening on Twitter.