Five Jake Bugg songs to get you ready for his Hong Kong debut

British singer-songwriter Jake Bugg was described as a “baby Bob Dylan” when he first exploded onto the UK music scene in 2012 aged just 17. His gritty folk songs told stories of hurt and anguish that wouldn’t have sounded out of place on the album of a blues singer five times his age.

Catchy and instantly memorable, they dealt with lost love and alienation, drawing heavily from his fractured upbringing on a typically grim public housing estate in the English Midlands.

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Like the songs of The Smiths before him, the harrowing and depressing imagery of Bugg’s lyrics are often set in sharp contrast to uplifting melodies that offer a sense of hope in his dreams of escape.

Now a ripe old 24, Bugg arrives in Hong Kong for his debut gig, at 1563 at the East in Wan Chai on May 5, very much an elder statesman of British indie music.

He’ll be promoting his fourth album, Hearts That Strain, a lushly produced collection of songs that extend Bugg’s musical explorations into complex melodies and arrangements, while retaining his trademark sparse and direct lyricism.

Here are five tracks to get you in the mood for Bugg’s gig.