>>> Looking Forward >>>

2010 is already looking like a bumper year with plenty of artists ready to release more wonderful music, so to heck with trying to sum up the last year for now… I just want to share with you twenty or so artists from genres far and wide, established or new to the game that I’m looking forward to hearing more of next year.

Darkstar: With a debut album on the way for the mighty Hyperdub the early sings of which sound like a really interesting deviation from the garage sounds to more song based electronic pop not unlike their recent Radiohead remake. They’re set to make waves next year and I for one can’t wait to see what they come up with.

http://www.myspace.com/darkstar001

Joker: It’s been a huge year for him already with 12” after 12” of heavy, fun and addictive music. But with an album in the works and unreleased business like ‘Tron’, its VIP counterpart and ‘My Trance Girl’ sounding amazing in the dance he’s bound to take off even more in 2010 and that’s even before the rumours appeared that he’s working with Silkie at some point.

http://www.myspace.com/thejokerproductions

James Blake: This guy has so much talent, he can sing and produce some insane music. He’s made some of my favourite music this year yet has only released two records for Untold’s Hemlock recordings. He’s got another on the way with Airhead on BRAiNMATH and he features in the live setup for Mount Kimbie so fingers crossed for plenty more in 2010.

http://www.myspace.com/jamesblakeproduction

Mount Kimbie: They made two amazing EPs this year for the amazing Hotflush that just blew me away. Their off-kilter take on hip-hop slanted garage/electronica experiments are so refreshing, they just show so much promise so more from them is a must. And with a Hemlock in the pipeline it should be an exciting time.

http://www.myspace.com/mountkimbie

Starkey: A long time favourite of mine, who’s debut album Ephemeral Exhibits I still can’t stop listening too for its hyper coloured, melodic street bass sounds. Well he’s all ready to drop another album on us called, ‘Ear Drums and Black Holes’ on planet mu, which has also had an amazing year… With more vocal workouts and hyperactive party music, its bound to be a treat.

http://www.myspace.com/starkey

Guido: After finally getting my hands on ‘Beautiful Complication’ and ‘Chakra’ after maybe a years wait I’d just love to see more releases from the incredibly talented producer with his unique blend of bass addled R&B and with a rumoured full length on the way, I’ll keep my fingers crossed.

http://www.myspace.com/guidoproductions

Esben and the Witch: After bumping into the Brighton band online and listening to the demo ‘33’ that they gave me, I just knew they had potential and since they’ve picked up a manager, released a track on Dance To The Radio and gained lots of attention for their distinct haunting sound. Good luck to them next year, I hope there are more release and plenty of gigs on the horizon.

http://www.myspace.com/esbenandthewitch

Golau Glau: The mysterious duo just keep sending me brilliant demos, many of which you can hear yourself on their myspace and last fm sites. They make a slinky silver pop sound that encompasses electronica of all kinds with a beautiful sense of pop. Good luck to them for next year, where I just hope to see more of the same, more attention and someone to release their music.

http://www.myspace.com/golauglau

Worriedaboutsatan: following a really big year for them, where they gained a lot of attention for their album Arrivals and released a double remix album, I’d love top see them play more and gain more attention as well as do their thing in the studio, sculpting epic post-rock infused techno and electronica. Good luck to them in 2010.

http://www.myspace.com/worriedaboutsatan

Trouble Books: The MIE signings have made some of my favourite low-key home made indie pop in the last few years, there music has so much heart and is a joy to hear, the Endless Pool EP this year was just beautiful as was The United Colours Of… the year before. There set to continue the trend with another album ready to drop in 2010 and I can’t wait to see what they come up with.

http://www.myspace.com/barkandhiss

Pariah: He’s been sending me some brilliant demos that showcase his wonderful hip-hop leaning future garage sounds that both make you want to move and make you fall into a state of bliss. With tracks like ‘Detroit Falls’ and plenty more he’s a real talent and one to watch. I wish him lots of luck and hope to see more releases soon.

http://www.myspace.com/pariahbeats

Lost From Atlas: Young local band from around my way that sound like they should be signed to Big Scary Monsters, mostly instrumental post-rock that meets technical, melodic math-rock with loads of energy and ideas. Their demos where very solid indeed and last time I heard they were making their debut album so lets wish them luck with that.

http://www.myspace.com/lostfromatlas

10-20: The glitchy electronic producer 10-20 may have been my surprise of the year. He echoes the ghost of hip-hop as well as industrial landscapes or some eerie premonitions of a distant future in his sound. His debut album from the brilliant Highpoint Lowlife just kept getting under my skin, plus he’s set to release two more sections of his landforms series next year already, let alone anything else he has up his sleeve.

http://www.myspace.com/1020musik

Jamie Vex’d: After some game changing releases and mixes this year I’d love to see more releases and maybe even a full length on his own or in the Vex’d partnership. His twisting colourful sounds have been a highlight of my clubbing year, when he tore up Leeds recently.

http://www.myspace.com/jamievexd

LHF: They’ve only really come to my attention recently with their showcases on Dusk & Blackdown’s Rinse FM show but this crew are set for interesting things in 2010 after just being signed to Keysound to release an album. There sound comes across like a mixture of years of dubstep/garage experience with added hip-hop and house elements that doesn’t quite sound like anything else out there.

http://www.myspace.com/raizms

Flying Lotus: One of my favourites is set to come back in fine style for 2010 with a mix for DJ Kicks in the works (probably) and another album, which I think is called ‘A Space Opera’ EDIT its acctualy called ‘Cosmogramma’ and its due on Warp in April. He’s bound to come back in fine style.

http://www.myspace.com/flyinglotus

Polar Bear: They just singed to the wonderful Leaf label and I can’t wait to hear more from this massively creative collective, who always bring new ideas to the table and play brilliant live shows. A new album on the way called, ‘Peepers’… I think… should be a treat for all you jazz lovers out there.

http://www.myspace.com/sebastianrochford

Geiom: The Berkane Sol head honcho is always on point making addictive and timeless music that fuses together electronica, dubstep, garage and house music in fine style to create a sound all of his own that just oozes soul and energy. I’d love to see loads more release from his label and him, maybe an album or something too its been some time since his first.

http://www.myspace.com/geiom

Terror Danjah: I’ve been playing catch up with him this year after the brilliant instrumental retrospective Gremlinz and 12” on Planet Mu. His distinct horror film grime funk gets under your skin and wont budge, it shows just how much musical talent there is in grime and he’s set to make moves with releases on Hyperdub and Butterz all in the pipeline.

http://www.myspace.com/terrordanjah

Cooly G: I really fell for ‘Love Dub’ and ‘Narst’ this year and just kept finding myself going back to them time after time, then came the wonderfully skeletal ‘Weekend Fly’ that’s still growing on me. I’d love to see plenty more from her dubbed out funky house that sketch out some seriously soulful sounds and with a rumoured EP of collaborations on the way it looks like we’ll get it too.

http://www.myspace.com/coolyg

Honourable mentions to: Pantha Du Prince, Owen Pallett, Banjo or Freakout, Deerhunter, Atlas Sound, Ikonika, Hyperdub, Kode9, Blue Daisy, Hyetal, Peverelist, Soul Motive, Burial, DVA, Ill Blue, Apple, Hotflush, Scuba, Joy Orbison, Hessel, Heny G, Deep Medi, DMZ, Swamp81, EL-B, Ghost, 2562, Tectonic, Gemmy, Rusite, Breakage, F, Taz Buckfaster, Trim, Durrty Goodz, Wiley, Rolo Tomassi, Youthmovies, Holy Roar, Big Scary Monsters, Highpoint Lowlife, Fantastic Mr Fox, Black Ache, Kapsize, No Pain In Pop, Jam City, Warp, Hemlock, Greena, Untold, Brackles, Shortstuff, Roska, Ramadanman, Pangaea, Apple Pips, Dam-Funk, Nite Jewel, Omar-S, Kyle Hall,, Samiyam, Slugabed, Salem, Gang Gang Dance, Floating Points, Ramp, SBTRKT, Gnomefoam, _, Rack & Ruin, Dot Rotten, Royal T, DOK, Swindle, Nocturnal, Zomby, FaltyDL, The xx, Blunted Robots, Wigflex, MIE, Talons’. All people I’m looking forward to hearing more of in 2010 not to mention many I’ve forgot to include and the many inevitable surprises.