Tipping season, we’re in it. Any music scribe with a couple of column inches to rub together has, over the past couple of weeks, seen their inbox fill with ‘ones to watch’ messages from major labels, tiny indies, management companies and PR officers alike. For some reason, I get asked to contribute to a few of the more high-profile polls – I’ll let you guess which ones (at least one is completely transparent when it comes to who’s involved, so that won’t take long if you care enough to have a sniff). Apparently some people think I am a voice worth hearing when it comes to This Sort Of Thing. Well, I did nod the way of James Blake last time, so one outta three ain’t bad.
Anyway, here are some names to look for next year. I am not saying they’ll set the charts aflame; neither will they be selling out the o2 this side of Christmas 2013. Well, probably not. They’re just acts I like the sound of right now, acts that just might go some better in the next 12 months and take what can only be described as The Next Step. So long as none of them become The Next Steps, I think they’ll all be okay.
No order. No blurb. (Beyond the above, anyway, promise.) Just clips and links. Listen. Watch. Share? That’s some sort of ident for Radio 1 isn’t it? Bands and stuff…
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The Weeknd – official site / Twitter
Video: The Birds (Part 1) – from the album Thursday (BBC review)
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Frank Ocean – official site / Twitter
Video: Novacane – from the album nostalgia, Ultra
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Pandr Eyez – official site / Twitter
Video: Eyes On You – from the EP Eyes On You
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Stumbleine – official site
Track: Ember – from the EP Rose Tinted
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Breton – official site / Twitter
Video: Edward the Confessor – from the forthcoming album Other People’s Problems
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Jessie Ware – MySpace / Twitter
Track: Strangest Feeling – released as her debut single on November 28
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Cloud Boat – official site
Track: Lions on the Beach – the duo’s debut single on R&S
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Trophy Wife – Twitter
Video: Wolf – from the EP Bruxism (BBC review)
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Niki and the Dove – official site / Twitter
Video: The Drummer – from the EP The Drummer (BBC review)
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Daughter – Facebook
Track: Love – taken from the EP The Wild Youth
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