The Defectors Weld is at 170 Uxbridge Rd, Shepherd’s Bush, London W12 8AA. Expect party times from me and Him (Him in this instance being Clash‘s DJ superstar Paul Sethi, who is 100% guaranteed to show me up) from about 9pm. Through ’til 3am, if you promise to dance.

The Defectors Weld

Today I have put the following songs in the DJ Bag of Impossible Depth. So if you ask for them, you may receive…

Nicola Roberts: Beat of My Drum
Lana Del Rey: Video Games (Joy Orbison remix)
Adele: Rolling in the Deep (Jamie xx remix)
Azealia Banks: 212
Junior Boys: Banana Ripple
Cults: Go Outside
Joe Goddard: Gabriel
Niki & The Dove: The Drummer

And a few ‘special’ on-theme tracks. You know, ones that reference planes, or the air, or flying in some way. Like Doves’ Jetstream. Or The Notwist’s Pilot. Or Balam Acab’s See Birds. Or REM’s Departure. Or Cut Copy’s Corner of the Sky. Stuff like that.

No, I’d not updated The Sack for a while. Not since DJing at The Hope in B-Town last month, and that was almost strictly hip hop. Which, it must be said, you can expect some of on NYE.

See you there, maybe.

So your band features on the BBC Sound of 2012 longlist (artists pictured, above). Exciting, isn’t it? But with the Sound of… now in its tenth year, even the most casual of observers recognises that a place on the annual snapshot of industry hopes doesn’t guarantee success in the long term – or even during the year in question. Plenty have arrived with the biggest of campaigns ready to ignite; and many have faded into the shadows of obscurity.

However, it’s important to understand that disappointment in terms of a band’s performance over the course of a set period is, typically, a very subjective measurement. What might be seen as a poor return on an elevated profile, or a dizzying level of blogosphere buzz, could actually represent a better result than was otherwise forecast, prior to inclusion in lists like the BBC Sound of… one. I say this from a position of experience.

In late 2010, Esben and the Witch appeared on the BBC Sound of 2011 longlist. I have co-managed Esben since 2009 alongside my very good friend Bradley Kulisic (a true professional when it comes to this management malarkey, unlike myself – I tend to bumble along rather blindly). The band’s appearance on this most high-profile of tip lists was something of a surprise, to say the least. Downbeat, glowering, goth-y electro-indie band, alongside Jessie J and James Blake and the rest? Right… makes loads of sense.

But, then, the band’s timing was right: a debut album was scheduled for early in 2011, and the great (multi-award-nominated) video for Marching Song had been a favourite of blogs on both sides of the Atlantic. The Sound of… happens at a fixed point every year, so savvy label/PR sorts can, to an extent, engineer their acts’ presence via careful coercing of the panel of pundits (these individuals are listed every year). But we’d not canvassed for votes.

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Esben and the Witch – Marching Song

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(I hadn’t, certainly. And no, I didn’t nominate the band myself – that’s against the rules. It was amusing, albeit not very, reading some suggestions that my Album Reviews work for the BBC had made their inclusion inevitable – this could not be further from the truth. I take what I do for the BBC very seriously and would not compromise the integrity of either the Album Reviews service or the Sound of… by muddying the water between very separate interests.)

We hadn’t pinned any hopes to the Sound of…, knowledgeable that the band’s album was about as likely to bother the upper reaches of the chart as a 19-disc box set of Throbbing Gristle rarities. We were (are) on an indie label, Matador, which shares certain resources with other labels in the Beggars Group, so there was never the personnel in place to actively push for a Sound of… berth. Which I think means, and this is lovely, that Esben made their way onto the Sound of 2011 because People Genuinely Liked Them. Thanks, guys.

Of course, they were far too esoteric to be in with a chance of making the final shortlist of five artists, revealed every January. I didn’t mind, and expected this to be the case. I was, though, disappointed at the time by the lack of ‘ownership’ claimed by the BBC, in the wake of the Sound of…, once the album campaign was underway. The band seemed to get lost in the wide cracks between Radio 1 and 6 Music, with neither committing to the cause. But, then, a radio-friendly record Violet Cries is not.

Now, reading over hindsight pieces on the Sound of 2011, penned with one eye on this year’s list, I see that Esben and the Witch are frequently said to have had a bad 2011. Music Week, brilliantly, hadn’t registered that the band had even released an album when they wrote about Jessie J’s debut collection outselling the rest of the Sound of 2011 list put together.

But Esben have not had a bad 2011. Not at all. They enjoyed a second US tour, this time in a headline capacity; the band played in Japan for the first time; they travelled all over Europe, attracting great press from the continent; and Violet Cries sold to a very respectable level indeed on the back of some cracking coverage. The album drew an 8/10 from NME, a 9/10 from DrownedinSound.com – a couple of particularly negative reviews dragged down its Meta-style average, but said write-ups made one valid point likely to be addressed second time around: while hugely atmospheric, the record perhaps lacked enough hooks to keep the less-focused listener interested.

Anyway, the band goes into 2012 and the writing of their next album having enjoyed a rewarding 2011 – a year that saw them achieve more than ever before, frequently on their own terms. To the outsider, looking in, they’ve not ‘done a Florence’, enjoyed the mainstream attention directed the way of Warpaint, nor followed The xx into television sync ubiquity; but, from an insider’s perspective, these crossover successes were never truly on the cards. The Sound of 2011 skewed some expectations outside of the camp; but those within it never got carried away.

The band maintained focus throughout – they never saw the Sound of 2011 as a ticket to whatever corner of the big time never actually awaited, or a solution to those pesky how-to-pay-the-rent? posers. They knuckled down. They took it in their stride. Just another bit of press, thank you very much, and on we go. And now they’re better than they were at the beginning of 2011. The Hexagons EP of last month was evidence, like any was needed, that the band’s sound was never set in stone. What comes next, I don’t know yet. I can’t wait to hear it though.

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Esben and the Witch – Hexagons II

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Which goes to prove: what doesn’t break you can be the making of you. The BBC Sound of 2012 highlights a selection of talented artists that, right now, are heard to be great hopes for the forthcoming year. (Certainly, they are popular picks for late 2011/early 2012.) But the Sound of… alone will not turn ambitions, dreams and talent into pound signs, into an upgraded tour bus or a slightly higher standard of hotel room. The general public still decides – the people who buy records and gig tickets. Because us lot, those of us who vote for these things? We don’t pay for anything.

And if your band ‘does an Esben’ in 2012, and doesn’t go stratospheric in the black-and-white eyes of some observers: so what? Come back brighter in 2013 and teach us seasonal tastemakers that truly singular passions can’t ever be quantified by record sales or radio plays.

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BBC Sound of 2012 homepage
BBC Sound of 2011 homepage
Violet Cries reviewed on BBC Music

It’s this, isn’t it. Sampha and Jessie Ware’s Valentine, released back in February (obviously) on heart-shaped vinyl. Both vocalists may have enjoyed prominent roles on the SBTRKT album – and Ware’s turn on Joker’s The Vision LP is amongst its highlights. But this is surely the sweetest escape of the year. Tune in, fade the background out, smile for 129 seconds.

Honestly, if you don’t feel your heart lift a fraction when this plays, seek medical assistance immediately as it appears there’s a hole where a major organ should be.

Big 2012s for both of these great British artists, please.

A third installment of ten? Sure. Watch the rest by, like, looking elsewhere on this website thing.

Yes, I’m allowing myself Esben here.

Apparat – Song of Los (from the album The Devil’s Walk)

Spankrock – #1 Hit (from the album Everything Is Boring and Everyone Is a Fucking Liar)

Manchester Orchestra – Simple Math (from the album Simple Math)

Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat – The Copper Top (from the album Everything’s Getting Older)

Polinski – Stitches (from the album Labyrinths)

Childish Gambino – Bonfire (from the album CAMP)

Peggy Sue – Song & Dance (from the album Acrobats)

Esben and the Witch – Warpath (from the album Violet Cries)

Roots Manuva – Get the Get (from the album 4everevolution)

SBTRKT – Wildfire (from the album SBTRKT)

That’ll do, pig.

Are they in order, from 1 to 40? Perhaps 40 to 1? Yes, no… who cares. Anyway, 40 thoroughly good albums from the year that isn’t quite over (but let’s be fair, there’s nothing but X Factor afterbirth between now and the New Year).

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Julianna Barwick – The Magic Place
Katy B – On a Mission
Kuedo – Severant
The Horrors – Skying
Polinski – Labyrinths
Ghostpoet – Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam
Com Truise – Galactic Melt
Björk – Biophilia
9th Wonder – The Wonder Years
True Widow – As High as the Highest Heavens…
Wild Beasts – Smother
Shabazz Palaces – Black Up
Dark Dark Dark – Wild Go
Gang Gang Dance – Eye Contact
A Winged Victory for the Sullen – A Winged Victory for the Sullen
FaltyDL – You Stand Uncertain
Mastodon – The Hunter
The Men – Leave Home
The Weeknd – House of Balloons
Other Lives – Tamer Animals
Three Trapped Tigers – Route One or Die
Modeselektor – Moneytown
Youth Lagoon – The Year of Hibernation
Bon Iver – Bon Iver
SBTRKT – SBTRKT
Braids – Native Speaker
Rustie – Glass Swords
Dels – Gob
Iceage – New Brigade
Childish Gambino – CAMP
Machinedrum – Room(s)
Martyn – Ghost People
Azari & III – Azari & III
King Creosote & Jon Hopkins – Diamond Mine
Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx – We’re New Here
Emika – Emika
Blanck Mass – Blanck Mass
Nils Frahm – Felt
Drake – Take Care
Kode9 & The Spaceape – Black Sun

Note: Esben and the Witch’s Violet Cries is disqualified from this list because they’re terrible, terrible people. Nah. But I do co-manage them. And that sort of nepotism just ain’t cool.

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Julianna Barwick – The Magic Place

Katy B – Broken Record

Kuedo – Scissors

The Horrors – Still Life

Polinski – Stitches

Part One, right, is over here. This is another ten. Are they the best videos of 2011? I dunno. I just say what I see.

Youth Lagoon – Montana (from the album The Year of Hibernation)

Battles – My Machines (from the album Gloss Drop)

King Creosote and Jon Hopkins – Bubble (from the album Diamond Mine)

Lil Wayne – 6 Foot 7 Foot (from the album Tha Carter IV)

Ghostpoet – Survive It (from the album Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam)

Hooray for Earth – True Loves (from the album True Loves)

Beastie Boys – Make Some Noise (from the album Hot Sauce Committee Part Two)

Three Trapped Tigers – Reset (from the album Route One or Die)

New Look – Nap on the Bow (from the album New Look)

Wild Beasts – Albatross (from the album Smother)

Yeah, I’ll probably do one more of these before the year is out. Fun, right?

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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I say ‘best’. These are just some of my favourites. No blurbs, no fuss. Ten I like here, ten I like next time. Watch, listen; watch and listen at the same time. Enjoy. I did. A bit.

(I clearly have a thing for satellites and space. And the seaside. And violent children.)

Dels – Capsize (from the album Gob)

Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx – I’ll Take Care Of U (from the album We’re New Here; RIP GS-H)

Summer Camp – Down (from the forthcoming album Welcome to Condale)

Other Lives – For 12 (from the album Tamer Animals)

Black Lips – Go Out and Get It (from the album Arabia Mountain; because sometimes dicking about at the seaside is enough)

Justice – Civilization (from the album Audio, Video, Disco)

Breton – The Commission (from the forthcoming album Other People’s Problems)

Is Tropical – The Greeks (from the album Native To)

Metronomy – The Bay (from the album The English Riviera)

Tyler, the Creator – She (from the album Goblin)

By now, you’ll know that PJ Harvey has become the first artist to win the Mercury Prize for a second time, her Let England Shake the pick of the shortlisted 12 at last night’s awards do in London. (Read a review of the album on the BBC, here.) I was at the awards – here’s how it went down, from where I was standing. (Times are estimates only – these are my observations and opinions only, not those of the BBC!)

19.00 – In. No fizz yet. Sort it out, Mercurys.

19.04 – Jools is saying something. Presumably about music. It’s hard to tell as the suits clink their glasses across the tables below us – us being the press scumbags and hangers-on assembled on the balcony. I could really do with a drink.

19.05 – Ghostpoet’s in the building. He’s wearing his trademark pork pie hat indoors. My mum, she wouldn’t like that. Thinks it’s rude to wear a hat indoors.

19.07 – Tinie Tempah is the first performer of the night. “The one and only Tinie Tempah,” announces Jools, ramming his face between the cheeks of a nominated artist for the first time tonight. Thank fuck he’s the one and only, think several of the assembled onlookers. (Okay, perhaps just me.) Mr Tempah plays a medley of his chart hits. Few in the room seem to care. This man is not going home with the Mercury.

19.11 – Anna Calvi now. Like Tempah (and, later, Katy B) she’s dressed in black and red. Danger colours, those. Perhaps we’re in for a fiery performance. Or, perhaps, she’ll just shout for a bit while that friend of hers manhandles a squeezy wheezy box. I’ve never got the fuss surrounding Calvi – an adequate guitarist with some okay songs, but nothing more to these ears. And it must be weird for her tonight, performing in the shadow of PJ Harvey – an artist who’s done what Calvi’s doing for the past 20 years or so, and much better. Calvi’s album has no chance of winning.

19.15 – Jools runs us through all of the nominated albums. Everything is “fantastic” or “wonderful”, of course – this is the way of Jools. Still, he’s a national treasure, the sole televisual window onto the wider musical world for a large percentage of the British public, so I can forgive the sycophancy (and besides, if he’s not going to say these albums and artists are great, who is?). The biggest cheers seem to be for Katy B and Ghostpoet. But that might just be because of where I’m stood.

19.16 – Gwilym Simcock plays. His jazz face, to borrow from a credit card provider that isn’t sponsoring tonight’s proceedings, is priceless. He’s a very talented pianist, but really: his album’s never had a chance of winning, which begs the question of why it’s in the running. There have been better jazz albums in the last 12 months. If you must pick a ‘token’ jazz entry, at least make it one by an outfit with rather more fire in its collective belly. Honestly, this is like riding in a lift…

19.18 – …Until Simcock climbs inside his piano and starts beating it. That makes the room go up. But it might just be sympathy applause – thanks for coming, chap; see you… well, never.

19.28 – After a pause, PJ plays. She’s good, this girl. She’ll do well. A no-frills performance, but she’s an artist with nothing to prove at this stage of her career.

19.34 – King Creosote – who, later, will apparently fall into a swimming pool fully suited – plays, alongside Jon Hopkins on piano. It’s a beautiful moment; the room falls still. That pair had their odds slashed earlier in the day. A sign of success to come? Perhaps – but remember this thing isn’t decided until after these performances, when the judging panel retires to shout at each other until they reach a verdict. I wonder if all of them are ever really happy with the outcome?

19.40 – Metronomy now, with The Bay. Good choice. Good performance. Nice to see a band put a little heart into their live showing tonight. Joseph Mount encourages us to visit Devon. I have done, sir, several times. Paignton Zoo and I, we get along fine. He makes the audience laugh, which is nice. It’s be nicer still if the band’s album, The English Riviera, was to win… but a hunch says it won’t.

19.44 – When does the England match kick off?

19.45 – Oh, about now. Thanks.

19.47 – Nice chat with Gbenga from Metronomy. Apparently Lauren Laverne, who’s here tonight presenting for the BBC, fought for their album to be in the shortlist. Zane Lowe didn’t like it, he tells me. Zane, Zane… Bad form.

19.50 – Katy B. She’s good. Great performance of On a Mission. Beside me, the live-blogger fellow from The Quietus announces that she’s his pick for tonight; later, when we’re surrounded by guys and gals from Rinse (who ‘comically’ threaten to mug us), we’ll both say we’re rooting for her. She seems genuinely pleased to be part of this – as a young artist with her first album just released, I guess everything’s still an adventure for her. She’ll learn, in time. Someone tweets that Polly Jean has the best nose in rock; I counter with Katy B has the best dimples in pop. She does though. Treasures, those.

19.57 – James Blake is on. Somewhere in this noise there’s a song, I’m sure of it.

19.59 – I’m not so sure. He’s a tall lad, Mr Blake. I guess when your head’s all the way up there it’s hard to hear your mates, who are telling you: “James, put some songs on the album… James…? JAMES?! Oh, whatever… make a record that sounds like a Bon Iver remix LP.” Mr The Quietus loved his older stuff – might sound like a muso thing to say, but it’s true: Blake’s pre-album fare was much, much better than what makes up his eponymous debut. He won’t win.

20.00 – The audience seems to be in agreement. They might be quiet out of respect, like they were for King Kenny earlier. More likely they’re asleep, though.

20.07 – Ghostpoet is fantastic – loud, and loving every second of being here. Performance of the night (Cash and Carry Me Home, since you asked).

20.11 – News reaching us that Adele is not going to perform. She’s here, though.

20.15 – Grab a word with Ghostpoet. He seems thrilled to be part of this, and is drinking it in. I wish him the best – it’d be bloody fantastic if his LP, Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam, won this thing. As someone who has only just quit his nine-to-five to focus on his music, that £20,000 will go a long way. He calls me ‘Mr Diver’ too, which I like. (It’s my name, but still.)

20.19 – We’re watching a performance of Rolling in the Deep on the screens. She can sing, this Adele girl. Watch out for her. Bright future, etc.

20.20 – Adele takes to the stage to make a thank-you speech and pick up her one-of-the-final-12 trophies/toilet brushes. She makes people laugh, and snorts a little herself. She’s great, just like one of us. Only absolutely loaded.

20.24 – Everything Everything are dressed like Ghostbusters but aren’t even as entertaining as the second Ghostbusters movie – and that really sagged in places.

20.30 – And now it’s Elbow. Somehow I’ve forgotten about Elbow being here – probably because Build a Rocket Boys! is so utterly underwhelming. Why’s it in the final 12? Because Guy Garvey is a Really Nice Man, that’s why. Can’t be on the strength of the LP in question – if so, clearly the panel has listened to 10 albums all year and then picked two acts on the strength of previous collections. (I might be referring to Adele here – 21 is decent, no doubt, but 6/10 decent rather than 9/10 amazing.)

20.34 – Lippy Kids is the most boring song of 2011.

20.36 – Jools arrives on stage to bury himself up Garvey’s arse. Says something about how we all love Elbow. No, Jools, we don’t. Some of us can’t work out why they’re here in the place of many other more worthy outfits. But, hell, that Guy fella is a smashing chap. Struggles to stand up straight while performing, though. He might want to see someone about that.

20.45 – In the pub. Second half of the England vs Wales match is as dull as Everything Everything were a few minutes ago.

22.02 – Back in the building. Lauren’s over there, speaking to camera. She’s with the chap who presents the 6 Music breakfast show, Sean Keaveny. That’s the same Sean Keaveny who’s failed to get the name of this award correct on his show for the past few weeks/months. An expert, then.

22.05 – Realise how weird it must be for the artists tonight, playing to a room where the majority of people assembled don’t want them to do well. They might like their records, and go to their shows elsewhere – but tonight they’re rooting for a rival.

22.09 – Another music journalist tweets simply: “Fuck Off Elbow.” To the point.

22.26 – And the winner is…

22.26.08 – PJ Harvey! Unprecedented second win for Peej. I’d love to say I’m happy with her win, but… Well, it’s a bit safe, isn’t it? An established artist triumphs again. Might have been nice to see the Mercury celebrate emerging talent a little more – but all of the shortlisted 12 benefit from this exposure, so there are no losers in the room tonight. Plus, PJ is an awesome artist whose catalogue is immense. Let England Shake is an LP I’ve not personally clicked with, but I recognise the love for it from other quarters. Many a friend has told me that it’s the best album of 2011, so…

22.32 – Right, I’m off to the pub for last orders. See ya, the #mercuryprize.

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Watch performances from the night, and interviews and the like, on the BBC Music Showcase pages.

Read reviews of all the nominated albums via the BBC Music Blog.