Yes it’s that glorious time of year again where anyone with even the mildest interest in music starts being bombarded with emails about “HOTTT tips for 2011” with comments like “OMG!!! They’re soooooo gonna rule in ’11” by people like us.
Not wanting to break with convention, we’ve pulled together 9 acts from our roster that we actually, genuinely, truly believe will achieve greatness in the year to follow, 9 amazing songwriters from hyper-fast indie pop, to hyper-real electronic.
See this as an introduction of sorts, artists that you’re not so familiar with debuts all lined up for next year. Read our one sheet below and drop us a line on any of the bands featured for more info or music or just to say hello!
01. The Vaccines - Obliterating the sludge of meek, lo-fi indie bands that were so prevalent in 2010 are The Vaccines, a band with possibly the best pop song of 2010 in ‘If You Wanna’, and a ton of others to drop next year.
02. Wolf Gang - Max McElligott is a genius. Writing and recording every song on his debut album due early next year with Dave Fridmann, we can’t wait for everyone to hear what this dude has in the tank. Expect HUGE songs from here, far into 2011.
03. Fiction - We fell in love with Fiction about a year ago now, the guys have just finished touring with Warpaint, now on the road with Klaxons, and still no debut album!
04. Becoming Real - One of the most prolific songwriters we’ve ever come across, Becoming Real aka Toby Ridler is like nothing else. Hyper-real mutant soul comes close. Forging his own musical language and aesthetic, you can expect greatness from this young London producer in 2011….
05. Cloud Nothings - Easily the best thing we saw at SXSW in 2010, Dylan Baldi is already a master of the hard, fast pop song at just 18. Debut album proper landing in early January on the awesome Wichita Recordings, it’s so good it makes us kinda sick.
06. Frankie & The Heartstrings - Iconic from the day we first laid eyes on them, FATHS are the quintessential British rock and roll band, the answer to the swathes of guitar pulp bands with nothing to say. Their debut album due early next year on their own label Pop Sex, will kill it. Simple.
07. David’s Lyre - Timeless songwriting from another young prodigy as part of David’s Lyre. We keep getting songs sent to us as another is finished towards his debut, each one better than the last, and unwittingly perfect. Watch this space.
08. Spark - She’s already been on tour with Marina & The Diamonds and released a single through one of our favourite labels, Neon Gold. Jess Morgan (who’s middle name is actually Sparkle) is working on her debut album which matches her mezmerising voice with all manner of pop greatness!
09. Clare Maguire - Clare’s voice just blew us away when we first heard it, and with her debut album spinning in our stereo now, it’s hard to see how 2011 won’t be a a huge year for her. Think of the best power-pop you’ve heard and times it by a billion… Just wait!