Today, the BBC have released their annual list of musical talent to look out for in the new year, so I thought I would share my pick of the 15 named on that list.
Daley
If you're able to work with Gorillaz, you know you're doing something right. This guy's got a great voice, and I really like the song. His image is pretty out there (like any good artist!) and 2011 will be a very important year for him. It will be interesting to see who else he collaborates with, and what he can produce on his own.
James Blake
This is one of the hottest tracks of the moment. I'd first heard of James Blake when a friend played me CMYK - A garage like track using female vocal samples, well worth a listen! The video above is more harmonic, using the piano to give a more classical element to the song. James Blake is a genius, and fully deserves to be in the Sound of 2011 list. I'm really looking forward to see what he has to offer us in the new year.
Jamie Woon
I've used a Burial remix to demonstrate this guy's talent, as it is one of my favourite songs. Just listen to the man's voice, it's suits Burial's dark vibe. His singing is so sincere that you truly believe every word he is saying, and it makes the song feel really emotional. The video above was added nearly three years ago, so Jamie Woon has been around for a while. I'm really glad that he's started to break through by appearing in the Sound of 2011 list.
Nero
In high contrast to all of the above, dubstep producers Nero. In a way, I was surprised to see Nero in this list. In my mind they are massive and have been around for years. I wasn't sure which Nero track to share as they have made many classics, they are one of my favourite artists! I decided to go for an older track of theirs, This Way. It's an original track, one of my favourites, and shows what they are about. I feel that 2010 has been a huge year for them, so if the BBC think that 2011 is their year, we can expect a hell of a lot.
The full list of artists from the BBC's Sound of 2011 can be found here.
