hot tips for oh-ten

Right, so here we are. New Year.. new music. I've always wanted to write do something like this, i.e. pretend I'm where it's at in terms of new music and that I have a megamagicalprophetic predictive mind. Anyways, 2009 was a great year for music (as DJ Earworm showed us with his mash-up. Ok, I'll stop banging about it), but I hope that 2010 is going to better it. With the new penchant for drum&bass and dubstep taking over the music scene, I'm interested to see what direction old bands have taken for their new albums. So here's my hot tips for 2010, as well as the people I'm itching to hear new things from.

HOT IN 2010
Let us start with those I'm not such a big fan of (but they're still good'uns, kind of)...

DELPHIC – 'ACOLYTE'

I liked their song 'Counterpoint' released (I think) last year, but they haven't convinced me yet with their new single, the name of which escapes me.

MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS

Also another one who hasn't convinced me.... 'I'm Not A Robot' was alright, 'Hollywood' I haven't given a fair listen to yet. So I'll keep you posted about how I feel. But yeah, I can tell she's gwan have a good year, and she was one of the names on the BBC Sound of 2010 Longlist.

JUSTIN BIEBER – 'MY WORLD'

Yeah, all the teenage fangirls are already screaming for him (I just accidentally wrote 'her' instead of him, thats how cutesy pie he is) and, I have to say, he deserves (some of) it! He has a great voice and the album 'My World' (hum. I *coughdownloadedcough* it) is quite well produced. Good pop/r'n'b shtuff. (Sounds a bit like Miley Cyrus... I can't wait for his voice to break.)

Justin Bieber – 'One Time'

OWL CITY – 'OCEAN EYES'

This is not how I imagined him to look like...

With 'Fireflies' already sparking love-hate polarisation, and considering the previous album and EP have had some great stuff that new fans may latch onto, I can see OC breaking through in 2010. But I just think the songs are too similar, so I ain't too big on this guy.

Owl City – 'Cave In', probs my fave song on the album

COBRA STARSHIP – 'HOT MESS'

'Hot Mess' is coming out (or has come out? If it hasn't come out, then the version I've got must be a leak..) this year, and they have a headline tour somewhere around the world. 'Good Girls Gone Bad' and Leighton Meester did much to raise this band's profile, so I can only see them getting bigger from here.

Cobra Starship – 'I Kissed A Boy'. From FOB's mixtape 'Welcome to the Administration'


And the following are:

HOT IN 2010 AND/OR I'M EXCITED/HOPING TO HEAR THAT THEY ARE COMING OUT WITH NEW THINGS

VAMPIRE WEEKEND – 'CONTRA'

Released 11/01, it sounds good to me already just on my first listen. They don't lose the sound that defines them (bouncy/cheery African-drum xylophoney feel-good tunes) but this one sounds a bit dreamier and carefree. Dare I say it's even outrageously easier to dance to than is their debut? Good work guys.

Vampire Weekend - 'California English'


Vampire Weekend - 'White Sky' - lovelovelovelovelovelove

THE STROKES – 'JUKEBOX'

I've only liked the Strokes for around two years but that 'like' has been of a very strong nature. And the stuff they've done solo (e.g. Julian C's collaboration with Pharrell Williams and Santogold on 'My Drive Thru', and Albert Hammond Jr.'s 'CfG') tell me that they haven't lost their musical streak. Look forward to it!

KLAXONS – TBC

The Klaxons are amazing. I saw them twice in Year 10 and their album 'Myths of the Near Future' was quite something – sounds that nobody else have successfully reproduced. They've been quiet for three years so this is an album I can't wait to hear.

'Magick' ...Not exactly an unheard of song, but it needs to be heard some more.


ELLIE GOULDING – Album has been rumoured

Her two songs that I've heard – 'Starry Eyed' and 'Under the Sheets' – are great, and she knows quite a thing or two about making music. She's been tipped by the likes of Huw Stephens – well actually she's been tipped by EVERYONE – and has been given advice by Florence Welch... from the songs that I've heard I know that she deserves the hype, and I like the sound that she's been making, so let's hope the album lives up to it all.

'Under the Sheets' – Ellie Goulding

KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES – DIRT

Kids in Glass Houses are a band that I really, really like, because they're kind of emo, but really upbeat, feel-good emo that never fails to make me smile. The music they made was quite flawless and Aled Phillips' voice is phenomenal. DIRT is out in March.

'Hunt The Haunted' – Kids in Glass Houses

BLINK-182 - ?

THEIR SUMMER TOUR. I don't know if they're having a date in the UK, but they've been rumoured to be playing at Reading '10, so I'm banking on that cause I got ticketz to that already. There is a trace of scepticism in me that thinks they may not be able to make it considering the musical directions they've taken in their respective bands (especially Tom Delonge whose Angels&Airwaves aspired to music that would 'make people want to fly'). However, I have total faith in them!

McFLY – TBC

Radio:Active wasn't exactly their best, so please please please bring out something along the lines of 'Wonderland' (though I doubt that'll happen).

THE CRIBS - ?

Freaking flawless post-punk heaven. But wishful thinking on my part, I think.

HOT CHIP – 'ONE LIFE STAND'

FRIENDLY FIRES – TBC

I'm not excited about their new album as I should be, cause I love them really. Hopefully they're gonna come out with a new sound, cause I am a bit sick of that debut atm.

JUSTICE – TBC

A very able (French, might I add!) duo who have been compared to Daft Punk and even rumoured to be the people under the DP helmets. Their work is always musically great.

MYSTERY JETS – TBC

These guys are dickheads (if you've seen their Nokia Green Room with Basshunter, you might have caught the dickhead vibe) but their tunes are great. I hope they've evolved somewhat and have become a lil bit more professional.

OUTKAST – 'TEN THE HARD WAY'

Heyyyyyy YA. Nuff said.

MIDNIGHT BEAST - ?

I know I've banged on about them on Tumblr and Facebook, but I just had to put them here. Stefan Abingdon (lead singer, if you call it singing) was tipped back in... by the BBC as a rising rap star. In 2008, I heard the Clik Clik, which he was in. Then in 2009 I saw this band's parody of Tik Tok, and have since discovered that in between TCC and MB he was in Perfect People. He just doesn't stop does he. Anywho the parodies they've done are hilarious, but I wanna see what they'd make of producing their own original music – though I doubt they're actually gonna come out with any solid record.

(Watch it in HQ otherwise it doesn't work) 'Down (jay Sean Parody)' – Midnight Beast

FOALS – An album has been rumoured

Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease give us an album. 'Antidotes' was musical genius.

And finally,

BUSTED

IT'S TRUE. THEY'RE BACK TOGETHERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

...I wish.

*Sniffles. *

I've said 'hope' a lot in this post, which suggests that music this year can't be all riff-raff. We're expecting bigger better new things from old friends. I've said 'please' a lot as well which means some people have been gone for far too long! Also, when are Justin Timberlake, Late of the Pier, Mark Ronson, The Wombats, hellogoodbye, Gwen Stefani, Does It Offend You, Yeah? all coming back?!

Who are you looking forward to seeing/hearing this year? If you've got any unheard-of underground artists that you LOVE, gimme a shout!

xxxx