With so much amazing talent emerging on the scene at the moment, we've had to split our Ones To Watch feature in two. Here are ten more artists you should get to know this year...
ABSOLUTE.
Graduate of the capital’s LGBTQ+ club scene, East London producer and DJ ABSOLUTE.’s unstoppable ascent is testament to his hard graft and bounding creativity. 2019 marked a turning point in his career, launching his label Family Planning which homed three of his original EPs, the most recent, ‘String Theory’ being crowned Pete Tong’s Essential New Tune. With high profile support from The Black Madonna, Tiga, Annie Mac and DJ Tennis to name just a few, and receiving rave reviews from Mixmag and DJ Mag there is no doubt Absolute is well on his way to dance music stardom.
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Alan Dixon
London based DJ and producer Alan Dixon has been a name firmly on the radar of the in-house A&R team for some time. Having released his Glitterbox Recordings debut ‘Bless Me Today’ in 2019 along with his remix of Sophie Lloyd's 'Raise Me Up' on Classic Music Company, and most recently his take on the Soulfuric Recordings classic 'He Is The Joy' by Donna Allen (dropping 14/02), Alan’s unique, genre-blending style transverses from house to disco and everything in-between, with no two productions sounding the same. His forthcoming track 'Acid Dop' on Running Back already has the seal of approval from Gerd Janson, featuring regularly in his recent sets.
Theo Kottis
Theo Kottis can always be relied on to get the party started, radiating fun, positive energy from behind the decks, the Edinburgh DJ and producer started out throwing parties in the Scottish capital and has steadily become one of the country’s hottest musical exports, while holding down residencies at institutions like Sub Club and FLY Open Air. Recent releases like ‘Clear’ and ‘Turning Around’ (both on Skint Records) align themselves perfectly with Theo’s style of djing and were certified hits. After a set-back at the end of 2019 when his track ‘Want Me Back’ wasn’t able to release due a sample clearance (although still scoring a 10/10 Mixmag review and dominating dancefloors across the scene) 2020 promises a lot more club heat from Theo’s studio workings.
Finn
Finn’s production capabilities continue to make him one of the most exciting young artists around, raised in Manchester’s rich musical scene, his ability to seamlessly merge house, garage (see his collab with DJ Q) and everything in-between is allowing him to craft a catalogue of infectious club gems. Resident Advisor described the emotional disparaties in Finn's tracks as, "a contrast that makes [his] music feel transcendent,” as seen in his Defected debut 'Sometimes the Going Gets a Little Tough' and 'Dance Music Has Betrayed Us All' on Local Talk. Closing out 2019 with the UK rave inspired ‘H.U.R.L / F.U.R.L’, a pair of glistening club cuts made in collaboration with India, we can’t wait to see what Finn has in store next.
Nyra
Former professional cyclist and musical all-rounder Nyra (aka Ryan Davis) has been releasing quality club cuts for over a decade, but since launching his imprint Canoe in 2017 he has pumped out 12 excellent EPs that instate his abilities as an adept and agile tune-maker. Regularly djing across the capital’s best underground venues and beyond, we have a feeling Nyra is only just getting started. Watch this space.
Alex Virgo
Alex Virgo’s 2019 marked a turning point in the London DJ and producer’s career, launching his imprint Pomme Frite, which housed three of his EPs, and touring extensively with standout shows at UK mainstays like the Warehouse Project, Lovebox Festival and Shine Belfast. His releases have garnered support from across the board, ranging from Patrick Topping and Mella Dee to Dan Shake and Horse Meat Disco, no mean feat for an artist in the early stages of their career. Alex is continuing to evolve as an artist as he flies into 2020, and we look forward to hearing what comes next.
Lauren Lo Sung
Hailing from one of the UK’s most vibrant musical hubs, Liverpool's Lauren Lo Sung was just eleven when she started to learn to DJ. Her career has gone from strength-to-strength since launching party LOLiFE while at university, and in 2019 her vinyl-focussed imprint bearing the same name was born, launched with her incredible Jstfy EP. Touring the UK’s hottest venues and festivals like Tobacco Dock, The Warehouse Project, Parklife and Printworks and honing her production skills in the studio, her ability to remix huge tracks like S.A.M’s ‘Fury’s Laughter’ show her evolving as an artist. Needless to say, Lauren has hit her musical stride and shows no signs of slowing down in 2020.
Jaden Thompson
While Jaden Thompson may not be an artist you know by name, there is a good chance you’ve heard his records, with his modern house cuts catching the eyes (and ears) of hero DJs like The Martinez Brothers, Jamie Jones and Seth Troxler. Since finishing university he has been busying himself in the studio with releases on Cuttin’ Headz and Emerald City Music, while earning himself a coveted residency at London institution Fabric's new Friday night affiar Forms. If last year is anything to go by, we expect to hear a lot more to come from Jaden in 2020.
Silvie Loto
A regular on Ellen Allien’s BPitch Control, Silvie Loto has a profound love of electronic music that shines through on every release and DJ set. Described as "one of the rising stars of deep techno,” her DJ sets illustrate her deep knowledge of the genre, journeying between sounds to build the optimum atmosphere. Kicking off 2020 at Circoloco’s infamous New Year’s Day affair at DC10, this Florence-born artist has laid the foundations for another incredible year ahead.
Jansons
Rising star Jansons had a very busy 2019, his record ‘Switch’ (featuring Dope Earth Alien) was arguably one of the summer’s stand-out releases, and he's kept up a busy touring schedule with shows at London’s Fabric, Watergate Berlin, The Warehouse Project, Snowbombing and Hideout Festival. His studio workings continue to garner attention from the biggest names in the game, including Hot Since 82, Nic Fanciulli, The Martinez Brothers and Jamie Jones, and with a load more exciting music in the locker, Jansons’ winning streak is set to continue through 2020. Keep your eyes peeled for a very exciting project incoming on Classic Music Company in the not so distant future…
