2013: The Best New Artists:

Not particularly a great year overall but the new talent was abundant. None more than my pick as best new artist of the year…



Divino Nino: Divino Niño is Guillermo Rodriguez (guitar),Javier Forero (bass) and Camilo Medina (guitar); they share vocal duties. After reforming over a split from a previous band, their sound has retreated into itself and out comes tasty Hispannic-flavoured oldies. Their debut wonderfully juxtaposes a lot of soul into the process and it’s a huge winner.



The best of the rest, in no particular order…



Jamaican Queens: five years ago, a band called Prussia released a gem of a rock album then disappeared suddenly. I always wondered what happened to them. Well, here are two members from that project making great music so I need not wonder anymore.



Lorde; just still 17, Lorde has that smoldering vocals that will last even long after “Royals” dies down.



Norwegian Arms: this was the music Vampire Weekend wanted to make with their recent album.



Merchandise: relevant alone for successfully bringing back the bad hair band days of the 80s.



AlunaGeorge: English electronic music duo from London, consisting of Aluna Francis (vocals and songwriting) and George Reid (production and instrumentation. Making delicious Euro-pop is swiftly becoming their forte.



Popstrangers: three years of making underground music has finally led them to the mainstream.



Charli XCX: multi-talented and bringing a fresh new voice to pop music.



The Child of Lov: Cole Williams is all about that slow burn daddy pop funk.



Courtney Barrett: new Aussie folk pop singer on the scene.



Haim: it’s hard to believe these sisters are white and teenagers.



Radkey: mission to save the world from fake punk has been accomplished.



Protoje: around the local scene for a few years but this year he, as we say, ‘tek off’.



Chance The Rapper: yet another geeky rapper with an intellectual point to prove. Bring it on!



Autre Ne Veut: Arthur Ashin may use a moniker for his music but that crazed 80s vocals will always immediately register. With a stunning debut album that juxtaposed Prince and Van Halen aping, this dude’s unto something fabulous and this is his debut proper.