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JMSN: A Shot of Jameson

While Justin Timberlake’s seminal third album was a reaction to the new wave of outré r’n’b acts, last year already had an oft-forgotten soulful white boy reacting to that kind of music; JMSN (pronounced Jameson, like the liquor).

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Chance the Rapper: Take a Puff, Take a Chance

Chance is the bastard child of Ol’ Dirty Bastard and Slimkid3 (of the Pharcyde) had he inherited the former’s endearingly atrocious singing and personality and the latter’s flow and everyman relatability.

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Young Fathers: Old Heads, Young Shoulders

Who knew Scotland could produce a promising rap trio?

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Tinashe: Internet Pop

The spiritual successor of the Timbaland and Missy Elliot-aided r’n’b of the late ’90s and early ’00s resides on the internet.

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Orang: No Ordinary Orang

Ain’t just an ordinary orang.

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Lapalux: Malevolence

Brainfeeder’s latest boy Stuart Howard, aka Lapalux, had 2 EPs released in 2012 that might have given you some idea of what he was all about. There’s more to the 25-year-old Essex resident though, and he intends to show it off on upcoming full-length record Nostalchic.

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The Cocker Spaniels: The Only Black Guy On An Indie Rock Playlist

The plight of the only black guy at an indie rock show.

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The Uncluded: Loss in Parable

Both Aes and Kimya experienced some kind of loss in recent years, it’s not surprising that The Uncluded sounds more like cathartic art than art for general consumption

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Meliha: The Acoustics of Coffee & Cigarettes

Maybe it’s a bit of an exaggeration on our part, but Meliha is poised to be the next big thing in the indie singer-songwriter circuit.

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Rudimental: Soul in Drum & Bass

Playing at Future Music Festival Asia 2013 this 16 March, Rudimental will prove why they are the next big thing in dance (if they ain’t already).