I know, I know… I don’t things by halves! But the way I see it, if you’re going to turn people on to new music at the start of the year, you may as well give them a load of names and styles to investigate and explore. I can never limit my choices to only 10 – there’s simply too much good stuff out there and far too much competition. And as we all know… music isn’t a competition!

So, feast your eyes and ears on this lot. There’s indie, rock, dubstep, electronica, acoustic singer-songwriters, hip-hop, R’n’B and quite possibly a mash-up of all the aforementioned genres into something completely different.

This is simply a list of Scottish artists I find interesting at the moment. Some you may know, some you may not: some might breakthrough and become better known, some might not… but they’re all good in their own way. I’ve included bands, solo artists, producers, labels and collectives – check the names and judge for yourselves…

Conquering Animal Sound
The Controls
Aerials Up
Rachel Sermanni
Dems
Midnight Lion
Paws
Capitals
Bwani Junction
Carnivores

Fatherson
Dam Mantle
Hidden Orchestra
Fiction Faction
Mopp
Simba & Profisee
NMBRS
Pensioner
Bear Bones
Paper Crows

Jacob Yates & the Pearly Gates Lock Pickers
Teklo
Dot JR
Black Lantern Music
Washington Irving
Milk
Lightguides
Holy Mountain
Taz
Deadboy Robotics

Happy Particles
Randolphs Leap
Open Swimmer
Abaga Records
Birdhead
Veronica Falls
Song of Return
Verse Metrics
Hangman
Weather Barn

John Knox Sex Club
Show’n’Prove
Cancel the Astronauts
Crayons
Emile Sandé
The Snap Elect
Clouds
We’re only afraid of NYC
The Son(s)
Wrongnote

I hope you find more than a few things you like in there. Get involved!

I’d also like to mention a few names I dropped into my 2010 list here on Dear Scotland

Admiral Fallow (formerly Brother Louis Collective), Astral Planes (formerly Paper Planes), Other People, Akira Kiteshi, Kitty the Lion, Kobi Onyame, American Men, The Agitator, Django Django, United Fruit, French Wives, RM Hubbert, The Seventeenth Century, Ben Butler & Mousepad, Miaoux Miaoux & Boycotts.

I’ve noticed more people tipping these guys and talking about them. They will no doubt move onto bigger things in 2011. But hey, I tipped them last year… come on, keep up!

All the best for 2011.

Cheers,

Vic xxx

Aerials Up – First In The Fire (BBC Introducing stage at T in the Park 2010)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7fluePP4Xw

Photo Credit: Robert Adam