We heard you people like lists. Too many end of year lists are preoccupied with looking back at what was, let's be honest, a pretty harrowing year. It was a great year for music, nobody will deny that, but something about dwelling on 2017 just leaves a sour taste.

Instead, we're looking forward (still in list format, don't worry), to a brighter year and all the exciting artists, DJs and musicians that we predict will be making headlines in 2018.

Movement  

2017 saw the London born, Brighton based producer Movement begin to attract favourable attention with a stellar debut jungle and breakbeat ep release on Nuvaman’s Hygrade label. Recently, his forthcoming garage track on Southpoint, Takin’ it Back, has received airtime on Rinse FM from Conducta, indicating a sign of good things to come in 2018. The coming year will feature cross-genre Movement releases on Overgrnd, Southpoint, and Boomsha making him one to watch in the dance music scene. Listen to Genesis

Folamour 

French DJ and producer Folamour rounded out 2017 with the release of his acclaimed album Umami. An exercise in blurring the lines between hip-hop and deep house, the 9-track, no-filler record represents the artist's strongest material yet. With samples liberated from Japanese films, Nigerian dance compilations and everywhere in between, Umami has unsurprisingly raised the Frenchman's stock both in his home country and beyond. The latter months of the year saw Folamour getting booked alongside names like Chaos in the CBD, Frits Wentink, DJ Boring, and Fouk, so expect his stock to rise even further in 2018. Listen to Ya Just Need 2 Believe in Yaself

Tenderlonious 

Multi-instrumentalist, rising talent, and head of 22a Music, Tenderlonious is cut from a similar cloth to Kamaal Williams - a young musician with a flair that transcends both live and club settings. With a keen nose for collaborative opportunities (demonstrated by his 2017 full-length release with London compatriot Dennis Ayler, 8R1CK C17Y), as well as frequent appearances at respected institutions like Bradley Zero's Rhythm Section, Tenderlonious is well on track to smash 2018 to pieces. Listen to Song For My Father

Corbin 

 

Corbin (F.K.A. Spooky Black) has undergone a reincarnation in 2017, dropping his initial pseudonym that he deemed a “dumb name” in a Twitter rant and instead opting to enter 2018 under his forename, Corbin. The Minnesotan singer shot to YouTube fame receiving over ten million combined views after the release of his asinine, quasi-parody video for his otherwise melancholically enchanting single, 'Without You'.

Underneath the façade of do-rags and turtlenecks lies a true RnB talent, evoking pathos in his tortured lyrics and harmonious falsetto. The lachrymose remains in his latest singles, 'Hunker Down' and 'ICE BOY', both of which feature in his introspective debut album, Mourn. However, his sound has become remarkably stripped back, uncovering a more candid image of a real prospect. Check out the enigmatic video for his latest single, 'Hunker Down'.

Rebekah

For those of you out there who even like their eggs black in the morning, Birmingham born Rebekah, now residing in Berlin, has developed quite a reputation across the techno-landscape of Europe. This is down to delivering some of the most hard-hitting, no holds-barred DJ sets around - most recently shutting down Printworks in London, curated by the legend Richie Hawtin himself. Hawtin isn’t the only one that has shown promise in Rebekah’s talent; the Glaswegian godfathers of techno, Slam, brought their A-game with their remix of Code Black off of Rebekah’s aptly named debut album, Fear Paralysis.

Rebekah’s no stranger to the nourishing techno heritage of Glasgow herself; her absorbing hybrid set for Boiler Room this year in the Scottish city attracted wide attention and popularity as she swapped out the CDJs for TR8s and Korg Kaoss pads to highlight the unique dualism of her own Midlands/Berlin sound.

Khruangbin 

Everyone's favourite psychedelic-surf-funk three-piece Khruangbin shot to prominence following the release of their debut album The Universe Smiles Upon You in November 2015. In the two years that followed they've received props from pretty much every music publication, radio DJ, and artist out there, and while they're already somewhat established, their sophomore album dropping in January 2018 has every chance of propelling them into the stratosphere. Listen to lead single María Tambien

Olympian 

Olympian is a Brighton based producer & DJ who currently holds a weekly residency on Trickstar Radio playing and producing a wide mix of house, techno, disco and garage. Olympian is working on heaps of new material for 2018; some of which has already received incredible early feedback from international superstars Gorgon City. Listen to Pushing On

Harrison BDP 

Cardiff-based lo-fi house champion Harrison BDP has had a phenomenal year with some of his tracks reaching well over 600K views on Youtube. The latest star to emerge from the very same corner of Youtube that bred the likes of DJ Boring, DJ Seinfeld, and Ross From Friends, Harrison BDP ended 2017 with a string of high profile DJ bookings alongside the aforementioned, as well as the likes of Moomin, Baba Stiltz and Pépe. Plus, with planned releases on Phonica Records in 2018, it's hard to look past Harrison BDP as a sure-fire rising star. Listen to latest release Devotion on Juno Records.

Iamddb

It has been a crazy 12 months for Iamddb. 2017 has seen the Manchester vocalist make a meteoric rise to fame, picking up plaudits from fellow musicians and critics alike. She has an absolutely amazing voice but the vibe she gives off is just as impressive - her music can be empowering or soothing depending on what kind of energy she wants to bring to a track.

Similarly outstanding is her work rate - with 3 projects to her name in the last 2 years, Waeveybby Vol.1, Vibe Vol 2., and Hoodrich Vol.3 there is no shortage of stellar Iamddb material. If anyone on this list has the credentials to be a bona fide superstar, it's her. Listen to Shade

Bradley Zero

I have raved about this man all 2017, saying this is the year Bradley Zero is going to blow up. Now, just after announcing a Radio 1 residency, and his Rhythm Section International imprint going from strength to strength yet again, I have changed my mind. 2018 is going to be the year that Zero breaks into the mainstream, while still holding the title; pioneer of the underground.

From hosting and curating some of the best nights around the country, including three excellent shows at Patterns, big things are in store for Zero in the coming months. Hailed as the tastemaker of our generation, his ear for selection is about to become a household name.

Roscius

Solo project of Evergreen (formerly We Were Evergreen) multi-instrumentist, William Serfass. Roscius is self-described as 'World Minimal Disco' or 'Technorganic' – intelligent dance music blending organic techno and ethnic deep house. His live performance consists of mass improvisation, composing with field recordings, live vocal samples and bassline loops, while his DJ sets are an infectious flow of world samples mixed with tasteful four to floor dance music.

Just last week, we were teased with 'O' Andarilho'– an eccentric bass driven, piano and pipe loop of a track. Following his career from afar for a couple of years now, I believe that 2018 will be the year that Roscius breaks out onto the London scene, and with his 2nd release, WMD#3 in the pipeline, the stage is set for a massive 2018. Listen to Velo Patrol