Genius act nobody's heard of: Mbongwana Star This seven-member band from the Republic of Congo makes gloriously messy compositions that combine international synth riffs with local drum and bass. Try: ‘Malukayi’, the most popular song on From Kinshasa.
This year’s Coachella line-up is a crowd-pleaser with Guns N’ Roses, LCD Soundsystem and Calvin Harris headlining the festival. But despite their smaller font size on posters, these budding artists are primed for success. Discover them before everyone else does.
Club music minus the migraine: Zhu The reclusive electronic artist functioned anonymously until 2014. Steven Zhu’s dance music is minimal, easy on the base and fits all ages. Try: His Grammy-nominated single, ‘Faded’
Voice of the moment: Låpsley The 19-year-old’s high-impact vocals are layered on measured compositions (James Blake comparisons are all around). Try: ‘Burn’ from her brilliantly restrained debut album Long Way Home.
Teen pop for adults: Alessia Cara The Billboard fresher (and runner-up on BBC’s Sound Of 2016 list) brings a cool-girl nonchalance to her pop debut Know-It-All. Try: ‘I’m Yours’; it’s Taylor Swift’s favourite.
’90s music, but better: Years&Years The British electro-synth trio are new leaders on UK pop charts. They bring ’90s grooves with extra soul. Try: ‘Desire’ feat Tove Lo from their debut album Communion.
Get-over-Kanye music: Vince Staples The rapper and actor (Dope) is pegged for dominance in his genre. His music has all the angst of a Kanye tweet, with bonus coherence. Try: ‘Lift Me Up’ from his acutely cynical album Summertime06.
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