As we progress comfortably into a new year and decade, it seems fitting to share who we reckon you should be keeping an eye on in the music and fashion industries over the course of 2020. Below are 10 Artists you should have on your agenda for the coming 12 months; stay locked onto our website for any news, releases or reviews on them.
Feux
Feux caught our attention recently with his single ‘Life?’, a tune that revels in hazy hiphop production and catchy, authentic bars. If you dive deeper into his discography, you’ll find bilingual lyricism and captivating flows that singles his art out among the saturated alternative U.K. hiphop scene. There’s a severe lack of honest, lo-fi British rap out there at the moment, and Feux could definitely fill that void this year with a few more singles or an EP.
DeBe
Although many may think it, Slowthai isn’t the only rapper who hails from Northampton. DeBe’s encapsulation of grime, dubstep, hiphop and jazz inspired beats exonerates the versatility of his flow and lyricism; debut EP ’The Life of Reilly’ was largely produced by Earbuds, who you may know for his work with Dream Mclean and Greentea Peng. The contrast of ‘Enough’ and ‘Nuffin Long’ elicitates just how expensive DeBe can be with his music in 2020, so keep your eyes on him.
Nayana IZ
Members of the Nine8 collective have crept onto the lists of every major music publication for 2020. NayanaIZ will be happy to know that she’s made the most prestigious of them all - Repeat’s ones to watch of course. In all seriousness though, the 18 year old is set for a big year. ‘Pusha’ was our favourite cut from Nine8’s EP last year, and Nayana owned the track with her whimsical, mesmerising vocals. ‘How We Do’ is an electrifying single that hopefully signifies more to come for 2020, we can hope anyway.
dANNY tRASH
A self-confessed lover of cartoons and the guitar, dANNY tRASH’s blend of indie melodies and experimental production caught our eye last year in a big way. As music becomes more and more reliant on technology, it is refreshing to find an artist that rates analogue instrumentation. The Sam Wise featuring ‘CHERRY B’ is an instant groove, with its slightly garage inspired beat, and scintillating vocals. Check it out below.
Lex Amor
'Mood' by Lex Amor was one of our most played songs of last year, despite it being released in 2018. The juxtaposition of a calming guitar-lead melody and frantic percussion works well with the rapper's nazelly vocal tones, and we are hoping for some new singles in 2020. The Londoner had a quiet 2019; despite a collaboration with Wu-Lu and Ego Ella May, no material surfaces for Lex, so hopefully 2020 will be more active for the rapper.
CHLOBOCOP
Combining trap tendencies with hypnotic vocal tones, Glaswegian artist CHLOBOCOP sounds like an even more woozy IAMDDB. Her autobiographical lyricism slips so naturally over the range of beats on ‘LiL RED RIDIN’ FROM THE HOOD’, her debut mixtape, and last year’s ‘Pay As You Go’ EP. At the end of 2015 the artist was arrested for a few days on drugs charges, but perhaps the biggest narcotic of them all is her music. Expect instant addiction when you play the likes of ’TiNA’ and ’999’, so listen at your own peril.
Ayrtn
Anyone who names a song after the legendary goggle wearing, dreadlock sporting footballer Edgar Davids is going to catch our attention. South Londoner Ayrtn spits and produces - a combination that is rarely done well nowadays. Artists often confine their creativity to beat making or lyric writing, but the (selfnicknamed) Flight07 Pilot can classify himself as one of the few who has both in his locker.
Damola
"She wanna crush up a xan, this was part of the plan, Bad B from Japan, her tee from Milan" spits Damola on break out single 'Rapids'. That rhyme scheme goes on for quite a while; his lyrical dexterity is unquestionable, and we're hoping for a big year from the artist. Last year's 'Comma' was an infectious ode to needing more money in the bank account, a common problem the best of us find ourselves in, hopefully music will take this problem away from Damola, who definitely deserves more recognition, so check him out.
Willow Kayne
If you’ve been following our site for a while, you’ll know we’ve been supporting Willow Kayne’s music for time. Still only on Soundcloud, her woozy vocals have themselves on a range of beats over the last couple of years, and hopefully 2020 will see even more releases. With Master Peace and Silky (Dee93) she found herself featuring on Modulist’s ‘Yourself’ last year, and it’s a banger. Don’t sleep on her stuff.
BBY BLU
Lo-fi R&B vibes don't get a lot better than BBY BLU. If you are unaware of her Soundcloud page, like we were until a few days ago, then we really suggest you check her out. Blu's alleviating tunes are both catchy and mesmerising - perfect for the peak winter months that are ahead of us. Whether you're home on your own sipping a brandy, or playing poker in your mates front room, many scenarios seem oddly fitting to play her music. Give it a go below.