ARTISTS & PRODUCERS OF THE YEAR

Wolfgang Gartner

As Joey Youngman he was beloved of the Deep & Jackin' House scenes, as Wolfgang Gartner he has thrust himself into the forefront of the Electro-Tech sound that has been destroying dancefloors all year. His collaboration with Deadmau5 'Animal Rights' was a massive dance chart hit, 'Illmerica' was one of the best tracks of the year in any genre and his Radio One Essential Mix was a 62 track epic that has to be heard to be believed.




Flux Pavilion

The only problem I can see with Flux is that I can never decide which of his tunes to play on any given night. He has been ridiculously prolific this year, dropping the huge remix of DJ Fresh 'Gold Dust' that blew the socks off the original, as well as stunning reworks of The Freestylers' 'Cracks' and even bringing Jamiroquai bang up to date with his remix of 'Blue Skies'. Then there was his own productions showing a versatility to his sound in a dubstep scene populated by artists chucking out the same thing over and over again with the tech-banger of 'I Can't Stop', the reggae tinged bounce that was 'Excuse Me' and this, the, er, haunting 'Haunt You'.




Congorock

Exploding at the start of the year with the party starter that was 'Babylon', Congorock is the latest name to come out of the burgeoning Italian electro scene that has brought us the likes of Crookers and The Bloody Beetroots. His remix of THE biggest dance anthem of the year, Swedish House Mafia's 'One' is set to be a classic for years to come and his take on Mark Ronson's 'Somebody To Love' juxtaposed the melodic heart-tugger of the original with the laser beams of the worlds biggest clubs.




Foals

The follow up to 2008's 'Antidotes' was always going to be difficult in this post-indie world (Klaxons' album in comparison came across as a jumbled mess of never quite finished ideas) and when the first track leaked the kids expecting another 'Cassius' were confused by 'Spanish Sahara' with its sparse vocals and barely there vocals. But in the context of the album in became a stunning centrepiece to an emotive, at times almost sensual whole. 'Black Gold' and '2 Trees' were bold and full of texture, 'This Orient' a catchy, twinkling epic and 'Miami' took a hip-hop groove and married it with post-punk hedonism in a way MIA could only dream of. Unfortunately they will not allow embedding of the Aphex Twin aping video, but check that out too.




Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs

Using easily the best artist name of the year, young producer Orlando Higginbottom has created a position for himself at the forefront of British dance music and is set to blow up to ridiculous proportions in 2011. You'll know his bass-heavy remix of Professor Green's 'Monster' from the Embargo floor and that is just one of a number of stunning tracks produced this year. Further remixes of Darwin Deez, Sky Ferreira, Fenech-Soler, Crystal Fighters & Tinashe all showcase his blend of bass obsessed electro-pop. His two EPs, 'All In Two Sixty Dancehalls' & 'Household Goods' have been revelatory and leave me very excited for next years album.




Jakwob

Another dubstep artist who has been incredibly productive this year, constantly changing his sound without letting it become tired is Jakwob. His Ellie Goulding remixes have become standards in the commercial dubstep world, along with a never ending list of remixes for Penguin Prison, Robyn, Audio Bullies, Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, William Orbit, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Cocknbullkid, I Blame Coco, Oh Snap!, Jessie J, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. & Temper Trap (amoung others)!




Afrojack

Where the Italians have enjoyed their own renaissance in breaking into the UK market, the dirty Dutch have taken it that one step further with their sound owning every set in every decent club going. Afrojack has taken it to another level and looks set to rise to the mythical Guetta level next year. Taking his Black Eyed Peas collaboration to one side 'Bangduck', 'Pacha On Acid' and 'Take Over Control' have been solid gold bangers this year and he has a knack of turning the likes of Madonna & Lady Gaga into twisting behemoths and his remixes of Example's 'Kickstarts' and David Guetta & Rihanna's 'Who's That Chick?' reach new levels of depravity.




Joker

The Bristol purveyor of the fabled 'Purple' sound made one of the undoubted anthems of the year in 'Tron', a track always guaranteed to force the most stationary of feet to move and to set limbs flailing. Making a name for himself by taking some of the most soulful vocals and overlaying them with the deepest of sub-bothering bass, check his work on the Beth Ditto featuring 'Cruel Intentions' by Simian Mobile Disco and the stunning 'Doncamatic' by Gorillaz featuring Daley (who himself is set to be one of next years big breakthroughs).




Sleigh Bells

Feedback drenched, rattling low-end beats, distorted guitars and occasionally nonsensical vocals Sleigh Bells are at first a difficult proposition. Nursed along by such luminaries as MIA and Spike Jonze the more you listen to them the more they shine, the structure of their songs shining through on a wave of bubblegum vocals and conflicting beats. A marriage of the lo-fi, dreamy indie and abrasive rave sounds they were about as 2010 as it gets.




Magnetic Man (& a sly nod to Katy B)

Last but by no means least we come to the breakout moment for dubstep in 2010. Of course Skream & Benga (as well as Artwerk) have been around for years but they have bought the scene crashing into the mainstream this year with their stunning self-titled album. 'I Need Air' was the first hit reaching chart positions no-one really thought possible and riding on the back of this was the massive number one crafted by Benga for Katy B 'Katy On A Mission'. Further collaborations with Katy B on the outstanding 'Perfect Stranger' and Skream's mix of 'Lights Out', a definitive Radio One Essential Mix and a live show that proved that dubstep could transcend the undergrounds clubs it grew from and become a main stage staple showed that the year belonged to Magnetic Man.