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2. Scavenger Hunt
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Number of followers: 908
Scavenger Hunt’s first song, the impossibly catchy "Lost," was uploaded on SoundCloud just eight months ago, but they're taking off quickly. Shit, by the time you read this, they might already be over 1,000. "Lost" now has over 50,000 plays, and the Cali duo is heading out on a tour with Capital Cities, Dan Croll, and Haerts. Before they hit the road, they dropped off a new track, "Bones."
3. ZelooperZ
Location: 657
Number of followers: Detroit, US
ZelooperZ is the latest member of Danny Brown's Bruiser Brigade to get a big push, with his debut album HELP scheduled for release this summer. You might recognize the name from his guest spot on the hook of "Kush Coma" on Brown's OLD, but it's time to get to know him in his own right. He has an irresistible energy, a magnetic stage presence, and the kind of creativity that lies somewhere between his mentor Danny Brown and someone like Young Thug.
4. Hockeysmith
Location: Cornwall, Britain, UK
Number of followers: 972
When the two sisters who make up Hockeysmith released their brilliant debut track "Let's Bang," they were living in a caravan park in Cornwall where they wrote and recorded all their music. All news of their living arrangements aside, the sisters are masters at building tension and projecting emotion with their tight mix of raw guitars and airy vocals, and will surely break that 1000 followers barrier when they release another new song.
5. TALA
Location: London, UK
Number of followers: 526
TALA first appeared last year providing vocals on a T. Williams house track, but when she dropped debut solo track "The Ducchess," it was clear that the London-based artist was much more than just a guest vocalist. TALA writes, plays, sings, and produces everything on her tracks, and “The Duchess” sees hazy beats reminiscent of Shlohmo’s work pitted against jagged synths that Rustie would be proud of, all tied together with those mystical vocals.
We can't wait to hear more.
6. Francis Lung
Location: Manchester, UK
Number of followers: 747
Manchester band WU LYF had a short but sweet run, releasing one album before breaking up at the end of 2012. The band members stayed busy after the breakup, with drummer Joe Manning, guitarist Evans Kati, and bassist Tom McClung forming Los Porcos. Now, McClung has gone solo, with his first release seeing the bouncy guitar pop of "Selfish Man" joined by the slower, mournful "Tsunami Blues (Cause Of Me)."
An impressive first solo venture from a young but already experienced artist.
7. The Derevolutions
Location: Boston, MA
Number of followers: 772
There's really nobody out there who sounds quite like The Derevolutions. It's the project of Brett Boucher, who recently decided to take a vacation from his job to focus on music after getting a song placed in an ESPN commercial. So far, so good. His music is a lively blend of layered samples and bright, cheerleading-style vocals that yield some of the most uniquely fun music out there.
8. Cozz
Location: Los Angeles
Number of followers: 382
Los Angeles rapper Cozz is new to the game, but his debut on SoundCloud, "Dreams," already has him buzzing. He's got an urgent delivery that doesn't come across as forced, and from the opening line, he manages to keep up an intensity and maturity hard to match in today's current soundscape. Don't be surprised if Cozz blows up before the year is over.
9. dd elle
Location: Unknown
Number of followers: 672
The three songs on dd elle's Soundcloud are all bursting with creativity and enough ideas to fill a whole album. As one commenter says around the 2.40 mark of "love me only," after the beat drops away to vocal samples and a Japanese-feel harp sound and then suddenly returns in a rush of bass: "Who does this?"
dd elle of course.
10. Belgian Fog
Location: Seattle, WA
Number of followers: 486
Belgian Fog doesn't write songs with those same set of chords that you're used to hearing in modern American music, but that doesn't stop his music from being instantly likable. This isn't that trendy synth-pop or hazy rock, but that's exactly why it's so nice to listen to.
11. Lil Silk
Location: Atalanta, US
Number of followers: 628
Uh, I don't know how else to put this, but Lil Silk is a rapper. Judging by his highly animated delivery, he may also be feral. God bless him.
12. Lukas Freeman
Location: London
Number of followers: 512
London's Lukas Freeman sings like he's been damaged, and the dark, stuttering production matches the sentiment. When he was 16, he was a grime MC, and he's now focused in on a very different style of music, but that high-intensity, abrasive quality still cuts through everything he makes.
13. Kyan
Location: Cambridge, UK
Number of followers: 990
British singer Kyan is working in the already crowded lane of alt-R&B, mixing his rich vocals with electronic production, but songs like "Rosetta," with its undeniable pop hook suggest he may find a way to stand out. Plus, getting the brilliant producer Kingdom to remix your debut single is always a good look too.
