Music Recommendations Based on the Artists You Already Like (May 2014)

Orlando duo Sales doesn't sound like Belle & Sebastian in a lot of ways, but they capture that twee pop spirit in their simplicity and songwriting. It's guitar-driven pop that manages to be sweet without all the extra production and polish. If radio pop is Pixy Stix, this is honey.

More on Sales here.

DP’s from Virginia Beach, and that's not the only thing he has in common with Clipse. "Jabar" is the hardest shit you'll hear this year. The 20-year-old rapper delivers with a sharp tongue, like he's so disgusted by every line that he literally spits them out one after the other. Eghck, fuck a hook. Look out for the Designer Casket mixtape.

Stylistically, Knox Brown's "Harry's Code" and Raury's breakout song "God's Whisper" share soulful, gospel-feel vocals, but also, more importantly, a sense of youthful exuberance and willingness to experiment and draw from the sounds of the past to make music that is fresh, vibrant and unique.

Having already written and producing for Jay Z, Mary J Blige, and Aloe Blacc, and with a bunch more exciting projects on the way, the future is bright for Knox Brown.

Sure, no one is ever going to hear a Count Counsellor song and think it was made by BANKS, but both artists are exploring that pop/R&B avenue and mixing it with interesting electronic production. Where BANKS calls in the talents of producers like SOHN, Lil Silva, and Shlohmo, the mysterious Count Counsellor do it all themselves—definitely an artist to look out for.

If you liked Blood Orange’s last album, you’ll love Sean Nicholas Savage, and especially “Empire.” It's a warm love song, tickled by the summer breeze and with bass and at times vocal delivery reminiscent of ’80s pop. It’s comfortingly familiar but still feels fresh, and comes from Savage’s new album Bermuda Waterfall, out May 13 on Canadian label Arbutus Records.

It's hard to pin a certain sound on young Las Vegas singer Shamir, but one thing that runs through the three brilliant songs that he's released so far is the sound of a time when pop music was shot through with the influence of disco, and "dance music" made people think of the likes of Madonna rather than Avicii.

MEET SHAMIR BAILEY, THE 19-YEAR-OLD BEHIND 2014′S MOST EXCITING R&B DANCE-POP DEBUT

Warm, inviting, organic, and friendly, but still soulful. M&O, the Chicago duo previously known as Milo & Otis, still don't have their smash hit like Corinne, but it's not far-fetched to imagine them making one in the future. While so many other newcomers try to embrace abrasion, M&O are making the kind of music that welcomes you to embrace it.

Fatima isn't operating on Erykah Badu's level yet, but her warm, soulful vocals share much in common with the famed singer. Furthermore, the production from Floating Points, Oh No, and Scoop DeVille on Fatima's new album Yellow Memories is subtly and softly innovative, attempting to push things forward whilst respecting the past.