Sound Of 2010: Jan - June

The list author says:
	"Folk/shoegaze hybrid of the highest order, and they're British! For fans of reverb, MBV-drone and Bon Iver."

The list author says:
	"Kitchen-sink inventiveness that houses dub, hip-hop, rock and electronic influences. For fans of Wu Tang Clan and Radiohead."

The list author says:
	"Dense Civil War concept album that pits Springsteen against The Pogues to coin an intellectual, yet drunken, punk-rock sound."

The list author says:
	"Majestic, glacial nearly-pop. Beach House nail their own sound. See also Warpaint and White Hinterland."

The list author says:
	"Poppish psychic jams that find a winning middle ground between The Flaming Lips' latest incarnation and A Mountain Of One's hypnotic multi-tracking."

The list author says:
	"Flamboyant pairing of Xiu Xiu's Jamie Stewart and his claustrophobic Casios with rising superstar Nika Danilova (Zola Jesus) and her new age Goth pop."

The list author says:
	"Dubstep/trip-hop mélange that comes on equally like a more substantial The xx and a wonky, dubbed out Cocteau Twins."

The list author says:
	"80s-style post-punk cut with new-wave synths. For fans of early New Order and Silk Flowers."

The list author says:
	"Hugely successful sunny meeting of Neil Young-like melodies and acid-fried R&B à la Black Lips."

The list author says:
	"Tight, one-man, reverb-heavy post-punk. For fans of Wire and Joy Division."

The list author says:
	"Lyrical and melodic singer-songwriting loveliness, which evokes thoughts of Highway '61 via Nashville - only from Sweden."

The list author says:
	"Imagine squeezing Dinosaur Jr and Hüsker Dü into the same car and crashing it into Kyuss's own cactus. For fans of Japandroids."

The list author says:
	"Twee West Coast stuff between Mercury Rev and The Shins, but with a soupçon more alt-country."

The list author says:
	"A splat-attack of pop, smooth funk, glam, psych, post-punk and goodness knows what else. There's something for everyone here."

The list author says:
	"The Casady sisters go Balearic, and ethnic, and glitchy, and still a bit freak-folky too. Their best to date."

The list author says:
	"Swamp-stompin' lo-fi garage. For fans of Vivian Girls, Sons & Daughters and The Cramps."

The list author says:
	"Ahoy there, glam done lo-fi by a bunch of kids from Chicago. Yes please."

The list author says:
	"Shambling garage with heart and dancing feet. Perfectly pitched for a tour with state-mates Black Lips."

The list author says:
	"Their angriest, noisiest Gothabilly so far. Welcome back boys. Good plan getting rid of the silliness."

The list author says:
	"Warm, honest-to-goodness, toe-tapping folk-rock to put a smile on the most miserable of faces."

The list author says:
	"Camp-splitting pop rich in quirks, and amazingly it avoids every pitfall. Summer defined."

The list author says:
	"Concept album about an alternate Los Angeles, one scary place inhabited only by TV On The Radio and fans of bass-heavy frequencies if this is anything to go by."

The list author says:
	"Soulful blues that loses previous cutting edge for the sake of expert songcraft. For fans of The White Stripes, Marvin Gaye, and, possibly, Amy Winehouse."

The list author says:
	"Falsetto prog-folk/post-rock concept album about the sea's relationship with land. For fans of Sunset Rubdown and British Sea Power's Man Of Aran."

The list author says:
	"More enviable bourbon-swilling, dark-hearted country-rock from these lads and lass that recalls some Johnny Cash, obviously."