Dancing Astronaut’s Artists to Watch in 2013Artiststowatch

Dancing Astronaut’s Artists to Watch in 2013

With the new year comes new talent, new sounds and new mind-blowing tracks. We’ve already got our sights set on Miami Music Week and the slew of huge releases and up-and-coming talent that will define 2013. We’ve been watching these artists over the past year, their outputs have been impressive but their full potential still untapped.

Jump past the break to check out who we are most excited about in 2013.

Wayne & Woods

Qulinez was the breakout duo from Size Records in 2012 after “Troll” went viral, and this year Steve Angello’s brand of progressive house will be carried by another Swedish tandem in 2013. Wayne & Woods have recently given away their label debut, “Pyramid,” giving fans a taste of what is to come from the young duo. Expect these guys to follow the likes of their predecessors and establish their name and unique sound along with the rest of the Size imprint.

Henrix

All the way from Miami, Henrix has been quietly been spreading his unique brand of electronic music. Garnering support from Laidback Luke on his The Ones To Watch series and offering his own impressive bootleg pack, Henrix began to stir some buzz late in 2012. Back in September, Steve Angello played an unidentified track at his Size in the Park affair, one that would become known as Henrix, GTA and Digital Lab’s future release on Size Records, “Hit It.” Expect “Hit It” to become one of the biggest tracks of 2013 and expect big things from this guy in the new year.

Tom Staar

Making a splash late in 2012, Tom Staar has been recognized for his remixes of “Can’t Stop Me” and “Don’t You Worry Child” before releasing originals such as “Cheyenne” and “Kingdom.” While it may seem that Staar has already found his way into the hearts of dance music fans – there is still plenty more up his sleeve. 2013 promises to be his breakout year as he continues to make a name for himself with more successful productions.

Monsta

The trio, driven by the soulful vocals of Skaar, broke out this year with their self-titled EP released in October. Producers Rocky and Rufio delivered three poppy dubstep productions followed by remixes from some of 2012’s finest including Skrillex, Dillon Francis and fellow Artist to Watch in 2013, Kill Paris. The Monsta EP showed listeners a softer side of dubstep without losing the power of the bass, giving the genre new capabilities and more room to grow — making the Monsta ones to watch next year.

Walden

We’ve kept a close eye on Walden over the past several months, and the young musician has had a successful run that includes his first original track, “Ciaco,” and a Dancing Astronaut Axis mix. With proper production and mixing skills on display late in 2012, the new year will be Walden’s time to shine. We can expect more solo material, including “Intropial” and we anticipate his hype in the studio to prove true behind the decks as well.

Bondax

It was the teenage duo’s “You’re So” that caught our attention back in March with its spacey bubbling rhythms. Since then we have not been able to get enough of the unique sound that Adam Kaye and George Townsend have spent two years building. Combining UK garage, house, R&B and dubstep, Bondax delivers lush outputs seeping with old school soul. Drawing from sounds older then they are, the English duo continue to impress us with innovation beyond their years.

RL Grime

Clockwork’s RL Grime side project is trap focused and for lack of a better word, awesome. His remix of “Mercy” has gotten play from some huge names including A-Trak, Zedd, Congorock, Chuckie and Diplo. It also made a major move when Hot 97 — the tri-state area’s most notable hip hop and R&B radio station — dropped the tune late night. His most recent contribution, a remix of Rihanna’s “Pour it Up” has also received positive attention. The trap scene is burgeoning and we think Grime is set for stardom in this arena and perhaps beyond it.

Andre Sobota

Andre Sobota previously produced drum & bass tunes as part of Marky and Bungle, but it wasn’t until his remix of “Princess of China” that Sobota caught our attention. Since then he’s racked up releases on some of the most reputable labels in the dance music world including Anjunadeep, Toolroom Records, and Pryda Friends — proving that the switch in his production style was a good move. Sobota is already starting 2013 off on a good foot with his Futura EP, and we expect more quality releases from him in the next twelve months.

Andrew Bayer

Bayer’s feature on Cosmic Gate’s “Nothing Ever Lasts” is how we discovered him, his remix of “Undertow” is why we fell in love with him, and “Gaff’s Eulogy” solidified our confidence in the classically trained producer. We’re so fond of Bayer because his outputs are emotionally evocative and often easy listens. He’s found a home with Anjunabeats and we have no doubt that the combination of the label’s nurturing and his talents will eventually turn into something huge.

Danny Avila

The Justin Bieber of dance music has become relevant, but we’re sure this youngster hasn’t quite yet put the pedal to the floor. After the release of “Breaking Your Fall,” Danny proved his own sound to be impressionable, and after a dominating Ibiza season, his DJ skills are ready to blossom. Avila has impressed ears across the scene in 2012, but 2013 will see the ascension of the next generation’s most popular neophyte.

Blende

London-based producer Blende has been forging ahead his brand of disco-infused electro – combining the old school with the new. His remix to Lana Del Rey’s “Video Games” with Adrian Lux was a match made in aural heaven. Combining Lux’s melodic vibes with Blende’s electro-disco style materialized an all around stellar release. More recently he took to remixing Skrillex’s “Drop Dead” – transforming a dubstep monster into a tasteful disco cut. His abilities sure aren’t limited, and we expect big things from this young talent in 2013.

Kill Paris

American-based producer Kill Paris has been crafting dubstep-infused tunes for several years, but it wasn’t until 2012 that we saw his bass heavy remixes really take shape. Known for his plethora of free downloads, Corey Baker aka Kill Paris, has gained recognition from the likes of A-Trak, Skrillex and Flux Pavilion. If it isn’t his effortless revamps, it is his inventive Ableton Live performances which showcase production skills, making us think Kill Paris will be doing big things in 2013.

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