Gold Panda, known to his mum as Derwin, is a London-based bedroom producer, creating dreamy electronic music from obscure charity shop samples.
The 28-year-old is obsessed with Japan, and once sold all of his possessions to move there and teach English. Back in London, he resumed digging around for interesting vinyl and old VHS tapes to sample, and his output retained a clear Japanese influence.
Last year he pressed up 300 CD-R EPs titled Before, now all sold out, but luckily available on Spotify. The Miyamae EP, featuring the standout track Back Home, is also out of print but available on Spotify.
Gold Panda is officially unsigned, not that that means a whole lot in these digital times. Expect to hear more from Derwin on Spotify as the year progresses.
Erik Hassle is a singer songwriter from the land of Spotify – Sweden. Like many of 2010′s hot acts, Hassle mines the electronic end of the pop world, revealing synthpop and dance influences, tinged with acoustic tendencies.
Hailing from “a tiny village voted the most boring place in all of Sweden”, Hassle’s rise from obscurity has hardly taken place overnight, with self-titled debut album Hassle eventually released in Sweden last year after three years spent recording it, and many more spent honing his songwriting craft.
In the UK, debut single Hurtful failed to gain much attention on these shores. But, after signing to Island Records, second single Don’t Bring Flowers found critical acclaim, if not chart success. Hassle has also duetted with another Hot for 2010 pick, Ellie Goulding, on a cover of Robyn’s Be Mine.
Hurtful will be re-released in the UK in February, with the album Pieces set to follow. You can download a free remix of Erik Hassle’s Hurtful by New York dance producer Penguin Prison here.
The NME has named them their number one tip for 2010, and The Drums also make Spotiguide’s list of the ones to watch this year. From Brooklyn, The Drums are Jonathan Pierce (vocals), Jacob Graham (guitar), Adam Kessler (guitar) and Connor Hanwick (drums).
Fractured, melodic indie pop is the order of the day here – think Vampire Weekend or Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Debut EP Summertime! featured lead track Let’s Go Surfing. Summertime! was released in the autumn, and Let’s Go Surfing is not actually about surfing – vocalist Pierce has admitted he can’t really stand being in the ocean. Follow-up single I Felt Stupid was also featured on the EP.
The band will tour the UK in February as part of the NME Awards tour.
Gold Panda, known to his mum as Derwin, is a London-based bedroom producer, creating dreamy electronic music from obscure charity shop samples.
