Thanks to figurehead Flying Lotus (above), the sound of the beats scene has entered the mainstream, yet beyond Alice Coltrane's nephew, the rest of the mainly LA-centred network has remained under the radar. And in the interim, it seems to have diversified even more.

While its links to hip-hop can seem stretched to breaking point, with obvious cues taken from Madlib and Dilla, it does still give the music a feint backbone, though with dubstep, skweee, trip-hop and IDM all bleeding in, the sound is incredibly porous, with producers like Tokimonsta's output varying wildly from no-nonsense trad-90s beat-tapes to crystalline synth-heavy beats that sound nothing alike.

With a Dilla-inspired incentive to create as much and across as wide a scope as possible, it's left up to DJs to tie all the loose strands together (and there are dozens of great mixes that do this), the difficulty in getting a firm handle on it making it strangely more exciting for those with a bit of patience.

So, from Self Says' Cybotron-meets-James Brown clomp and stomp to Mono/Poly's affectionate electro-funk tweaks, it might seem all over the map, but right now, that confusion is part of its charm.

 

These are the ones to keep an eye on in 2010...

1. SelfSays
The most inventive use of James Brown samples since Slum Village's I Don't Know and a favourite of Alexander Nut's, Detroit rapper/producer Self Says is still in his infancy as a producer but recent track Untitled (he hasn't decided what to name it yet) recalls Black Milk, Timbaland's work for Bjork and Marley Marl if he grew up in the motor city. As close to mid-westerners Young RJ and Nick Speed as Bullion and Samiyam who have produced his rap output, Untitled takes a physical, straight-for-the-throat tack that makes him one to watch this year.  

Track to check: Untitled.

Untitled aka Su Ni Li Kes by selfischarles

2. Devonwho
A staple of mutual admirer Dam Funk's DJ sets (one track is titled Keepthefunkalive), Devonwho has already had one track – the excellent Nimbus - picked up by Fat City. Relocated in LA from Portland and part of the not inconsiderable Klipm0de clique with Suzi Analogue, MNDSGN and Knxwledge, Devon's tracks cover lush 80s funk, dreamy electro, synth-pop and rigid Detroit rhythms. One of the beats scene's most melodically gifted producers.

Tracks to check – Nimbus, Glow, Loosely Defined.

vidgeo by devonwho

3. Mr Dibiase
Watts resident Diabiese has an obvious Dilla lineage running through his beats, How Deep's crunching snaps and Vangelis synths a case in point. Closer to straight-up hip-hop but with Hud Mo-style arrangements, Dibiase can be equally goofy and finicky but there's a strong funk influence too, overt on Atomic Slop but best heard on How Deep's cut-up techno of and Smoke It Over's monster beats.

Tracks to check: Smoke It Over (with PUDGE), How Deep and Come Get it

Dibiase + Pudge - Smoke It Over by ChoiceCuts

4. Shlohmo
A founder of LA's Wedidit collective, 19-year-old Henry Laufer welds day-glo pops and splutters to translucent Kode 9-style synths, crackling ambience and rickety Madlib drum beds. As expert at heads-down introspection as animated bangers, with a re-release this month of Shlohmoshun - an EP made before he abridged his name to Shlohmo - through the Friends of Friends label and remixes from Devonwho, Fulgeance and Low Limit, his 8-bit productions are some of the scene's most confident.

Tracks to check: Hot Boxing the Cockpit, Windowlight, 7AM

Hot Boxing the Cockpit by shlohmo

5. Knxwledge
Another Klipm0de member, Philadelphian Knxwledge's tracks are imbued with traces of the city's sweet soul history, and while he can't help but take a scissor-happy approach to the Heatmakers and Kanye's chipmunk soul, he lets his melancholy loops play out longer than most before they get sliced and diced. Often like a jumpier, more restless 9th Wonder, his debut album will be out on All City this year.

 

Tracks to check: Brid.Suprgladd96, DelivyMyLivr, Between (Dream)

Brid.Suprgladd96 by Kn?wl?dg?.

6. Tokimonsta
Part of Brainfeeder and christened the camp's "first lady" by Flying Lotus, Tokimonsta deals in dusty DJ Shadow-ish heaviness, sprawling synths and a gauzy mistiness reminiscent of her crew leader. Her standout moments however seem to have most in common with Glasgow's Lucky Me clique, with luminous synths worthy of Rustie and a shared love of remixing feline R&B femme Tweet.

Tracks to check: Let Me Trick You, Tweet - Call Me (remix), Shlohmo – Hot Boxing The Cockpit (remix)

TOKiMONSTA - Arm Candy by TOKiMONSTA

7. Mono/Poly
With Sink or Swim sounding like Dilla taking on Caspa or Jakes, Mono/Poly seems to have his feet in dubstep and hip-hop equally, but it's the 80s-edged end where he comes into his own, with Oil Fields sitting comfortably next to the likes of nu-electro-funkateers Funkineven, and The George Machine sending square Detroit beats into disco.

Tracks to check: Brighten Yu, The George Machine, Oil Fields, Enigmatic Sea Turtle



8. Slugabed
Having got his start producing for Madvillain collaborator Stacy Epps, Slugabed has since moved onto more abrasive territory. Dilla's still buried in there somewhere (see: Gritsalt) but Slugabed is typically more interested in smudging up boundaries than staying faithful, with enough lopsided drums to sit in the beats scene and as many swirling, big bodied lead lines as Joker or Rustie.

 

Tracks to check – Gritsalt, Let's Go Swimming, Thump Ass

Slugabed - Thump Ass by sonicrouter

9. Dalt Wisney
Hailing from Karachi, 23-year-old Sheryar Hyatt, aka Dalt Wisney, is hip-hop's delve into south Asian and far eastern samples coming full circle. With one track featured on Rush Hour's Dimensions Vol 2, tracks like the engine-revving R2FUX could come from anywhere around the globe but Get Set Go and the standout Charming Compressor bring his locale directly into his tracks. Madlib would approve.  

 

Tracks to check: Charming Compressor, Get Set Go

10. Blue Daisy
Though with only two EPs under his belt, Camden producer Blue Daisy has amassed an enviable buzz. As much a fan of Aphex Twin as Kanye whose College Dropout inspired him to start producing, Strings Detached is like Fly Lo making house while Wolf shows he's equally adept at making Dilla-cum-skweee pounders.

Tracks to check: Hunterz, Wolf, Shallow Vicinity

Shallow vicinity by BlueDaisy

• Flying Lotus
,
• Blue Daisy
,
• SelfSays
,
• Devonwho
,
• Mr Dibiase
,
• Shlohmo
,
• Knxwledge
,
• Klipm0de
,
• Tokimonsta
,
• Mono/Poly
,
• Slugabed
,
• Dalt Wisney

Related Links:

• Mono Pens Massive Nike Mural
• New J Dilla Release
• J Dilla Stussy Documentary
• Guest Reviews: Mensah
• Instra:mental Confirm NonPlus+ Release Schedule

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