Rather than predicting the year ahead, TEA has decided to name check some of the artist who sparked up some interest in 2011. Below is a select group of merrymakers who have the potential to light up 2012 whether it be with through their original productions, remixes, labels, live shows, DJ sets or organised parties.
Furesshu
The young Bristolian was responsible for one of this years most functional techno tracks Lucid, coming in at number 8 on TEA's top 100 for 2011. Furesshu along with Asusu were Project Squared's inaugural artists who seem to share a close friendship, the two release their Togetherness/Horizons EP on local imprint Immerse Records in May 2010. Furesshu capped off 2012 with his Downstate techno cut on Brendon Moeller's Steadfast which featured an Echologist (aka Brendon Moeller) Dub.
Northern Structures
So far to their name these two Danes have two releases to their name, Self Similarity and Service & Devotion both released on Adam X's Sonic Groove. The two regularly play live and in a recent chat with them in late 2011 they revealed to TEA that they have a stock pile of tracks banked up ready for potential releases.
Zadig
If Zadig keeps things up he looks to be the biggest thing since François Kervokian and Daft Punk combined. 2010 saw Kenny Larkin's remix of Zadig's Dark Nebular tilt a few heads in the the Parisian's direction, but it has been his most recent release on Technasia's Sino and the launch of his own CONSTRUCT-RE-FORM imprint that has fast tracked the Frenchman as a one to watch. Zadig's 'new classic' sound is a traditional yet engaging approach to producing techno and one which he says was inspired by such luminaries as Surgeon, Luke Slater and Robert Hood.
Adam Rivet
Adam Rivet supplied a podcast for TEA earlier this year just after the release of his first Naked Index EP Looking Out. Since then Rivet has released a second ram shackling package for Naked Index titled Running Thick, thick techno that's for sure. Rivet managed to sneak in remix for Kowton's Dirty Little Bomb on upcoming Danish imprint Teal as well as the recent Amid The Roar EP on Kontra-Musik which features a quality tasty Marcel Fengler Redefinition.
Carter Bros
For those that know them the Carter Brothers have been doing their thing for a long time before many of us new what that thing was. For those that don't they are known as the two wonder brothers from regional Australia that managed to snag a release on Rush Hour and Monty Luke's new imprint Black Catalogue. Infamous for being hopeless self promoters it only takes a little digging to find out that these two have released two albums prior to their Rush Hour release on their own DIY label Well Pitched Recordings. By 2012's end the Carter Bros will be a staple amongst house and techno lovers sets.
MRSK
Besides MKSR's reconstruction of Makam's - Home 2 Home (alongside remixes from Delano Smith and XDB) on Berlin imprint Sushitech Purple, the housier sub label of Sushitech, the Swede has a modest discography with his Black Keith/Close To Me EP released on Rush Hour being his only solo work. MRSK has featured on The Best Of Rush Hour compilations for the past two years highlighting the Scandinavian as a one to watch this year.
Conrad Van Orton
Another young Italian who's dark and brooding take on techno has him well on his way to joining ranks with the likes of Georgio Gigli, Donanto Dozzy and their younger protégés Obtane and Claudio PRC. Conrad Van Orton, real name Andrea Zanchetta runs C.R.S Recordings with sometimes production partner VSK. The somewhat necomer introduced his brand of broken and dirty techno to 2011 with releases on Key, ANG, Fluxus Digital and his own C.R.S Recordings.
Unbalance
Whenever I hear of an electronic music producer from Russia I secretly hope that their productions are made on ex KGB audio espionage devices, worked on in an abandoned power station in the freezing depths of Siberia. When you hear tracks like this years Mad Loop on Red Indeks or Rising on Sontag Morgen it's easy to be convinced that this is the case. The Ruski also launched a successful series on DBH Distributions Unbalance imprint with three dub laden Untitled EP's that were given the all clear by Alex Bau.
Tom Dicicco
Tom Dicicco (pronounced Dee-Chee-Co) looks to have struck a chord with those yearning for more emotive content within music geared for the dancefloor. Dicicco may be considered to be in the dawn of his musical career but his deep and meaningful productions have years on the cheap, deep and meaningless imitations plaguing many of our inboxes. This comes as no surprise as the Northampton tot was schooled by the teachings of his father preaching the word, rhythm and sound of King Tubby, Lee Scratch Perry and Yabby You, delivering the dub obsessive we see today.\
Henning Baer
Henning Baer has been been one of Berlin's silent assassins, slowly building his Grounded Theory empire under the cover of darkness. The soon to be label which also operates as artist agency taking care of artists such as Milton Bradley, Subjected & Moerbeck aka Vault Series and new acquisition Sawf, made its name via the now legendary Grounded Theory parties hosted at Arena Club. Henning Baer's production is as underground as it gets and this years collaboration with close friend Milton Bradley as K209 tore apart soundsystem around the world as did his angry follow up Fierce Hundred. Things only look to get bigger from here on in.
