The Game Changers

This year’s MVPs of rhythm have been honing their craft in the studio and on the road.

1. Kaytranada

In a nutshell This Port-au-Princeborn, Montreal-raised left-field-beats ambassador cooks up a banquet of uptempo neo-soul that is both relentlessly danceable and fearlessly funky. And let’s not even get into how he revamps vintage Missy Elliott and Janet Jackson cuts. Why you should care His first international tour sold out in a hot minute, so expect Louis Kevin Celestin to spread his off-kilter beats and bouncy bass lines far and wide this year. He has already logged studio time with Mobb Deep, hosted a monthly residency on BBC Radio 1 and teased us with news of an impending debut on British imprint XL Recordings (home to Adele and The xx).

2. Allie X

In a nutshell Shadowy synth-pop awash in anatomical references from an enigmatic artist who keeps us intrigued with kaleidoscopic music videos and spinning GI Fs. Why you should care Since that fated Katy Perry Twitter shout-out, Allie X has done what few fledgling artists have the courage to do: trust her instincts and roll out her multidisciplinary “Xperience” on her own terms. Plus, when a songwriter tells you that her four main influences are Tom Petty, Sia, Björk and ABBA , you know you’re in for a wild ride. h