2010 August 20 Archive - The Recommender

THE RECOMMENDER – KATY B

We have something that runs in the background here on the blog, called ‘The Recommender Queue‘. Put simply, it’s an internal list that we add all the new artists to once we’ve located them. Once spotted they are chronologically entered into the system, ready for a good plucking once we come to write a new post. The queue matters to us, as it’s the last filter we apply before writing them up – we’re a picky bunch you see. By this point they’ve basically got through our tight selection process and it’s simply a matter of patience as we slowly get around to them. One side effect of this queue is that we miss the chance to blog artists immediately after finding them and are therefore rarely first to break them. Fortunately though we don’t give a flying fuck about being first, never have, as we only conspire to be good. Since Katy B got in line a few weeks ago we’ve seen her blogged by New York’s latest radio star Sheena Beaston, followed by the blog collective, of which both us and Sheena are Charter Members – Strangers In Stereo. NME helped confirm she is something special when she debuted inside the legendary music magazine with her own full page, which was only usurped by reaching number 20 on their ‘Best New Bands Of 2010‘ article. The phrase ‘commercial appeal’ may as well have been created just for her, as, like it or not, she ticks so many of the current teenage boxes that she’s virtually guaranteed to be a massive hit. She winds crunchy dubstep and garage basslines under sweet, charting vocals, in an irresistible pop concoction. As a Goldsmiths and Brit School graduate she can really sing too, which, when paired with her high street good looks and understated MC confidence, sees her just as ready to front underground clubs, as she could Topman fashion campaigns. Every 18 year old will want to be her, male or female, as she dances through that perfect mix of dark and light. The star will most likely turn supernova with the Benga-backed tune On A Mission, which is due out on the radio staion-turned-label Rince FM in the next few days. Make what you like of her lyrics that swing from the teasing, “so I sip his drink as I hold his gaze“, to the plain and obvious, “When we all rocked into the room and hear the sub go boom“. Lyrics aside, it’s the package that the dubstep genre requires if it’s to properly make it approachable to the mainstream, but on the flip side we can’t help but fear it’s a scene that’s best suited to an underground position. However, in reality it’s her impact on the pop scene that will prove to be the biggest game changer. Even though she’s just stepped out from ours, we can’t help but imagine that queues are set to be something she’s going to have to get used to from now on, as they feed around the block from now on. (MB)