Keep an eye out for these artists next year. The Hatchet predicts great things.

Artist: Head Automatica
Hails From: New York
Genre: pop-punk, alt rock, electronica
Sounds like: The Rapture, The Killers with better vocals, a more interesting Interpol
Hatchet says: The unlikely pairing of Daryl Palumbo (Glassjaw) and Dan the Automator (Gorillaz, Handsome Boy Modeling School) works like peanuts in chocolate pudding: unexpected, not entirely welcome at first, but surprisingly delicious.

Artist: Dresden Dolls
Hails From: Boston
Genre: post-punk, alt rock, goth lite
Sounds like: narratives like the Decemberists, a more melodic Fiery Furnaces
Hatchet says: Lead singer/pianist Amanda Palmer and drummer Brian Viglione manage to kick out some serious jams while channeling Weinmar-era German cabaret (trust us, it works). Their colorful stage antics make for great live shows, drawing the most diverse of crowds comprised of goths, hipsters, and your average overdramatic types.

Artist: Lady Sovereign
Hails From: London
Genre: grime, trip-hop
Sounds like: M.I.A., Ms. Dynamite, The Streets (albeit female and younger)
Hatchet says: Serious flows for a 19 -year-old white girl. Mad street cred for drawing raves from the likes of Jay-Z. This self-proclaimed “multi-tasking munchkin” may grab attention for her kitsch appeal but will keep you listening with her cheeky rhymes and addictive beats.

Artist: The Gossip
Hails From: Portland
Genre: blues, rockabilly, garage punk
Sounds like: White Stripes with Janis Joplin singing
Hatchet says: Moving from Arkansas to Portland was probably the best career move that this trio has made to date, raising their profile considerably. Lead singer Beth Sorrentino is the group’s clearest asset, with a pair of pipes that could blow down the whole damn house.

Artist: KT Tunstull
Hails From: London
Genre: singer-songwriter, low-fi, blues, country-lite
Sounds like: a less angry Fiona Apple, a more organic Bjork, a less political Ani DiFranco
Hatchet says: Tunstull pushed the boundaries of what it means to be a female singer-songwriter today, dabbling in whatever she pleases. Strings, backup singers, guitars, and the occasional hand clap meander in and out of her songs, adding just the right touch. Plus, the Scottish accent is hot.