Billboard Dance's Ones to Watch: December 2018

And that's a wrap! With the holiday season in full swing and the new year quickly approaching, Billboard Dance looks back on all the great music that rose to the surface in 2018. From the best dance and electronic songs, albums and remixes to the best independent dance labels and more, it's time to bring forth the year's December edition of Ones To Watch.

This month's batch encompasses a wide array of styles. Whether you're itching for thumping bass productions, dark techno growlers or something a bit more light and jovial, you'll want to scroll down for your new favorite act.

Whipped Cream

Delicate flower this mind is not. The Vancouver-based DJ and producer brings a dark blend of bass and percussion that’s mechanical, exotic and pure science fiction. It’s earned her a lot of love on Skrillex’s blog Nest HQ. That's here she released her 2017 EP Persistence, a trio of tracks which begat “Ignorant,” a rude-boy sampling stomper with 2.5 million streams on Spotify, her biggest hit to date. Earlier this month, she dropped an evil two-track EP called LUV. The title song is a sinister b-boy anthem for shadow stalkers worldwide. It’s got a Yeezus tinge to its mechanical beats and it’s something to break ya neck, for sure. B-side “Bad For Me” offers a bit of melodic reprieve, but the bassline drop is 100 percent dystopian. -- KAT BEIN

Blanke

Australian upstart Blanke is entering a pivotal year in his career. After dropping a string of high-profile remixes in 2018 for Marshmello, Gryffin, Jonas Blue and more, in addition to dishing out impressive collabs with Rezz and 1788-L to name a few, all eyes are on this rising producer. While he's no stranger to releasing solo originals, it's clear that his signature sound has evolved and matured over the past few years into something distinctively Blanke. He was also featured in this year's list for best dance and electronic remixes. With strong artist co-signs and shows beginning to trickle in, it's now time to see what the talented Aussie does in the spotlight and we couldn't be more excited. -- DAVE RISHTY

This dark, techno avatar came onto the scene exactly a year ago in December of 2017, but even in its earliest days, he caught the support of Armin van Buuren, Andrew Rayel and Jauz. deadmau5 is a huge fan, releasing about half of i_o’s offerings on his label mau5trap, including the recent two-track EP Low and i_o’s most recent tune, “Bad Things” in collaboration with fellow mau5trapper No Mana. Its industrial mood rains progressive synth melodies over a thumping rhythm that’s as addictive as it is intimidating. He’ll start the year off right with a remix of deadmau5’s “Imaginary Friends,” coming Friday, Jan. 4, so keep him in your sights. -- K.B.

When you have one of the world's biggest music acts in your corner, it's usually a good sign. SUMR CAMP -- managed by The Shalizi Group, whose roster also includes Marshmello, Jauz, Slushii and more -- has had a slower rise than his fellow studio mates. He seems to be hitting his stride lately with his newest track, "Wait a Minute." The self-released record has been sitting in Apple Music's The A-List: Dance playlist for approximately a month and continues to rack up streams on other DSPs like Spotify and YouTube. There's no doubting SUMR CAMP's house prowess and given the genre's explosive year, we're sure the up-and-comer will be helping lead the charge. -- D.R.

Brian Cid

Brian Cid is one of Brooklyn's best kept secrets. The underground phenom has been churning out some of the most polished house and techno tracks around, and in recent time, Cid has finally been getting his due. With releases on global imprints like Microcastle, Suara, and Afterlife, as well as a myriad of performances in 2018 at NYC's revered Brooklyn Mirage, Cid has evolved from hometown hero into rising underground star. Now standing atop a full-length album for Balance, Cid has undeniably proven himself an artist to watch going into the new year. -- Michael Sundius