ARTISTS TO WATCH IN 2013: Jamie Lidell

There are a few things in this world I don't, and probably never will, understand. One of them is tax, the other is Kanye West's twitter account and the third is the musical mind of JAMIE LIDELL.

13 years of schooling for what, you say? Exactly. But as a musician he intrigues me so greatly and it's this excitement and unpredictability that makes him so curiously interesting, and why this year will be one to watch for this Cambridge musician.

One of the greatest and most disarming things about Jamie Lidell's music is that the more you listen to and follow his music, the less you understand him as an artist. Musically his discography is unpredictable and volatile, representing something of an artist still experimenting; still finding what makes him as a musician and producer. His last full length release, Compass, was proof of this. It was a kinda messy record; a rushed production that had some gems in there, but was so obviously the product of an artist in transition that did not really feel comfortable.

And 2013 is where it starts to get really exciting. We can expect a new self-titled in mid-February from Lidell, and if his first single 'What A Shame' is anything to go by, it'll be almost unrecognisable from his previous stuff. Lidell can't escape the soulful tone of his voice as he channels serious Bobby Womack vibes, but it's put up against a completely different canvas comprised of lethargic bass and squelchy synths. It's a bold new sound for the UK artist, and such a refreshing perk up from his older, more dour releases.

But I get the feeling this is not just Jamie Lidell in one of his erratic and short-lived phases. He recently collaborated with Simian Mobile Disco on the writing and vocals for the track 'Put Your Hands Together' off their well-received album Unpatterns. And what's more - he didn't suck. Lidell killed it. The production is raw and bassy; the vocals are confident and all of a sudden, he seems in his prime.

So either 2013 signals a stronger, more committed movement towards beatmaking and electro-synth production, or we're seeing the growth of a truly versatile and talented musical mind.

Either way: win win. I don't mind.

Words by Edmund Kirkwood