91Èȱ¬

In part two of my guide to what's happening in the year ahead, I asked a whole bunch of friends and music industry colleagues for their predictions, tips and any music they were particularly excited about this year.

Here's what they said.

Huw Stephens, 91Èȱ¬ Radio One

A Happy New Year to you! I'm looking forward to hearing what Carmarthen band will be doing in 2011. They're a duo who I saw play at the Swn Festival and they have something special going on; an intricate, downbeat melodious sound which reminds me of earl-90's lo-fi bands like Gorky's. From Neath, I hope continue to make good music. Their recent single was a belter, and I think they, along with , should be tickling the right spots when it comes to dance-influenced rock. The Welsh electronic scene is on it; listen out for drum'n'bass genius Rockwell and electro whizz-kid

, music plugger and blogger

"For pure party power, Cardiff's should make a break through beyond Wales - loved every song they did in 2010. 's second album was one of the best and heaviest releases of 2010, so looking forward to hearing more. I would be shocked if 's debut album didn't have lots of great songs on it in 2011. Hip hop wise, Mudmowth And Metabeats new EP will be awesome if the lead track Maad Tight is anything to go by and are due to release their next album.

"Finally, I expect and/or Tiger Please to probably be the next big bands out of Wales."

Kaptin, DJ and Blogger on

"Astroid Boys have got alot of people talking this year and with a tight live show and a fresh sound that mixes up the dubstep and grime but with a straight up old Skool hip-hop party mentality I think we're going to see some great things from them this year.

" finished the year with a single on Starkey's Slit Jockey label and I know he has more releases lined up for them as well as an album dropping on Rag & Bone, plus more tracks with artists like Basnectar. So think we're going to see him go from strength to strength. His long term partner in crime Monky has to get his dues this year because he is making some seriously exciting music.

"It will be interesting to see how the line up change of CRST from Rodski to Raj Clart (aka Don Leisure aka Jamal) goes down. I've got no doubt those boys are going to lock down the whole game this year. In the meantime Rodski in his new guise of Ratcatcher has already started to make waves on a solo tip and has some stunning house releases lined up. 2010 saw 'Cardiff' nights in Amsterdam and Manchester and I think more cities will start to recognise that there's a great scene brewing here in south Wales generally.

" had a great year and although he seemed to go rather quiet near the end, his 10 Thousand Yen label releases continued to fly off the record shop shelves. Last year felt like everybody in Cardiff was marking out the territory and showing what we can do, this year it's time to go into battle and make sure the world can't help but acknowledge it. Lots of new faces popped up too such as Esoterra, Exotope and STD, I think we'll definitely hear a lot more from them this year."

Romesh Dodangoda, producer, Longwave studios

"Well, without being biased [he is a little interested - Beth], I am sensing great things for . The industry is really loving them and it seems the shows are getting busier and busier. Their launch show in Cardiff was sold out which was great, this year for them is going to be good I think. Tiger Please - fingers crossed they step it up a notch as well and build on the success what they've created in 2010.

"I have a good feeling will do well this year. They write amazing songs and again, another band whose shows just keep getting busier. I think they'll have a great year."

And with the wider world view, here's Welsh boy Mike Williams, Features Editor at

"If 2010 was the year of shouty placard waving, then 2011 looks like being the year of gloomy boo-hoos. Well at least January does, anyway.

Before the first month is out, the new White Lies record and the debut LP from moody newbies Chapel Club will have been released. Personally, I'm much more excited about , a trio of bummed out doom-bringers from Brighton whose dark and droney debut, Violent Cries, comes out on the ace Matador Records on the 31st.

"Sticking with drone, 's debut album should be out in the first half of the year too. If you've seen them live recently, you'll have clocked that the jingly-jangly Cure-a-like indie swing of their early tunes has been ditched in favour of a more -sounding heavy throb. You'll also have noticed that EHH are the glummest looking, couldn't-give-a-monkeys-est, contrariest folk around, so by the time the record comes out, they might be making thug-step, or some other rubbish. However it works out, these guys rule, so it's bound to be awesome.

Canada always seems to donate an amazing band or two each year, and my favourite so far are the mighty . I don't know much about them at the moment, other than their debut comes out on Secretly Canadian on 10 January. If you're into your music skipping between stabby synths, hands-in-the-air metal and -style menace within the space of one song, check them out.

My last two tips for 2011 are both causing a massive buzz, but for different reasons. Surf rocking North Walians - featuring Welsh rock royalty Pete from Gorky's and Sion Glyn - are a band too good to ignore, which must be why everyone from Huw Stephens to Marc Riley to the Sunday Times has been banging on about them recently. Along with Islet, Y Niwl will be the main men of Welsh music this year.

Wu Lyf's buzz comes from the fact that no-one knows too much about them. The Wu stands for 'World Unite', the Lyf for 'Lucifer Youth Foundation'. They're from Manchester, they make shouty drone-pop, and you don't really need to know any more than that at the moment. For now, just check out and then tell me they're not ace."

, editor of

"I'm very active online and I could name scores of blogs I love. But I'll keep it to two that will be tickling my feed reader in 2011, both from Wales. is dedicated to unearthing the most surprising nuggets from Wales' cultural underground - books, films, art, music, that sort of thing - to shock and delight in (un)equal measure.

is not even a year old but always surprises me with its cross section of YouTube gold, from music to bloopers. My favourite post so far was the story of Branwen, a LEGO animation made by schoolchildren in Pwllheli. I have a feeling my favourite music podcasts will include the diverse joys of Jazzfync a Gemau Fideo, and ."

Noel Gardner,

"My tips for 2011 from Wales include (who will release a single this year all being well); 33 (who were supposed to have a single out already), Baronic Wall (this guy lives in Portland right now, but is a South Walian who makes crazy cassettes); (who just put out a mini-album); (also just put out an album); (Chris from 's cross-Atlantic metal band - it says here there is an EP being mixed) and Doc Daneeka ('future garage' dudes already luv him).

Tips for 2011 from other places: The Love Triangle, Mob Rules, Liturgy, Bone Awl, Thou, Crazy Spirit, Turquoise Jeep Records, Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, Uzala. Some of those are newer than others but I expect all of them to release good music in 2011; they are also 'tips' in the sense of 'I think you should hear them' rather than 'I think they will be big and well known'. Just so's you know."

Thanks to all my friends and contributors, its good to see what everyone's excited about. Feel free to share your comments below with us too. Happy new year!