What will happen to music in 2009? You might as well ask 'How long is a piece of string?' DiS went and gazed longingly at patterns in the clouds but failed to find answers. We then asked some informed, infectious and influential types who always seem to be on the cusp of what's good right now.

In part one, we caught up with some former DiS contributors who've gone and got even more hands-on as well as speaking to one of our favourite promoters (read part 1 here). In part two, we catch up with a lady at the heart of a revolution, another former DiS contributor and I decided to do my own quiz too.

Kate Moross

You may know her better for her merch and clothing line in Top Shop but this young lady also runs a label and ends up joining the bands she likes (pictured above on the right performing in HeartsRevolution).

• What do you think the dominant sound(s) of 2009 might be?

Who knows, I wouldn't even try to predict that.

• What records due in 2009 are you excited about?

Even though I am in the band (sometimes) I am looking forward to hearing the debut HeartsRevolution album, I'm not involved in the song writing process, so its exciting to hear tracks as they come together. Springsteen has a new record, and Grizzly Bear who are one of my top ten bands will be releasing again, they described it as a poppier sunnier record, I can't wait! In the mainstream cannon, I read somewhere that Andre 3000 will have a solo record, I look forward to hearing that hit the charts.

• Any new bands you recommend people check out?

Vulture Realty, who are currently being produced by my favourite band Apes & Androids (who I just released on 7"), these kids have their own combination of influences, even though its a totally different mix to that of Apes. Chairlift also caught my attention, and they seem to be chatted about a lot, obviously since their massive synch deal for iPod Nano they are hard not to have heard.

• What projects are you working on / will you be working on in 2009?

I will be releasing some 12"s as opposed to my usual 7"s or 10"s, I am going to continue to develop the label and what we do here. I'm really looking forward to South By South West, and getting stuck in making more records and merch and spreading it round the world.

http://katemoross.com/

Raz Rauf

Raziq is too rock for our world and earlier this year he launched his own online rock mag/blog Thrash Hits. When Raz regularly contributed to DiS he was the first to champion the likes of Gallows and Biffy Clyro.

• What do you think the dominant sound(s) of 2009 might be?

I could say something revolutionary like, "Major labels are dead! Thee underground shall rise!" but this is the truth:

R&B and bubblegum pop will still fill the charts. Rock and metal will still be the prevailing voice of the arenas, stadiums and festivals. Indie rock will still be heard on car stereos and in nightclubs where social outcasts find love. Everything else in small doses, everywhere. You just have to find it.

• What records due in 2009 are you excited about?

Lamb Of God - Wrath Gallows - TBC Mastodon - Crack The Skye Down - IV Paramore - TBC Converge - TBC Papa Roach - Metamorphosis

While more people are looking forward to the new Converge, Mastodon and Lamb Of God, I'd say that everyone's focusing on Gallows the most. They're British, they're a buzz band and they signed a massive record deal. There's a whole host of people who couldn't find a true bad word to say about them once they'd cottoned on - and that was due to Gallows' sheer brilliance - so they're itching for them to fail this time. Gallows will not fail.

• Any new bands you recommend people check out?

Iron Maiden, you've got the t-shirt, now buy a record. Juuuuust kidding! Rolo Tomassi are still a new band to the vast majority of people but I'm hopeful that In Case Of Fire and Outcry Collective are going to do some lovely things in 2009.

• What projects are you working on / will you be working on in 2009?

I'll be working on ThrashHits.com

Sean Adams

I've been blogging, mostly about music, for over ten years now. The first issue of my email blog reviewed demo tapes by Coldplay (which I said was boring and going nowhere) and Muse (who I wrote a restraining order worthy collection of froth about). More recently I've run the DiS label but am now back editing the site I rallied people together to begin back in October 2000.

• What do you think the dominant sound(s) of 2009 might be?

In terms of the mainstream, I think there's a good chance that everyone is bored of the Carling-sponsored reprise of 'baggy' and spotty post-Libertines guff. Times of recession usually increase people's appetite for euphoric escapism, so I wouldn't be surprised if there were a few nut-jobs doing surreal and overblown things getting big, which could be good news for Bat for Lashes and bands like Battles, The Knife and Patrick Wolf if they have a hook-laden hit up their sleeves. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a new Prince, KLF, Frankie Goes to Hollywood kinda thing but with a new twist on things - something in the vein of Kid A, The Field or Aphex which crops up and blows up. P'raps something with a lot of samples of Obama or with ridiculous critical quotes about extreme consumerism at the fore... And wherefore art thou our new Duran Duran?

I'd also love to see a lot of the credible dancier 'blog' acts come to fruition, as it feels like the dancefloor has been craving these kinda things to dance to and get lost within. With Friendly Fires heading out on the NME tour there's a good bet they might steal LCD Soundsystem's thunder and seem like a good bet until Daft Punk drop their newie and Klaxon-mania returns right on schedule. Then again, I wouldn't bet against murmurs of everyone from Editors to Biffy Clyro going more electronic and having an impact if they don't 'do an Intimacy'. It's worth keeping an eye on bands like the Head Automatica'ish Data.Select.Party. and a host of acts inspired by Postal Service and Panic at the Disco's debut. If Paramore go electronic they'll totally own 2009. One thing's for sure: it won't be Little Boots and her piss-poor Kylie album track tributes and half-arsed live show.

In terms of the sounds in newer music, the nostalgia tripping 80's renaissance seems to be never-ending. Until fashion shifts from ET_ hoodies and being a bit Michael J Fox in his skinny jeans and high-tops - combined with things being a little noir / _Donnie Darko - it might be hard for much of a rapid cultural shift to come as aesthetics have quite an impact. There is bound to be a heap of acts from the Gameboy-hacking world, especially with Crystal Castles still garnering a lot of of mainstream attention. The likes of Justice seem to be inspiring the 'MacBook generation' so there could be some incredibly inventive stuff happening next year, which could come from anywhere in our digital world.

However, all of this synthetic stuff will increase a craving for wholesome 'authentic' music, and there's bound to be a slew of new Fleet Foxes, Midlake, My Morning Jacket, Bon Iver, Beirut types of acts too, which should be good news for Andrew Bird and M.Ward, neither of whom have ever garnered the wider attention they deserve.

• What records due in 2009 are you excited about?

The Shins, Metric, Patrick Wolf, The National (although the label say it might not be out 'til 2010), Deftones, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Sufjan Stevens, Emmy the Great, Regina Spektor, Aidan Moffat, Final Fantasy, Maccabees, Andrew Bird, M.Ward and should they happen My Vitriol and Blur.

• Any new bands you recommend people check out?

Spent quite a lot of time looking for things which fit with my predictions for part one (suggestions welcomed!). Haven't been bowled over by any one brand new thing for a while and certainly doesn't feel like there's a clear frontrunner for big(ger) things next year. This is partly because the major labels haven't been investing in or developing music new music but also because media has become incredibly fractured in the past eighteen months, with far too much attention given to new bands with a half-good demo and everyone clamouring to be first on everything before getting bored before the first album is even in the shops. A few things worth checking out however are:

Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man. Nick Cave with bits of My Chemical Romance meets a monotone Flaming Lips.

Baddies Queens of the Stoneage mangled with Futureheads and Pennywise.

Sudden Weather Change an Icelandic clusterfuck of Dirty and Les Savy Fav.

• What projects are you working on / will you be working on in 2009?

From January there will be quite a few changes to DiS. We've spent the past few months rebuilding the back-end to allow us to expand things. My aim is to begin to allow you to share even more of your passion for music and to be able to discover things more easily. My main focus is to bring great music (which is not always brand new music) to the attention of as many people as possible, and we're developing some new features and working on some partnerships.

I'm currently trying to find funding for a few new projects which I hope to launch in 2009, many of which crossfade neatly into DiS. One of my major missions is to bring some coherence to the mess that is free music on the web and help come up with some short-term and long-term solutions to the problems facing creative people in music and technology and those who invest in music. Hoping to do a series of sponsored video interviews and panels to help evolve this debate and involve as many parties as possible.

I also hope to find new ways to continue to run the DiS label, however I'm increasingly aware that I just want as many people to hear the music I love and selling something is a barrier to that. Currently, music has a greater value to brands by association than it has in the minds of most consumers. Hopefully I can find a new Medici Family to entrust me to commission and fund some exceptional music. Or find a way to replicate some of the amazing things Trent Reznor did this year.