20 best new acts of 2009

Karima Francis, a 21-year-old from Blackpool, may look like Cate Blanchett playing Bob Dylan in I’m Not There, but her singing voice has the expansive sincerity of a polished Jeff Buckley Photograph: Suki Dhanda

Magistrates. The Essex four-piece, who are favourites of XL labelmate Damon Albarn, blend the catchiness of pop and angularity of indie rock with danceable rhythms Photograph: Suki Dhanda

La Roux. Comprised of flame-haired frontwoman Elly Jackson and Ben Langmead, La Roux conjure a felicitous mix of 80s synths and dazzling hooks, crowned by Jackson’s coolly seductive vocal Photograph: Suki Dhanda

S.C.U.M. Their sinister washes of industrial noise are brutish and dramatic, provoking either distaste or fanaticism. Still in their teens, the London-based five-piece's musical taste veers towards the precociously, wilfully subversive Photograph: Suki Dhanda

Dan Black. Frontman of semi-successful indie popsters the Servant for a decade before their split in 2007. He now makes electro-tinged songs with an unapologetic, deconstructed pop polish that nods to the production values of US hip-hop and R&B Photograph: Suki Dhanda

Empire of the Sun. A fondness for dance rock and psychedelic whimsy make them the Aussie MGMT, although the sci-fi imagery is all their own Photograph: PR

Jazmine Sullivan. The R&B singer from Philadelphia has already been nominated for five Grammys and been championed by Missy Elliott Photograph: PR

Cheeky Cheeky. Suffolk chappies who are ridiculously effervescent, taut and unerringly tuneful Photograph: PR

Nina Ramsby. Dressed in a man’s suit, collar and tie and sporting a shaven head, this Swedish jazz singer certainly knows how to grab your attention Photograph: Bengtsson Helin/PR

Everything Everything. Bold, idiosyncratic Manchester-based four-piece who make sexy indie pop that’s big on multi-layered vocals Photograph: PR

Paul Epworth. He produced many fashionable indie kids of the Noughties. His solo career should be just as eventful Photograph: Dean Chalkley/PR

Kid Cudi. Killer mixtapes and a fine cameo on Kanye West’s 808s & Heartbreak have set Cleveland rapper Scott Mescudi up for a big 2009 Photograph: PR

N.A.S.A. Turntablist duo Squeak E Clean and DJ Zegon couldn’t be more hip: guests on their February debut include Karen O and Tom Waits Photograph: PR

Staff Bendi Bilili. A wonderful group of paraplegic street musicians who live around the zoo in Kinshasa, Congo, also championed by Damon Albarn Photograph: PR

The Soft Pack. Diego quartet who come on like a tough-guy Strokes, although they changed their name from the Muslims to avoid trouble Photograph: PR

Aeroplane. Belgian duo Stephen Fasano and Vito Deluca – big on cosmic disco and glittery remixes. Photograph: PR

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. Eight brothers from Chicago (plus drummer mate) beloved of the hip-hop community and specialising in organic grooves Photograph: Martin Argles for the Guardian

Jesca Hoop. California-based Hoop used to be Tom Waits’s nanny and Elbow’s Guy Garvey enjoyed her folk-rock enough to take her on tour Photograph: PR

Daniel Merriweather. First, the Aussie guested on Mark Ronson’s Stop Me; now Ronson has produced his blue-eyed soul debut album Love and War Photograph: PR

Florence and the Machine. Londoner Florence Welch follows Adele by bagging the Brits critics’ choice award for her quirky folk-pop Photograph: PR