The New Law, PotatoFinger, DJ WD4D

(Neumos) Seattle's the New Law—Adam Straney and Justin Neff—produce deftly arranged, orchestrally inclined hiphop that evokes Ninja Tune's glory years and Portishead's doomed-romance aura (sans Beth Gibbons's ruined croons, obviously). Hints of J Dilla's clipped, staccato beatmaking also color the New Law's tracks, which often demonstrate a cinematic scope and keenly emotive sense of atmosphere. URB picked them for its Next 1,000 Artists feature, and damn if the L.A.-based mag isn't on point with that choice. Fellow local producers PotatoFinger (IDM, drum 'n' bass) and WD4D (hiphop, sampledelia) have earned much praise from this writer over the last year or so; suffice it to say, their tracks represent some of the loftiest peaks of this city's recent electronic-music output. DAVE SEGAL

Skeletons with Flesh on Them, the Purrs, Kids and Animals, the Royal Bear

(Crocodile) For 2009's Strangercrombie auction, Skeletons with Flesh on Them kindly donated an original song to be written about whatever the highest bidder desired. If I hadn't been so broke from all my holiday travel plans, I'd have gladly paid top dollar for this prize—and there are few local bands I'd trust with such a task. Skeletons with Flesh on Them fill their songs with humor, horns, and the occasional mention of animals. They're a little nerdy (singing about biology class and such), but they're the best kind of nerdy—the friendly everyman kind of nerdy, as opposed to the creepy, basement-dwelling, internet-stalker type. MEGAN SELING

And there's always more in our complete music calendar listings.