With his signature dark yet ethereal beats, electro/R&B producer and songwriter XO has musical skills way beyond his 21 years. His sound, full of electronic bounces and powerful vocals that trail over the shimmering basslines, is charged with addictive energy and a smooth production technique that proves his natural skill.

Working warped R&B flows into melancholic bass lines and heart-thumping beats, XO’s newest release “Waiting Game” is an emotionally charged track. Lending his production and writing skills to the likes of Leo Kalyan and Snakehips over the past year, 2017 will see him release his first full-length project – and we can’t wait!

To get a hint as to what XO’s had on repeat, here’s his ultimate playlist of the song’s he’s loved the most this year

This track has been on heavy rotation for me as of late. The moment I heard the Missy Elliot “Friendly Skies” sample in the intro upon first listen, I knew it was gonna be a heater. I’m a big fan of Bryson and I love the way he implements his signature singing style on hard yet understated, 808-tinged beats – this song is reflective of just that.

In my eyes, faceless projects can often be a tad pretentious or sometimes just plain fucking annoying, although H.E.R, whoever she is, makes it work so well. “Facts” is my favourite track taken from the recent Vol. 1 EP. The overall simplicity of the lyrical content allows the message to really hit home, which by the way is delivered via a faultless vocal.

I’ve been watching AJ Tracey for a minute now and I’m so glad to see him really taking off this year. I love it when MCs stay true to the “traditional” grime sound on record which is just what this tune brings – raw energy with bars and flow equally on point. 2017 should be a big one for AJ!

Man, this took me back. To like 2009. The nostalgia levels were through the roof as soon as I heard the guitar intro. I could just imagine myself walking round the school yard with this blaring through the Sony Ericsson bluetooth speaker. Ad-libs ’n’ all. (If you attended an English high school in the past 10 years, you will most definitely know what I’m talking about).

I’m proud to say that Leo is a good friend and close collaborator of mine. For me, “Fucked Up” is one of the most important songs of 2016. It’s bold, brave and breaks so many boundaries, tackling some very sensitive issues including homosexuality within the Asian culture. The video is also absolutely brilliant, from concept to aesthetic, it’s truly a work of art.