The 'noughties' (yeah, it's an awful name but nothing else really works....) saw the revival of drum and bass. Jungle was losing it's momentum at the end of the 20th century, vinyl sales were gradually dropping and rude boys everywhere were looking for something else to blast out of their tanked up fiestas.

But what a come back! Jungle may have been a dying idea but the niche genres it split in to as drum and bass have clearly kept it afloat. Jump up, liquid, neurofunk, darkstep, and deep/atmospheric (to name a few) all have loyal followers in terms of record labels, producers and fans.

Anyway, a new decade and a new year is upon us, so here are a cupla heads up shouts on what's lookin to be big this year.

The Brookes Brothers
They've already made their mark with arguably the biggest anthem of 2008; Tear You Down. Added to that a huge collab with Danny Byrd (Gold Rush), remixing the remix of the Chemical Brothers classic Star Guitar (reworked by Japanese electro-god Shinichi Osawa) and the mighty Dawn Treader ft Futurebound, Dan and Phil Brookes are firmly established players.

2010 Prediction: Crossover kings. Their forthcoming album will be released on BBK, who pushed the now (in)famous Pendulum to huge commercial success. Paperchase, the follow up collaboration with Danny Byrd has been repeatedly hailed in top 10 lists for months, and Fresh has been dropping hints in interviews about the impact he expects the record to make. As drum and bass is gaining more and more attention from clubbers, radio (Radio 1 has been pushing the sound massively, even in daytime playlisting - Chase & Status's Pieces was virtually on repeat in November) and the press, an easily accessible 'jump up' album should get the attention it expects to.

DJ Fresh
Following on with the BBK camp, Fresh's album apparently titled 'Kryptonite' is set to blow up alongside the Brookes. If we can take the samplers of the anthemic Hypercaine (which even got a video - surprising for a drum and bass release) and sub bass ridden Heavyweight, Fresh has grown up his sound since Escape from Planet Monday.
2010 Prediction: All killer, no filler. A more than solid drum and bass album with something for everything.

Camo and Krooked
Already favourites at True Mess Head, these boys are straight 0utta Austria. Grooverider, Zane Lowe and London Elektricity are all huge fans, and believe me, you should be too. Vampires VIP was featured on the Drum and Bass Arena Anthems 2009 compilation (well worth a look) and I defy you to not like it. It's seriously that good. Their strength is in their compatibility though - they have jump up tracks, rinseout tracks, liquidy anthems and still find time to work with labels like Viper, Renegade Hardware and Sudden Def. If you were at Hospitality at Matter a few weeks ago, you'll have heard their stuff; Skyline was euphoric. Buy their Edge of Mind EP.

2010 Prediction: Breakthrough. Although they're still not a household name, by the end of the year I'll guarantee they will be.

Sick Music 2
Hospital Records are currently riding high as a drum and bass flagship. Winning both Best Promoter and Best Club night for Hospitality, they have the artist roster and the know-how to put on the best nights in the country. Hospital Podcast is over 100 episodes old and is an essential look into the hottest dub plates incoming. And following the ridiculous success of Sick Music, the follow up seems inevitable. Apparently a Camo and Krooked track is already signed to it.

2010 Prediction: Compilation of the year. I can't see anything else coming close.

Eastern Bloc Drum and Bass
Whilst drum and bass has been a predominantly UK scene - nearly every major producer / DJ / MC / label operates from England, europe has been catching up. More importantly however, is the rise of dnb in the former Soviet Bloc. Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Russia to name a few all have thriving scenes. Just youtube 'drum and bass step' and you'll find hundreds of videos of breakbeat mad kids stepping all over eastern europe. B-Complex, responsible for the smash Beautiful Lies is Slovakian, Bop and Electrosoul System from Russia. Hospital themselves have so much faith in the scene there that they distributed The Future Sound of Russia with a full NHS release, instead of marginalising it with a Med School release to which it's sound might actually suit more.

2010 Prediction: Anything could go, but I have my money on a ton of new producers bringing fresh ideas to the table.

Here are a coupla downloads for reading alla that!

Numbers (Camo & Krooked Remix) - John B (320)
- everyone needs to know about this
Devil - D.C. Breaks (320)