Who: R&B singer Keri Hilson, who — after penning hits like Britney Spears' "Gimme More" and Usher's "Love In This Club, Part II" — is stepping into the spotlight with her own debut album In A Perfect World…

Sounds Like: Like the songs she's written in years past, Hilson's sound is state-of-the-art R&B stocked with twitchy future-funk and effervescent soul. Lil Wayne and Snoop Dogg are among the guests on Perfect.

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Every week, Hype Monitor wades through the most buzzed-about bands all across the Internet.

The Band: Theresa Andersson
The Buzz: Swedish vocalist blends chockablock rhythms, fairy tale instrumentation and dreamlike melodies for music that recalls a spacier, sultrier Feist.
Listen If: You always wished Kate Bush was just a little more accessible.
Key Track: "Birds Fly Away," an atmospheric lark powered by whirring glockenspiel and twinkling guitars.

The Band: White Lies
The Buzz: Three British mopers blow the dust off their Echo & The Bunnymen records to dish out dour tracks worthy of a Donnie Darko sequel.
Listen If: "The Killing Moon" is your karaoke jam.
Key Track: First single "Death," where a low, moping melody presents the band in all their moody, gloomy glory.

The Band: Friendly Fires
The Buzz: Six members! Six members make big, percussive post-disco tracks.
Listen If: You wish A Certain Ratio were as good as people were telling you they were.
Key Track: "Jump in the Pool," which vibrates with never-stop rhythm and desperate, itchy guitar.

Who: Philadelphia singer-songwriter Sharon Little, who made the leap from playing coffeehouses and weddings to opening for Robert Plant & Alison Krauss in only nine months.

Sounds Like: On her major label debut album Perfect Time for a Breakdown, Little showcases her deep, husky vocals over country-tinged songs that echo Sheryl Crow and Jewel, as evidenced on the slow-burning "Follow That Sound," which doubles as the theme song for A&E's new show The Cleaner.

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