EMERGE returned from SXSW 2007 in Austin, Texas on Monday evening. We're already off and running again down in Miami Beach for the annual WMC so a full wrap up will have to wait until we get home after this weekend...

In the meantime, here are a few of the artists that seemed to rule the roost down in Texas, if not in terms of popularity, than simply in terms of buzz (and/or EMERGE's personal tastes):

1. Amy Winehouse
Arguably the most hyped UK import since Arctic Monkeys, the smoky voiced soul singer Amy Winehouse had crowds lining up for hours for all of her SXSW performances. While the rest of the country snapped up over 50,000 copies of her US debut "Back To Black," Ms. Winehouse was tearing up stage after stage at SXSW, wowing crowds with her stellar songwriting, gorgeous voice and outlandish persona, complete with sailor tattoos, extra-jumbo beehive hairstyle and apparent fondness for any lager but Stella or Carling.

2. The Good The Bad and The Queen
This super group comprised of Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz, Mali Music), Paul Simonon (The Clash), Simon Tong (The Verve), and Tony Allen (Fela Kuti and Afrika 80) absolutely SLAYED EMERGE when we caught them at the mindbendingly well produced Fort presented by Levi's, The Fader, Zune, and Adult Swim. The album is a bit of a bore, but live these veterans demonstrated their musical chops and man, oh man, is Simonon the coolest customer on earth. His massive canvas of London which served as their backdrop onstage was excellent too. Stay tuned for images...

3. Architecture In Helsinki
With a whopping eight members in this Australian indie-pop ensemble, it's not so surprising that there's a cute indie boy or girl in the band for even the most discerning fan to crush on. In addition to a fun live show and catchy tunes, Architecture In Helsinki seemed to be on some sort of SXSW shortlist for band that everybody wants to date.

4. Simian Mobile Disco
Full disclosure: EMERGE is pals with SMD and we've got some personal projects a'bubbling as well (stay tuned for more). That said, this UK duo rode into SXSW with a number of major dancefloor smashers and remixes under their belts and much buzz percolating for their forthcoming debut artist album due out this Spring on tastemaking UK label Wichita. Booked at just about every cool kid party, from the Pitchfork Media daytime party to MTV's URGE shindig and probably five other things too, SMD were clearly the dance act to catch at this year's SXSW. Thankfully, they didn't disappoint. On Friday night, they turned a stock still dancefloor into a searing, sweaty mess of ecstatic indie kids freaking out to classics like "Windowlicker" by Aphex Twin as well as brand new bangers fresh from their studio. Too bad group member James Ford didn't unveil any tracks from the new Arctic Monkeys album which he produced.

5. Jesu
Justin K. Broadricks may not be a household name to many, but for any fans of his long and storied musical career in such groundbreaking bands as Napalm Death, Godflesh, Techno Animal and Ice, he is nothing short of a legend. And this year's SXSW featured the second ever US performance by his latest project, Jesu, which Pitchfork has described as an "electro-psychedelic symphony born of the pastoral majesty." Comprised of laptop, bass, drums and guitar, Jesu falls somewhere between ambient and the artiest heavy metal imaginable. Dark and strangely gorgeous, Jesu's show at Emo's Annex on the first full day of SXSW outshone everything that was to follow.

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