Meet the people who'll shape the sound of 2010

They're the hands behind the desk, the vision behind the idea they're the most sought after producers set to shape the start of this new decade sounds.

Starsmith, aka 21-year-old Londoner Fin Dow-Smith

As anyone who saw the film Telstar (the story of 60s hitmaker Joe Meek) last year, if you want a hit record there's always someone you can go to.

In the past few years that has been producers like James Ford (credits include Arctic Monkeys and Klaxons), Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse) or Chase N Status (Rihanna).

With a few exceptions most studio bods aren't the most recognisable faces in the business, they're usually the names written in tiny letters on the back of the CD, but your ears won't be able to miss them.

Here are five young, exciting talents who'll have a steering hand in some of the biggest, brashest and, just plain interesting-sounding albums over the next few years.

Starsmith

The clue is in his name.

Fin Dow-Smith, 20, is on course to become, if not a megastar, then at the very least, an in demand guy.

Right now, BRIT winning singer/songwriter Ellie Goulding has moved into his front room to apply the final tweaks to her much-anticipated debut album.

Ellie Goulding wins a Brit Award

He's also the man Diana Vickers (remember her from X Factor '08?) is rumoured to be pinning her hopes of not returning to obscurity upon.

"One chance can make the rest of your career," the fresh out of university Londoner said recently. 2010 could be Starsmith's year to shine.

Benny Blanco

Spectacular hair, unfaltering track record.

At 21 years old, Virginia-born Benny Blanco (not his real name) has already written and produced the likes of Britney Spears, Flo Rida, Katy Perry and 3Oh!3.

21-year-old Benny Blanco has worked with Britney Spears

Known for his polished production and sugar-coated choruses, his most recent project didn't do too badly either.

Ke$ha's Tik Tok broke Billboard's download record in the US and won't budge from the UK top 40.

New star Ke$ha breaks US record

Among his clients in 2010 are London popstress Neon Hitch, Marina & The Diamonds, Santigold, Spank Rock, Celebrity Big Brother occupant Lady Sovereign and "two big rap projects...no names."

"I just try to do stuff that no-one has ever done before," he says. "I want to make a fresh, new listening experience every time."

Paul Epworth

Not a brand new name but one which is only really now getting the recognition he deserves.

In 2009 the notoriously tight-lipped Epworth polished rough diamonds Jack Penate and Florence and the Machine into, not just huge hits, but total transformations.

He's not taking a break either. In 2010, he's responsible for Plan B's metamorphosis from street spitting yob to smooth motown mobster.

Typically for a producer - they're shy types - he underplays his role.

"It's important to give artists the freedom to define their own sound, to assert their individuality and help them realise their ideas."

Rory Attwell

You're unlikely to hear any Grammy nominees being produced by Rory Attwell, aka Brattwell.

Based out of east London, artists chiefly go to him because he has recording space, he's relatively cheap and he gets the job done quickly with a minimum of fuss.

Previously a member of sniggering spaz-pop trip Test Icicles and Kasms, he's now recording the likes of Male Bonding, Fair Ohs and Cold Pumas.

He might be underground but the work he's doing it just as important.

Hudson Mohawke

Glaswegian Ross Birchard released his own debut solo album Butter in 2009 - a set of raw, huge-sounding acoustic drum beats which made hip hop sound like nothing else.

Bloc Party man 'doing' solo LP

That's why we suspect he isn't short of work in this recession.

Rumoured projects include behind-the-desk work on Bloc Party's Kele Okereke's solo debut, now that they take a break.

Mohawke knows which bits to turn up, as they say...