Remuda, Glass Beagle, Corin Dakota
Remuda is a singer/songwriter project helmed by Andrew Walker. Hailing from Nebraska, Walker crafts jangly Americana music in the spirit of Townes Van Zandt, Kurt Vile, and John Prine. Glass-Beagle, the Chicago-based alt-country outfit, bring a finely judged precision to their juxtapositions. Their debut EP, Spring Sword Chatter, released May 2024, showcases their uniquely mangled mix of country, folk, power pop, and rock ‘n’ roll. With a blend of fuzzed out guitars, singing pedal steel guitar and Nathan Zurawski’s abstract yet personal lyrics, the band roots their sound in something both nostalgic and innovative. Corin Dakota is a Chicago based singer songwriter whose winding melodies and rhythmic playing blends elements of folk, jazz and psychedelic rock.
Hedge Wizard, THE HUMAN VEIL, Lone Sentinel, DJ Dustin Drase
Hedge Wizard is a Fantasy Dungeon Synth artist hailing from Ohio. THE HUMAN VEIL is the dark brainchild of Helena Ford that combines the dank atmospheres of dungeon synth, the eerie and dark air of dark ambient, and the caustic environments of harsh noise Lone Sentinel is pagan ritual, ambient/folk metal DJ Dustin Drase will be spinning dark fantasy and epic ambient LPs throughout.
MORTWIGHT, REDHORN GATE, ELYVILON, TERRAN WRETCH
Mortwight is a solo dungeon synth/dark ambient act from Denton, Texas. He composes and performs funereal and cyclopean synth music inspired by Old Tower, Wallachian Cobwebs, Magic Find, Desiderii Marginis, and Raison d’être among others. In his live performances, Mortwight strives to envelop the audience in bleak walls of sorrowful and dismal noise, carried forth over dirgelike, yet martial percussion. From the lowest dungeon under the highest peak, Gundrim the Smith and Dalom the Delver unearth subterranean chasmic compositions celebrating the rich histories of the dwarves. Meanwhile, the Elder Olgrin conducts ancient rituals from ages past under the mountains; accompanied by stunning visual spells cast by their resident sorcerer Eladrim. Together as Redhorn Gate they welcome you to take part in this ancient ceremony and join the ranks of the dwarves! Elyvilon is high energy dungeon synth music with a folky medieval sound and live instrumentation. Terran Wretch is Anthony A Dunn (ex-Sun Splitter). Chicago’s Terran Wretch is known for taking the audience on an uninterrupted journey of evolving sound through warm, spacey dark ambient, clattering industrial-adjacent drum machine attacks and filthy hypnotic techno. Terran Wretch resides in the in-between states of liminal discomfort and body-on-the-floor bliss.
MC Homeless with DJ Halo, Coolzey, Mother Fortune
MC Homeless is a punk influenced rapper who is celebrating his new release with Kool Keith, Mushrooms and Acid. Coolzey’s sound encompases golden era hip-hop roots planted in black Iowa dirt and tempered by 90s alternative era rock influence yields a juxtaposition of the dark, horrific nature of life paired with a slapstick and comedic view of the world, allowing for a wide, unpredictable arsenal of material ranging from soul-spilling indie bedroom rock to wise-cracking battle rap and on to radio pop. Mother Fortune (MoFo) is an eclectic five-piece hip hop group based in Chicago whose funk, jazz, and soul influences drive their boisterous live sets, with vibes so good you’ll want to smack your mama–– or invite her to their next show. Made up of Shami and Moira, a dynamic rapper and vocalist duo, guitarist Cesar, bassist Tyler, and drummer Taskin, MoFo delivers everything from romantic lullabies to defiant, lyrical provocations. They promise to keep you on your toes with the quirky sensibilities of The Internet and Funkadelic-worthy breakdowns.
Street Fever, Beth Sawltz, PROBLEMS, Necklace Jar
Street Fever is a versatile, mixed-media performance-artist residing in Boise, Idaho. Whom, remains anonymous. Their music is a gritty symphony born from profound life experiences and sonic experimentation. From the shrines of Three 6 Mafia in their bedroom as a kid, to being raised by the DIY hardcore scene- they have an eclectic background that sources inspiration from hardcore / heavy rap / industrial techno / EBM / noise / electro / techno and classical music. Rooted in an ongoing spiritual awakening, Street Fever has been on a wildly cinematic path to better understand themselves as an artist, spiritual seeker, and human being. After losing all their possessions, being institutionalized multiple times and nearly losing their life in a South East Asian prison, this project has since been reborn and aims to use it as a platform to speak on their own recovery and addiction. Now more than ever they are empowered to share their story in hopes to connect with others who are seeking personal and spiritual growth. Street Fever deftly balances between destructive possession and holy reclamation, extending a hand to invite you into their world through the powerful mediums of art and sound. Witness their journey of self-discovery and enlightenment through their thought-provoking creations. PROBLEMS Has toured Europe, New Zealand, and America. I have opened for Peaches, Dan Deacon, Lightning Bolt, and Many others. My new 12” LP “Enter The Annals” was released this year on The Record Machine. I make electronic music with live vocals that is sometimes very fun and is sometimes very beautiful and is always interesting. Beth Sawltz makes silent hill top 40 pop from crystal lake Necklace Jar is glitched/cut-up hard electronic collages, splicing (often with magnetic cassette tape loops) frantic moments of rhythm into chaotic, broken breakbeat meltdowns. Challenging Electronics.
Daundry, Inkjet, Harvey Waters
Daundry is a three-piece grungagze band from Chicago IL. Inkjet is a new Chicago post-printer band that everyone is talking about and you should be very excited to see. The band is inspired by acts like Sleater-Kinney, Swirlies, and Vanessa Carlton. Harvey Waters describes themselves as an anxious, moody pop band
Cool Heat, Public Circuit, Heels
COOL HEAT is a lo-fi artist hailing from Chicago. Started in 2019 it is the solo project of musician and photographer Eden Sierotnik, formerly a member of the now defunct dream pop outfit Color Card. The music is a blend of post-rock and dream pop with an emphasis on hazy soundscapes and shimmering guitars. Bouncing between the fringes of darkwave, punk-tinged EBM, and romantic synth-pop, NYC band, Public Circuit, is a seething exhibition of dark synthesizer magic, and raw-edged delivery. Marrying the late 70’s minimal synth-punk ethos of Nervous Gender and The Sound with the new wave romanticism of New Order and Iron Curtain, Public Circuit is determined to lead an inquisition upon electronic music as they carve their niche in the bedrock foundation that minimal synth was built upon. Heels is an indie dreampop/postpunk duo with sounds ranging from lush and gazey to dark and melancholic. Our songwriting tells stories of relationships that never seemed to work out and insecurities that still linger in the mind. Take a listen and I’m sure you’ll find a song that will leave you swaying.
Bodywash, Ghost Days, Courtesy
Bodywash formed in 2016 as a vehicle for the sonic bond between Chris Steward and Rosie Long Decter. The Montreal duo conjure a dreamscape with airy vocals, intricate guitars and pulsating synths over a heavy rhythmic foundation. In 2019, they released their debut LP, Comforter, which received praise from Bandcamp Daily, NPR Music, Clash Mag and elsewhere. Last year, they returned with their anticipated follow-up, the dark and enveloping I Held the Shape While I Could via Light Organ Records. Ghost Days is the solo project of Chicago based musician, Alessia Kato. Blending elements of dream pop, post-punk, goth and shoegaze, Ghost Days is a sonic exploration through the dreamscape, leaving behind fragments of nostalgia, bittersweet memories, and the unknown. Courtesy began back in 2010 in Memphis, TN when Drew Ryan and Kirk Rawlings met and started trading self-indulgent 4-track scrapsand private recordings not meant for others’ ears. Drums and guitars were recorded, chopped, and screwed as the two figured out how to combine their ideas into songs. In 2011, the duo released Idmatic—a collection of collage-based songs constructed via email, crammed with blown out boom-bap drumming and stretched out cassette wonk. By 2012, the duo relocated to Chicago, where they released Slow Bruise in 2015—a darker, colder, and more aggressive effort. They released HEY in 2018, “an unclassifiable electronic blend of off-kilter atmospheric synths, otherworldly vocal harmonies, deep-house grooves, and weirdo-funk bass lines all sewn together via a persistent Oberheim DX drum machine.” (Steve Rosborough, Moon Glyph Records). With the 2021 release of CHECK THE MILK, the band finds itself with a new, more focused direction, ready-made for basement DJs and glossy pop fans. Courtesy is in the studio now working on the new material.
The Kantors, Honeycrush, Oyeme
The Kantors are an indie folk-rock group based in Chicago. With comparisons to trailblazers like Angel Olsen and Joni Mitchell, the group doesn’t shy away from their unique genre blending sound. Their music is defined by Kristin’s powerful vocals and visual lyrics, Evan’s catchy guitar solos, Dan’s satisfying drum fills and Jamie’s tight harmonies. They find inspiration in nature and their personal experiences. Honeycrush is the solo project and 4-piece band from New York singer-songwriter-poet Alexandra Antonopoulos. Wedding energetic folk with experimental electronic textures and a resounding “get me the hell out the suburbs” sentiment, Oyeme and her band stretch the distance from Appalachia to downtown Chicago by folding the map in half and poking a hole through it with a pencil. On the upcoming EP “Dead End Neighborhood,” Oyeme embarks on her first non-solo outing exploring intimate five-piece midwestern folktronics and elemental road trip throw downs.
XYZXYZ, Malamiko, LoBi LoBianco
xyzxyz is Chicago supergroup formed in 2022. Their first LP dropped last year, with a killer vinyl release and two music videos. Local artist Karen Mooney (moongerm) plays bass, Kyle Langer plays drums, and scene veteran Sam Fadness leads the band. Shoegaze / emo trio Malamiko stretch the definition of their genres, shaking you awake with feedback and noise. Cynicism and hope fuel their debut all pleasant dreams in equal measure. A better future is possible even if it hurts to get there. LoBi LoBianco is a multi-instrumentalist Emotional Math Rock artist. Their live band consists of LoBi on Guitar and Vocals, Garrett Holm on Guitar, Harry Willow on Bass, Stan Brueske on drums, and Josiah Jackson on keys