The Mannequins, The Tracies, Swimshirt
The Mannequins are originally from the Western Suburbs of Chicago and now operate out of Western Michigan. The three-piece band’s unique brand of emotion-first, effects-soaked alternative rock mixes emo, alternative, and indie influences along with a rich well of inspiration from classic literature and film.The Mannequins are: Grant McKenzie (vocals, guitars), Carter Bulthuis (bass), and Michael Sherman (drums).
Patter, Museum of Light , Bursting, Loose Face
Patter is a 3-piece music band that blends elements of melody, rhythm, and sound into something that can only be described as Music.Museum of Light’s debut record, Horizon, pulls between two poles: big, crushing, overwhelmingly heavy riffs and dreamy, Zen-like washes of ambience and found sound. Horizon is a lush, dense, and cinematic record, but without the self-seriousness and lack of restraint that underscores many other releases within the genre. Busting is a Chicago band comprised of current and former members of Yautja, Thou, Stress Positions, Great Deceivers, Dust Muscle, Ands, & As Hell. Loose Face is a punk band from Chicago featuring members of Call Me Lightning, Richard Vain, Fuerza Bruta and Storm Clouds.
Aisle five, Skip Class and The Dropouts, The Prime
Aisle Five is a dynamic indie/alternative band hailing from the vibrant city of Chicago. The band draws strong influence from classic acts such as The Strokes, No Doubt, and The Talking Heads. Mixing the dreamy melodies of indie rock and raw energy of alternative rock, Aisle Five has curated their own unique groovy sound. This past summer Aisle Five embarked on a Midwest tour to promote the release of their debut EP, “Emergency Mood Ring.” In addition to the tour, Aisle Five has become highly involved in the Chicago music scene playing at venues such as Cobra Lounge, Beat Kitchen, and Bottom Lounge. The band is hard at work preparing new music derived from recordings at Electrical Audio. You can find Aisle Five’s catalog of music on all streaming platforms.
Plum Vision (ID), Pretty Pleased, Powderpuff Girl
With aggressive yet playful energy that harkens back to groups from The Runaways to Hole, Plum Vision’s sound is the best of ‘90s Seattle riot grrrl punk with a heavy dose of late ‘70s psych rock. Pretty Pleased – elusive heavy indiePowderpuff Girl is the fun little solo project of Isa from Cut Your Losses.
Prathloons, Caleb Nichols, Winefred RT, Silo’s Choice
Prathloons is the Chicago-based songwriting project of Collin Dall formed in 2018. Dall’s songwriting layers poetic, melancholic lyrics atop glacial arrangements on guitar, drums, piano, & violin. The songs reminisce on the mess of getting old, the woes of long-term relationships, & accepting that the meaning of our time on earth is simpler than we think: to love and listen, and to hope for the same in return.Caleb Nichols is a queer poet and musician from a working class family in California. Caleb’s critically acclaimed rock opera “Ramon” was released on iconic indie label Kill Rock Stars in 2022, and his next KRS album is out in fall 2023. Winefred RT is the indie folk-rock solo project of Zoe Bockhorst. Coming out of Madison, WI and now based in Chicago, IL, Winefred RT’s music weaves together clever, cutting lyrics and delicate vocals. Described once by a fan as like “if Joni Mitchell […] grew up with internet access”Silo’s Choice is the alias of Jon Massey, Chicagoan, who since 2010 has amassed an encyclopedic catalog that bridges Verlaines-ish indie, folk, and contemporary classical.
Gosh Diggity, Sparkling Urbana, Wyldfire
Gosh Diggity is 3 piece chiptune rock from the Windy City.Sparkling Urbana blends 90’s queercore energy with folk and punk storytelling for grungy songs with a melodic crunch. You + Sparkling Urbana: Reminders that existence is resistance. Wyldfire is hyperpop with Synth undertone duo of Danelle’s soulful vocals and Naomi’s poppy beats. Making the slutty trashy trans pop music you never knew you always needed.
Sin, Supercorp, tunnel
Sin. is a supersonic psychedelic garage rock project based out of the depths of the underground music scene in Chicago, Illinois. The band is fronted by Ethan Oliver on vocals and guitar, Brian Chindblom on lead guitar, Joe McTague on bass and Caleb Nelson on drums. This 4 piece powerhouse of a group uses glamourous sparkly chords, fuzzy and spacey guitar tones, simple yet effective rock beats, exhilarating bass lines, and chilling vocals to create a beautiful amalgamation of “Do It Yourself”, psychedelic rock fusion.At its core, Sin. Is a rock and roll group through and through. However, conceptually, Sin. goes much deeper. Front man Ethan Oliver grew up in the Evangelical Christian church, surrounded by missionaries, pastors, and devout followers of Christ. With this upbringing came a lot of shame surrounding things like human desire and emotions, condemned and called Sin, without him fully understanding why. Ethan named the project Sin. as a sort of positive reclamation of the term. Sin. as a project aims to embrace the human experience and reject spiritual transcendence, giving in to desire, lust, gluttony, wrath, etc… Sin. wants you to take pride in your animalistic instincts, and some of the darker parts of your psyche.
King Sans, Killmoves, Bull Heather + The Bloodflowers, Damage Dames
Chicago’s altrock/noisepunk duo: King Sans set out with each performance to combine visceral raw energy with melancholic lulls to deliver a night you won’t soon forget.Killmoves is a 4 piece alternative/post-hardcore band founded in Chicago in 2022.Bull Heather is a musical project and persona that is as much inspired by glam and drag culture as she is alt metal or 2000s diva pop music, performing songs that explore the experience of queerness in our current tumultuous era through the lens of heavy and off-kilter rock music influenced by acts such as Black Dresses, the Pixies, and Mitski.Damage Dames is a catchy two-piece lofi dance punk with a skosh of weirdness.
John Forrest & The Model Citizens, North Warren, Sin.
John Forrest & The Model Citizens are an alternative band based in Minneapolis Minnesota. With an upbeat danceable sound the music tries to capture the changing dynamics of love, self-destruction, loneliness, and isolation in the digital age.
Deserta, Sunshy
Deserta: Through a patchwork of reverb-tinged textures – drone guitars, lingering synths and driving percussion – the Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Matthew Doty weaves together stories of care, frustration and catharsis that ultimately stretch to a gentle resolve. On new album Every Moment, Everything You Need, Doty chronicles the kind of year we all fear, full of uncertainty, tension and sustained pressure, and transforms it into a celebration of perseverance. It’s an essential reminder that we have the power to shape the stories we tell. The LP was mixed by Dave Fridmann (Tame Impala, Mogwai, Interpol), with Beach House and Slowdive producer Chris Coady engineering and co-producing.Sunshy is a noise pop band from Chicago. Their sonic signature weaves together swirling, distorted chords, searing guitar riffs, and captivating vocals, conjuring a cathartic tapestry of ethereal chaos.