Material: Emmett Skyy has a sound that doesn’t fit into one genre. The songs mirror his diverse inspirations—sometimes too closely—and tell stories of love, hardship and truth. “To Be A ...

Material: There’s an edginess to the indie and surf-rock sounds of Water District. Delayed guitar riffs, echoing over upbeat verses, emote with lyrics about love and solitude. The band’s song ...

Material: Combining elements of piano rock, indie rock and R&B, Evan Roth has found a unique sound reminiscent of Coldplay. His vocal melodies, which travel in the lower register, seem ...

Material: Native June’s energetic and sometimes gritty material infuses elements of surf rock, but also harkens back to the classic rock era. Choruses explode with hard-hitting, distorted chord progressions that ...

Material: The self-described “new-wop” group—imagine vintage doo-wop crossed with alternative pop—writes catchy songs that showcase powerful dynamics. Verses transition seamlessly to poppy choruses or staccato breakdowns that feature Charlotte Fontaine’s ...

Material: Combining elements of funk, hip-hop and acoustic pop, John Defeo has developed a neo-soul sound with attitude. The vocals, delivered with a hip-hop intensity, add a raw element to ...

Material: Matt Turk’s lyric heavy, slow-paced songs have folk foundations, but incorporate other genres like gypsy jazz and old-timey country. Turk hits his stride in his emotional folk tunes, replete ...

Material: The spirit of ‘80s metal and rock & 
roll is alive in the energetic, distorted songs of Slick and Wicked. Hollow sounding drums and rich bass tone epitomize the ...

The Players: Jara Harris, bass, lead vocals; TJ Quake, rap, vocals; Alicia Contreras, vocals; Adam Smith, guitar; Alyse Harris, keyboards; Jesse Conlee, drums. Material: Slapbak serves up funky, soulful tunes ...

The Players: Alexz Johnson, lead vocals, guitar; Patrick Droney, guitar, backup vocals; Maxwell Butler, keyboard, backup vocals; Kyle McCammon, bass, moog, backup vocals; Garrison Johnson, drums, backup vocals. Material: Alexz ...