The Next Wave: Local Artists to Watch

Sept. 2, 2016

Who’s poised to break out of the region next? With this much talent and ambition taking the stages across the North by storm, it could be every one of the distinctive artists and bands featured here

Biomassive

If you dig jam bands and electronic music in equal measure, then you’ll be glad to hear Biomassive, because this group combines both genres so smoothly you’ll never find the seam. They’ve actually been knocking around the scene since 2012, but with a brand new self-produced album and aims outside the state, they’re headed for bigger things.

The Sound: Disco Biscuits and Lotus both spring to mind just as much as Biomassive’s own self-proclaimed influence, STS9. What Biomassive seems to share with these artists is a similar ability to take funky themes and apply a mechanical edge without ever compromising accessibility and danceability.

Find Them: biomassiveband.com

A Brighter Bloom

Lauren Onica and Todd Aldrich make up the duo A Brighter Bloom, a folk-pop pair from the middle of Michigan who blend ’60s sensibilities with the brighter, less earth-toned sounds of today’s anti-AM soft rock. Their songs are emotional numbers that also pull from the best elements of their previous regional band, The Stand Ins.

The Sound: Their own compositions, like “Photographic Memory” and “Dialogue” recollect Milk Carton Kids or Shovels and Rope, or perhaps the sound you might get if Ben Harper teamed up with Laura Cantrell: earnest, harmonic, but not overly intense.

Find Them: facebook.com/abrighterbloommusic

The Sleeping Gypsies

This four-piece outfit keeps things simple with a roiling stew of tunes that consistently rock whatever house they play. They’re inspired by classic rock, and the lyrics stick to Everyman topics, but their own sound is anything but dated, offering up jagged twists and crisp arrangements.

The Sound: Progressive rock á la The Black Keys or Jack White’s solo work with hints of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy in a contemporary mix that includes bright piano lines, swinging horns, bluesy bass, and call-and-response backing vocals. Standout track “Trouble” is impossible to listen to while sitting still.

Find Them: thesleepinggypsies.com

Oh Brother Big Sister

While bands often adopt quirky names that have little to do with their sound or members, in this case, the moniker is quite literal. Penny Rosin and Radel Rosin are a talented brother-sister pair who have developed their own acoustic-pop sound and original songs with an eclectic twist. Also on their side: the fact that brother-sister pairings are rare in the music world.

The Sound: With their foundation firmly set in acoustic music, the Rosins are free to experiment as they build up their tunes, stacking harmonies in that super-close way that only siblings can execute on both their carefully selected ’70s covers and originals like “Keeps on Raining” and “The Wait.”

Find Them: ohbrotherbigsister.com

Pistil Whips

Thanks to their multicultural stew of influences and instrumentation, Pistil Whips — named after the flower part, not a weapon — sound like far more than two guys on stage. Eric Dane Jaqua plays Farmer foot drums (drums operated only with the feet) and guitar while singing; William LaTournuea adds in rich layers via saxophone, clarinet, and keys.

The Sound: A mix of The Specials (modernized) and Better Than Ezra, their “unorthodox funky music” is jazzed up with woodwinds and given extra depth with faint gypsy and Spanish influences on tunes like “Re-Animator.” Jaqua’s raspy vocals recall Dave Matthews, but with more emotional range.

Find Them: thepistilwhips.com

Turbo Pup

They celebrated one year as a band last month and have already grown leaps and bounds in sound, which portends great things ahead for this multi-genre TC outfit. Perhaps the biggest element that separates them from their local peers is that they rarely, if ever, play covers, instead focusing on honing their original tunes.

The Sound: Galloping between rock, folk, funk, and jazz, the four-member band has one EP in the can and plans for a full-length album in the works. In the meantime, they continue performing live and have been expanding their setlist with standout tracks like the bayou-gypsy pop of “Video Queen.”

Find Them: turbopupband.com