In the latest iteration of The Big Baltimore Playlist, we found five local songs ranging from feminist rap and rollicking post-punk to twinkling pop and shimmering summer-ready indie folk-rock. Check back each month for new top songs of the moment, and follow our Spotify playlist as we continue to build a soundtrack for our city.

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“Unfaithful Cherry” by Black Assets

First, your attention piques for the squealing car wheels that peel off into a raw, jangly melody. The twangy acoustic chords and scratchy rap on the body of a guitar. Then in comes the powerhouse vocals of spoken word artist Ashley Yates, aka Black Assets, and you’re officially hooked. “Who is this?” you find yourself thinking as you groove along to the soulful tune. Born in Mississippi before traveling the country and ultimately settling in Baltimore, this under-the-radar indie-rock-and-soul singer have been performing at open mics across the city for over a year now, fusing her rock, blues, funk, and R&B roots into an earthy, authentic sound all her own. Be on the lookout for her upcoming Soul Language EP.

“Diana Ross” by Bosley

We’ve come to count on local soul sensation Thomas Mayer for his James Browny-worthy croons, high-energy performances, and envy-inducing outfits. The songs on his first new album in four years, Unreal Fire, don’t disappoint but they’re also a fresh new version of Bosley from the one we’ve come to know and love. On this disco-ready dance number, he fuses the old and new versions of himself, amplifying his vintage soul revival with a fresh dose of modern-day pop. His powerful pipes remain, and continue to soar, as do the velvety vibes of his funky, feel-good melodies. Recorded live in analog and backed by his elaborate 9-piece band, it’s a playful, sparkling tune that would make its title diva proud.

“Boss Moves” by Martina Lynch ft. TT The Artist*

If you’ve been searching for a summer jam, look no further than the dream-team duo of spoken-word poet/rapper Martina Lynch and Bmore Club queen TT The Artist. On this bass-heavy banger, two of Baltimore’s most badass women unite and use their fiery verses, fearless delivery, and stylish swagger to show up the boys’ club, solidifying themselves as strong and showstopping as any male rapper in town. “Speaking for all of the women, the game is against us,” raps Martina in her female empowerment-focused lines, but both women have the chops to change that. In just over a week in early June, the song made it onto 92Q’s Roundway of the Day, and we expect to hear it on repeat from now through Labor Day.

“Less Than Positive” by Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread

Cumberland singer-songwriter Michael Nau has been a man of many bands. Page France. Cotton Jones. A solo artist. And now his 9-piece Mighty Thread. This might be our favorite iteration yet, with a full-bodied sound layered onto his scrappy indie folk-rock, featuring a hint of psychedelia and a twangy touch of old-school country. This new number off the band’s self-titled album, out August 3, is a lush, luminous ballad—as big as a rock anthem, as small and sweet as a little ditty. It’s the kind of song that inspires movement, adventure, and change. It’s the kind of song you want to play loud on a wide, open backroad with the windows down and the wind in your hair and the gas pedal beneath your barefoot toes. It’s as if it were tailor-made for the hot, humid days of Maryland summer.

“You Real” by Post Pink*

While we’ve been sitting around eagerly awaiting Post Pink’s upcoming No Problem, Probably EP, the beloved post-punk quartet quietly released this single as they wrapped a West Coast tour with ’90s alt-rock gods The Breeders. At first it seems slightly more tempered in volume and tempo than the tracks off 2016’s I Believe You, OK, but the tight, rollicking rock song builds into a smashing surf melody, fit for the tumbling cliffs along the California coast. Amidst cascading golden harmonies, Angela Swiecicki’s gravely vocals ride low and steady in a distant haze while driving drums and grungy guitar riffs roll forward and gain new speed. In the end, we find ourselves even more amped up for the forthcoming full release.

*Not available on Spotify. We’ll add it when if/when it comes online.

But it was the moments that you would spontaneously encounter that made this night special, allowing you see how it could become an annual Baltimore tradition.

You might happen upon a bundled-up crowd clustered around Baltimore artist Paul Rucker playing his cello and handing out twinkling star lights to anyone who answered questions related to his work that focuses on the history of Baltimore’s slave trade. At the end of his performance, he asked the star holders to wave their lights, and told them, “You’re all bright stars, don’t forget that.”

Or as you walked underneath the shimmering Pixel Promenade, you’d hear gasps of delight as parents lifted children up to get a better look at the vibrant lights. Or you’d hear the cheers of the crowd when bike riders who were part of the “Dear Baltimore” light work peddled by, their neon letters giving the City That Reads a great reminder—“Read Baltimore.”

Yes, the advisory-strength gusts did wreak havoc and the installation Labyrinth had to be taken down, though organizers hope the work will be back up soon. The lantern parade also kicked off when it wasn’t quite dark enough for lights to shine brightly (begging the question—did anyone remember daylight savings time?), as was also the case when soul group Bosley rocked the Harbor East stage at 7 p.m.

The exceptional moments continued in one of the last events of the night—a performance by legendary ’80s synth-pop musician and Johns Hopkins University professor Thomas Dolby, who took the main stage wearing a lab coat and a paperboy cap that held a pair of his signature, steam-punk goggles. “Baltimore, you look beautiful!” he declared enthusiastically.

When the opening notes of arguably his biggest hit “She Blinded Me With Science” thumped across the stage, Dolby invited out two young dancers, who popped and locked along with the beat, alongside a duo of belly dancers rhythmically swaying their hips. Their enthusiasm was contagious, enlivening the crowd of young and old, black and white.

When the dancers clasped hands to take their bows, you could feel the crowd’s excitement as they celebrated the collaboration and artistic talent that makes Baltimore so unique.

Brad Selko has been deciding Hot August Music Festival‘s lineup for the past 22 years.

“It’s not easy,” says the 64-year-old Baltimore native, who founded the festival. “I study everything and listen to everything, talk to family and friends both young and old.”

This year’s festival—August 16 at Oregon Ridge Park in Cockeysville—features bluegrass-folk band Old Crow Medicine Show, Americana band Nickel Creek, and indie rockers Dr. Dog. There will also be local acts like electronica quartet ELM, soul band Bosley, rock trio Jordan August Band and blues rockers The Solicitors.

The one-day event focuses primarily on bluegrass and country music, genres that Selko holds near and dear. That being said, he doesn’t shy away from bringing in different genres to diversify the musical offerings, inviting bands such as Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Gov’t Mule, and Trombone Shorty to play in past years.

“People like [Nickel Creek and Dr. Dog] down here,” says Selko. “I think they’re great rock and roll bands. I don’t choose straight down the line of bluegrass and country—I like to go left and right a bit.”

That kind of go-with-the-flow attitude has defined Hot August Music Festival since the days it was held in Selko’s barn. But the festival still remains largely intimate and revolves around what Selko prefers as a music fan, first and foremost.

“One thing that I don’t like about festivals are the short sets,” says Selko. “At festivals with hour-long sets and shorter, sometimes the bands take 15-minutes just to warm up. I make sure that Old Crow is the last band and that they have a full two-hour set.”

His fan-first philosophy also spills over into the other areas of the festival, as well.

“I hate lines,” he says. “That’s why I’ve hired extra beer staff, got more bathrooms, and brought in more food vendors. You’ve gotta keep people happy.”

This year, concession options include organic falafel wraps, pit beef, and beer offerings like Natty Boh and Magic Hat.

And, although the festival has grown in size and brings in bigger, more nationally recognized acts, one thing that hasn’t changed is Selko’s pre-show ritual.

“Every year, my sister or my wife picks me up a box of Berger Cookies,” he says. “It’s the only thing I can eat during the festival. I even turned [blues musician] Susan Tedeschi and [Gov’t Mule drummer] Matt Abts onto them. And, the funny thing is, I never want to eat them any other time of the year.”

The Dirty Dogs Radio Show
Bosley (self-released)

Revivalist bands evoking 1960s R&B revues and funk icons like James Brown are a dime a dozen, but this local ensemble puts a fresh spin on classic soul. Dirty Dogs has the requisite punchy horns, sassy harmonies, and percussive guitar licks, but with some hip-hop swagger and piano lunacy in the mix. Songs like “American Gurlz” and “Keep Good Time” exude an ecstatic and elastic vibe that stretches Bosley past any notion of genre restraint.

Bosley will play Artscape’s Station North Stage at 8 p.m. on July 19. 

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China West
Manuel Barrueco & Beijing Guitar Duo (Tonar Music)

One of Baltimore’s best record labels releases nothing but classical. Founded by Peabody’s Manuel Barrueco, Tonar puts out recordings by the virtuoso guitarist and his associates. Here, Barrueco and his protégés, the Bejing Guitar Duo, play a far-ranging set that includes Bach, Ástor Piazzolla, and a medley of Charlie Chaplin tunes arranged by Sérgio Assad. The latter piece is as sublime as it is surprising.