In the latest iteration of The Big Baltimore Playlist, we found five local songs to listen to now, ranging from rising experimental rap and rollicking garage rock to operatic R&B. Check back each month for new top tracks of the moment, and follow our Spotify playlist as we continue to build a soundtrack for our city.

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“Aria of Resilience” by :3ION*
It’s been three long years since we’ve had new music from this electronic R&B artist, pronounced elon. But if this futuristic take on an ancient musical form is any indication, it’s all been worth the wait. It transcends historical time and employs fantasy, with the lyrics’ protagonist being a character from a medieval realm, while the lilting harp sample, studded with digital beats, is inspired by the classic 15th-century painting Garden of Earthly Delights. Whatever the era, :3ION reemerges with newfound power to his already otherworldly voice—his falsetto flitting and fluttering to new depths and peaks. Keep your ears perked for his upcoming sophomore record and follow-up to 2016’s debut, Ronin.

“Free The Frail” by JPEGMAFIA
It’s been a big year for JPEGMAFIA, the experimental California-by-way-of-Baltimore rapper whose merry-prankster approach and punk-fueled, no-holds-barred, oftentimes NSFW music has turned him into a Pitchfork favorite and whose raw performances have put him on the lineups of the likes of Coachella (where his set was considered one of this year’s best by Rolling Stone). But keeping critics and fans on their toes in the name of his unofficial slogan—“you think you know me”—this new song, off his just-released All My Heroes Are Cornballs, might be the most outright pretty and poignant he’s made yet. The 13th track on a record that on quick listen plays like an iPod shuffle acid trip, it’s also the most intimate we’ve seen JPEG, using this dreamy beat and both strong verses and supple chorus vocals to speak candidly to the wavering uncertainty that comes with success.

“Rides Through The Morning” by Michael Nau
There’s something about this summer track by prolific Cumberland singer-songwriter Michael Nau that makes our hearts just want to burst. Perhaps it’s the pure nostalgic soul of the thing—from the frontman’s from-the-belly, growling vocals, to the golden, end-of-day harmonies, to the ratatat drums that cut through the ache of the organ’s swirl. Then again, maybe it’s just the simple sentiment of the chorus that we should all take home with us: “Put down your sorrows and dance with me.” Whatever it might be, one thing’s for certain: Nau is the master of bittersweet, capturing both the shadow and the sunshine, the happiness and sadness of both the past and the future. In the present, put this song on repeat.

“Landmine” by Spooled Up
The 1990s are alive and well in Baltimore thanks to the wily garage rock of this two-year-old indie quartet. They possess a raw, explosive sound that’s bottled in this aptly named lead track off their sophomore EP, Strange World. On it, the cool, calm vocals of Naomi Davidoff command the mic, which she shares with bandmate Luke Spicknall on other tracks, while a thick tangle of fuzzed-out guitar fills the air and a rollicking surf sound spins out in every direction. Full of inertia, consider this young band one to watch.

“Exquisite Pain” by Vosh
It’s easy to be enchanted by the haunting vocals of Josephine Olivia. We found ourselves hooked back when she was half of electro-R&B duo Blacksage, where her limber coos wove like a snake around the band’s talented trap-forward beats. Now, years later, after moving back to Baltimore and going solo, her new project, Vosh, carries many of the same qualities that lured in local listeners in the first place, but this time, she digs even deeper, and goes darker, both in shadowy themes and the serpentine sound of her self-proclaimed “death pop.” Off her forthcoming EP, produced by former Baltimore producer Owen Ross, this first single is propelled by a heavy bouncing bass, monastic hums, and her still ethereal vox, touching on pain, pleasure, and desire. We’ll be eagerly awaiting more.

*Not on Spotify. We’ll add it to the playlist when it becomes available.

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.

Baltimore’s music scene has had a number of peaks—the bluegrass days of the 1950s, the hard (and hair) rock era of the 1980s, the Bmore Club nights of the 1990s, and Wham City in the early aughts—but we have to say: The city couldn’t sound better than it does right now. In fact, we’re having trouble keeping up.

For that, and thanks to always inspiring music chats with local audio authority Sam Sessa of WTMD, we’ve decided to start a big Baltimore playlist—The Big Baltimore Playlist—as a showcase and celebration of Baltimore’s growing brood of talent. Check back each month for our top five songs of the moment, and follow our Spotify playlist as we continue to build a soundtrack for our city. 

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“Chariot” by Beach House

This single, previously unreleased and now on the local duo’s upcoming B-Sides and Rarities, is a hazy slow jam that twinkles like summer stars. Lead singer Victoria Legrand’s luxurious vocals drift in and out like a cotton-candy-colored fog, and Alex Scally’s smooth, saturated guitar chords twang with our heartstrings. After more than 10 years, Beach House’s music is as gorgeous as ever.

“Soul Searching” by J Pope and the HearNow

Get lost in the funky rhythm of this title track off the brand-new debut by alt-soul sextet J Pope and the HearNow. It’s an addictive, slow-burning beat that lingers with smoky swirls of sax, plugging runs of bass, and the honey-coated, sophisticated rhymes of frontwoman J Pope—and leaves you wanting more.

“Good Thing” by Michael Nau

This velvety, vintage-tinged tune is built for warm weather. Cumberland native Michael Nau’s vocals swim softly along with his sunny-day melody, riddled with gentle jangling rhythms and an important message: forget the bad stuff, focus on the song title.

“Kronos” by Natural Velvet

There are lots of rabblerousing rock songs on the new record, Mirror To Make You, by post-punk quartet Natural Velvet, but we love the anthemic chorus of this ninth track. “I make the rules for tonight…” warbles frontwoman Corynne Ostermann, before she crescendoes into a high and brilliant, “I am, I choose, I chose!” Lady power at its most badass.

“No King” by Outcalls

Combining lush chamber vocals with a robust layering of electronic and acoustic sound, opera singers Melissa Wimbish and Britt Olsen-Ecker create their own brand of baroque indie-pop. Their whimsical pipes wind around an energetic beat that pulses in your ears long after its gone. It has us excited for what’s to come.

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

Arbouretum

Song of the Rose (Thrill Jockey)

All hail Arbouretum. The nearly 15-year-old Baltimore rock band is back after a four-year hiatus, and this new album only adds to the group’s celebrated canon of sound. Across eight tracks, the local quartet carries on its trademark mix of classic rock, elaborate jams, and baroque folk founded in sludgy tempos and searing guitar. Be it a thunderous anthem or low, lilting ballad, each song winds its way through the labyrinthine lyrics of frontman Dave Heumann (with an assist from unofficial bandmate Rob Wilson), who ruminates like a poet philosopher. Tackling heady topics like mythology and nature, the album is a sort of psychedelic meditation, pushing and pulling you through the motion of its heavy, hypnotic melodies. Listen, contemplate, explore—each song is a thick forest worthy of getting lost in.

Michael Nau

Some Twist (Suicide Squeeze)

Dreamy and introspective, this music is made for the hazy days of summer. Cumberland native Michael Nau follows up his 2016 solo debut with a velvety suite of vintage-tinged tunes that radiate like a reverie. The indie songwriter, formerly of local bands Page France and Cotton Jones, is known for his tender vocals and nostalgic folk sound, infused with a gentle country twang and the golden shimmer of ’60s soul and pop. Lush and layered, these 12 tracks are simple and lovely at their core—a jangle of tambourine here, a swell of steel guitar there, the perfect heart-punch of piano. At times, he even sounds like the luminous lovechild of Kurt Vile and Harvest Moon Neil Young. Add him to your warm weather playlist and spread good vibes all dog-day afternoon.