This was a big year for Baltimore music. A decade after Rolling Stone dubbed our city the best music scene in the country, local artists continued to make great music—in some ways better than ever—and they got recognized for it, both through local listeners and on the national stage.

Locally, Baltimore artists released a record number of highly anticipated albums over the course of the last 12 months, and in doing so, also treated us to a heap of had-to-be-there concerts on our hometown stages, from Snail Mail making her debut at The Parkway to DDm transforming the Soundstage into a fashion runway to one very memorable night starring TT The Artist at Union Collective during our first-ever Baltimore magazine Music Festival. (Be on the lookout for its return in 2019.) Nationally, it seemed as if every time we went online, another local musician was being recognized by a top tastemaker, from The Fader and Vice (both thanks in no small part to True Laurels’ Lawrence Burney) to, yes, Rolling Stone, plus NPR, Billboard, and The New York Times, with one especially deserved piece on local artists of color. Hearing this music, seeing these concerts, and reading these headlines amidst the chaos of 2018 gave us a glimmer of hope.

Picking favorites from this past year has felt nearly impossible—we simply didn’t know where to begin, or end—so to help narrow our focus, we’ve chosen 20 songs off those aforementioned new albums, which includes everything from fresh-faced folk and up-and-coming hip-hop to the rebirth of indie veterans and the solidification of new rock stars. Hear for yourself, via our Spotify playlist below, but in this age of quick consumption, we encourage you to listen to these records in full, and to find your own favorites. And to continue to follow the local music scene, these artists and others, into 2019 and beyond.

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“Dive” by Beach House
We’ve learned to no longer sit on the edge of our seats for a Beach House album as over the last few years the duo has continued to drop a sudden new song here or full-blown record release there without so much as a whiff of Internet buzz. But their seventh record, aptly titled 7, did serve as a solid reminder of the band’s ability to surprise us. It’s a hazy, haunting evolution in their decade-long perfection of shimmering, fuzzed-out dream-pop, with the new songs bringing a fresh sense of urgency and innovation, as heard in this second single. It builds in Beach House’s signature slow-burning way before erupting in a potent moment of thunderous live drums and lustrous guitar. This newfound clarity only further cements Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally as indie rock royalty, in Baltimore and beyond.
Honorable Mentions: “Lemon Glow,” “Drunk In LA,” “L’Inconnue.”

“Feel Nobody” by Butch Dawson

One of the biggest breakthroughs of the year might belong to Butch Dawson (and one of the biggest oversights of the year likely belongs to leaving him out of our Music Issue’s list of top 50 bands to watch). This mosh-ready single off the West Baltimore rapper’s autumn debut, Swamp Boy, was undoubtedly one of the most beloved songs in 2018, bringing his punkish, smoke-swirled brand of hip-hop to the forefront of the local music scene. Dawson’s unbridled fire was also recognized by The Fader and that aforementioned article in The New York Times.
Honorable Mentions: “Division St. Blues,” “Liberation,” “Distances.”

“Hollow Imitation” by Caleb Stine
Long before the birth of the Charm City Bluegrass Festival and the region’s recent folk music renaissance, there was Caleb Stine, stoking the flames of his genre and its deep ties to Maryland through Americana tales over the course of the last two decades. But Moon, the rustic raconteur’s first new solo record in some time, turns its attention away from the road and religion, toward the ground-shaking, all-consuming power of love. This reverential ballad is Stine’s storytelling at its very best, with saturated imagery unfolding like an old film.
Honorable Mentions: “Higher Ground,” “Garden,” “Bodhi Tree.”

“Rude” by DDm
Okay, so we know this record hasn’t officially dropped, but anyone who’s seen DDm perform over the last several months has already fallen for the new tracks off his upcoming Soundtrack To A Shopping Mall, due out in the new year. DDm, aka Emmanuel Williams, aka Unkle Lulu, aka the Secretary of Shade, is the master of bona fide swagger, side-splitting braggadocio, and Beyoncé-worthy production, as showcased on this track. We can’t think of many (or any) other local artists who put on a performance quite like DDm; he brings it to everything he touches.
Honorable Mentions: “Ready To Wear,” “Try Me On,” “Forever 21.”

“Riddles” by Ed Schrader’s Music Beat
After a decade of cutting their chops and gaining a loyal following on the local scene, Ed Schrader and Devlin Rice finally got their national due this year, with the post-punk duo’s spring album, Riddles, via Car Park Records, lauded by the likes of NPR, Spin, and Rolling Stone. We could say it’s about time, but those years allowed ESMB to find new footing in this cathartic triumph, produced by friend and fellow local institution Dan Deacon. Out of 10 bold songs, this twinkling title track is the unrivaled star—swelling in synth-fueled emotion and ’80s-pop euphoria—speaking to facing your fears and, in turn, yourself. Just be sure to watch its Best of Baltimore-winning music video as well.
Honorable Mentions: “Kid Radium,” “Dunce,” “Tom.”

“Knock the Man Down” by The High & Wides
Yes, the city’s bluegrass scene has been growing like kudzu over the last few years, but few new bands have caught our eye—and ear—quite like this Baltimore-by-way-of-Eastern Shore string quartet. Their spring debut, Lifted, was met with critical acclaim for its reverence to, revolution from, and revival of the Americana genre; thought rooted in tradition, the band reimagines bluegrass for the 21st century. This track is all grit and gumption, from its jangly melody to its howling vocals and expert instrumentation—a back-woods boot-stomper for modern day.
Honorable Mentions: “Rake Out The Nails,” “Ballad of Caulk’s Field,” “Dark Blues.”

“Water” by Joy Postell
Diaspora, the full-length debut by Joy Postell, only affirmed what we already knew: the twenty-something soul powerhouse is a forerunner of the local music scene and a force to be reckoned with. Drawing inspiration from legends of the past (Nina Simone, Billie Holliday, Sarah Vaughn), Postell looks toward the future as a black woman in America in 2018, and each of the album’s tracks tackle the African-American experience, from freedom to love. With a rippling jazz melody and the singer’s mighty vox, this second single is an especially poignant portrait, presenting young black minds as the seeds of future change. Indeed Postell, also featured in the summer New York Times feature, is one herself.
Honorable Mentions: “Consciousness,” “North Star,” “Free Black.”

“1539 N. Calvert” by JPEGMAFIA
Heading into 2019, JPEGMAFIA is definitely one of the city’s—and country’s—top wavemakers, thanks to a record year riding on the success of his boundary-pushing spring Veteran, with fiery live performances at the likes of Afropunk and spots in a slew of end-of-year best-of lists from Stereogum to Pitchfork sold. Though he now lives in L.A., we continue to claim the rap provocateur as our own. After all, this first track off the sophomore record is an ode to the former Bell Foundry art space in Greenmount West that abruptly closed after the Ghost Ship fire in California. The murky melody is a no-holds-barred stream-of-consciousness, best listened to alongside its dystopian Last Supper music video featuring other fellow Bell regulars.
Honorable Mentions: “Baby I’m Bleeding,” “Rock N Roll Is Dead,” “Macaulay Culkin.”

“Assume The Position” by Lafayette Gilchrist & The New Volcanoes
There are few living legends left in Baltimore quite like Lafayette Gilchrist. The Baltimore-by-way-of-D.C. jazz and 2018 Baker Artist Award winner is revered by critics and listeners alike for his dynamic domination of the keys, easily recognized on his iconic scores in David Simon’s HBO series, from The Wire to The Deuce, but the. On his latest EP, Deep Dancing Suite, Gilchrist and his 10-piece New Volcanoes bring back the uncontainable energy of jazz-era improvisation with a dose of modern danceability. Notably, this long-held hit gets new life at nearly double its original length, where keys, brass, and percussion take part in a lively jive. The reinvention stands testament to the artist’s freestyle fluency and finesse.
Honorable Mentions: “Deep Dancing Suite,” “Ping Pong,” “Return of the Inchworm.”

“Where I’m Bound” by Letitia VanSant
In her spring album and follow-up to 2015’s Parts & Labor, Gut It To The Studs, folk singer-songwriter Letitia VanSant crafts a thoughtful opus on new chapters and change, with this first melody being a love letter to that of personal growth. On it, VanSant’s mellifluent voice rolls bright and clear along a hearty river of acoustic guitar, upright bass, and old-school fiddle, setting the stage for the rest of the record and embracing the yet-to-be-seen discovery that still lies ahead of her. In the end of both this song and the entire record, she emerges newly powerful and perceptive. We’ll be anxious to see how she channels that newfound purpose on her next release.
Honorable Mentions: “Gut It To The Studs,” “Wild Heart Roam,” “Sundown Town.”

“Winning” by Peso Da Mafia
Last summer, Northeast Baltimore rap group Peso Da Mafia launched onto the local airwaves and, shortly thereafter, national stage with their come-up single turned viral dance video “Money Man.” It would be a tough act to follow, but by early 2018, the trio would drop this sneak peek off their debut Never A Drought via Warner Music subsidiary Asylum Records. With more than a million Spotify listens and YouTube music video views for this track, it’s safe to say that their slow-burn beats, confident rhymes, and catchy hooks are in anything but short supply. And with slots at SXSW and the BET Awards preshow, plus shout outs in Complex and XXL, it seems the big-wigs are watching, too.
Honorable Mentions: “Money Man,” “TSAY,” “About Us.”

“Homeward Bound” by Sean K. Preston & The Loaded Pistols
We’ve heard this ballad around the Fells Point dive bars for a few years, but newly produced on the fall full-length, Forgive, by Sean K. Preston and his band The Loaded Pistols, the country blues number has taken on new meaning. This song details the heartache, hard luck, and hungry dreams that it takes to be a full-time musician, and in term, captures the essence of one of Baltimore’s most dogged performers and true-blue, truth-speaking storytellers. After more than a decade on the local scene, this ballad and its accompanying record not only document but put on full display the hard-earned talents of Preston and his bandmates.
Honorable Mentions: “Last Call,” “Barnburner,” “Life’s a Bitch.”

“cherubim” by serpentwithfeet
This spring, the unexpected sound of serpentwithfeet, aka Baltimore native Josiah Wise, brought the country’s top music critics to their knees. The avant-R&B artist’s debut soil was considered a singular tour de force—absorbing in its theatricality, moving in its occult spirituality, liberating in its effusive emotion—transcendent of all boundaries. In short, it’s unlike anything anyone had heard, as showcased in this devastatingly intimate devotional. The holy roller brings the multitudes of love, specifically queer black love, to light, melodically marching uphill to the pedestal upon which we humans put our lovers, chanting a declaration of dedication through an intricately layered chorus of Wise’s vibrato vocals and soaring tenor with every step along the way.
Honorable Mentions: “whisper,” “bless ur heart,” “mourning song.”

“Play Hard” by Soul Cannon
Seven years is a long time for any band to not release new music but still maintain its relevancy in the music business. But rules don’t apply to the hip-hop collective of Soul Cannon, which remains a vital force on the local scene for its explosive experimentation and fiery live shows. And MC Eze Jackson and his three classically trained comrades have only solidified that status through this winter’s self-titled record on which the quartet continues to break new ground through old tracks and new. Exhibit A: this agile sprint of a song that we can’t get enough of, founded in the tight tango of Jackson’s urgent, poetic vocals and his bandmates’ wily, propulsive instrumentation. The band is a well-oiled machine that inspires any listener—music, writer, whoever you are—to play harder, too.
Honorable Mentions: “Hospital Records,” “F Sharp,” “Talk Less.”

“Pristine” by Snail Mail
We wish Snail Mail had been around when we were in high school. Has there ever been a band that so perfectly bottles the essence of the teenage heart? Have there every been any lyrics—“Don’t you like me for me?” or “I know myself and I’ll never love anyone else”—that so captured and catapulted out into the world the hidden thoughts and emotions of that tumultuous time of life? Maybe that’s why this has been the year of Lindsey Jordan, with the Ellicott City 18-year-old, her debut Lush, via Matador Records, and this first single featured in nearly every noteworthy publication and best-of end-of-year list on record. And rightfully so—Jordan is the brooding, heart-on-her-sleeve rock star we needed in 2018. And next year, too.
Honorable Mentions: “Heat Wave,” “Golden Dream,” “Full Control.”

“Vulture” by Super City
To get a dose of the infectious energy and undeniable chemistry of Super City, pick any song off their fall Sanctuary—the indie (or “freakwave,” as they’ve been called) quintet’s new fall record. Though not one of the band’s first singles, we find this breakneck anthem to be a good starting point. Co-frontman Greg Wellham commands the mic on this pop-punk-go-go melody, riddled with livewire guitar, punchy drums, and one epic buildup starting at the 2:25 mark as they swat away negative energy. For the full effect, see it live for their fancy, fame-worthy footwork. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: these are the local rock gods you need to know now.
Honorable Mentions: “Sanctuary,” “Artificial Sin,” “Ghosts of Love.”

“I Lost You” by Surf Harp
Eighties kids will feel instantly drawn to Surf Harp’s Mr. Big Picture. Maybe it’s because of the indie quintet’s visuals, reminiscent of the early Macintosh computers and MTV music videos of our youth. Likely it’s their post-punk-meets-new-wave sound, as creative and off-kilter as a Talking Heads hit. This band finds their own lane, though, with each of this spring record’s 10 songs keeping their own unruly pace. For us, this shadowy ballad felt like the album’s diamond in the rough, building from windswept melancholia into a swirl of momentum, spinning out before the story ends, leaving you wanting more.
Honorable Mentions: “D.I. Cig,” “Catholic Glass,” “Homework Program.”

“Payroll” by TT The Artist
We’d like to put it on record: Baltimore Club queen TT The Artist is one of the hardest working musicians in the business. In 2018 alone, she premiered the trailer for her upcoming directorial debut, Dark City: Beneath the Beat, a full-length documentary on the city’s music and dance genre of Bmore Club; she moved to L.A. and launched her all-women Club Queen Records, still with frequent stints back east for filming and fiery performances; and she dropped the label’s first Club Queens EP with New Jersey’s UNIIQU3. But one listen to her label’s first single—full of unabashed bravado, electric beats, playful creativity, and featured on heavy rotation this summer on 92Q—and you’ll see that TT is just getting started.
Honorable Mentions: “Off The Chain,” “Freaking in the Club,” “Fall Back.”

“It’s Okay” by Wume
We knew we couldn’t wait for new music from experimental duo Wume after their mesmerizing 2015 EP, Maintain, but this fall, their new full-length record left us completely dazzled. In a quest for deeper truths, Toward the Shadow, via Northern Spy, offers a moment of reflection and introspection. Combining sparkling electronics by keyboardist Albert Schatz and newly prominent vocals in the form of philosophical incantations by drummer April Camlin, the band takes listeners on a trip into even more immersive soundscapes, urging them to dig deeper, to push further, to shift and breakthrough, just like the band has. This track is a rejuvenating listen in the chaos of our modern times.
Honorable Mentions: “Shadow,” “Walled Garden,” “Ravel.”

“The Louder I Call, the Faster It Runs” by Wye Oak
We could feel something stirring in Wye Oak’s 2016 release of Tween. A transition. A simultaneous closure and commencement. A reawakening. And now, with this gorgeous spring record, it all makes sense, as the band has emerged as a stunning new version of itself—and yet after 12 years, we’ve maybe never felt more in tune with music by Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack. Out of a dozen deeply human songs, this title track is an illuminating crescendo, revealing the beauty of the journey toward yourself. We still find ourselves pouring over its lyrics for answers, ultimately finding some sort of solace in the song’s—and life’s—elusions. As Wasner concludes, “Sometimes it takes a long, long, long time,” and if Wye Oak’s long game is any indication, the wait is certainly worth it.
Honorable Mentions: “The Instrument,” “It Was Not Natural,” “Lifer.”

Five things to eat, drink, see, hear, and do with your Charm City weekend.

 EAT

Feb. 24: Taste Baltimore 3

The Motor House, 120 W. North Ave. 12-4 p.m. $20. 410-637-8300.

Three years ago, Chef Catina Smith of Magdalena Restaurant felt inspired by Baltimore’s small-batch food businesses and decided to create a mini food emporium to highlight local chefs and food professionals. Now in its third installment, Taste Baltimore is back with 15 food vendors, cooking demos by culinary instructor Chef Egg, and live music. Munch on samples from local favorites like The Elephant, new foodies like Wilde Thyme and Sporty Dog Creations, and watch chefs whip up tasty dishes with mystery ingredients in a Chopped-style competition.

 DRINK

Feb. 24: The Big Lebowski Viewing and Costume Party

Waverly Brewing Company, 1625 Union Ave. 7 p.m. Free. 443-438-5765. 

This weekend, the Dude abides in Hampden-Woodberry. On Saturday, the Waverly Brewing starts a new tradition with a screening of the 1998 cult classic comedy, The Big Lebowski. Prepare your one-liners and bowling references, then raid your closet for the perfect costume to channel your inner Dude, Donny, or Walter. Think bathrobes, amber-tinged sunglasses, and Viking helmets, as the best dressed guests can win bar tabs and brewery gift cards. 

 SEE

Feb. 23-25: American Craft Council Show

Baltimore Convention Center, 1 W. Pratt St. Fri. 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. $14-34. 612-206-3100.

Take cover from the rain this weekend and surround yourself with all things bright and shiny. During this three-day indoor craft extravaganza, browse unique wares from more than 650 contemporary American artists, including Baltimore makers like Ronni Aronin’s ceramics, Tigerlillyshop’s fun jewelry, and Erin Draper’s yoga wear. While there’s enough handmade home décor, furniture, accessories, and toys to keep you entertained for hours, don’t miss out on specialty pop-up booths featuring wearable art, interior designs, hands-on activities, and even handcrafted whisky tastings.

 HEAR

Feb. 23: Surf Harp

The Windup Space, 12 W. North Ave. 8 p.m. $8. 410-244-8855. 

When Surf Harp popped up on our radar back in 2016 with its first full-length album, Peel, we were immediately captivated by the vibrant, rollicking sound. This Friday, the indie quintet will release its second album, Mr. Big Picture, and perform the brand-new record—a rambunctious feat that channels the very best of ’80s New Wave and post-punk with a Damn The Man mentality— in its entirety with soon-to-be-favorites like “D.I. Cig” and “I Lost You.” Guest musicians will perform as well, including fellow local talents Chiffon and Jacober, as well as New York regulars Operator Music Band and Zula. Grab a 12-inch vinyl, featuring a snazzy screen-printed cover by illustrator George Wylesol, to listen on repeat.

 DO

Feb. 24: Black Tie Baltimore’s Fake Wedding

Baltimore Museum of Industry, 1415 Key Hwy. 7 p.m. $95-120. 410-727-4808. 

Let’s skip the whole “I do” part and go straight to the reception. At this fake wedding to support the volunteer-and-day-drink nonprofit, Volunteer Untapped, don your best formal attire and spend a lively evening sipping drinks from the open bar, noshing on hors d’oeuvres by Sascha’s Catering, and grooving to live music from Moonshine. And of course, as always, this is all for a good cause, so don’t miss out on the Charity Tinder booth, where you can swipe right to meet local philanthropic partners and get involved with their efforts.

In the latest iteration of The Big Baltimore Playlist, we found five local songs ranging from shimmering dream-pop to inspiring, world-infused soul music to New Wave post-punk. 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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“I Am” by Ama Chandra*

Ama Chandra is a local treasure, her story and message of survival showcasing the full potential of the human spirit. The local indie-soul singer’s music has long been focused on messages of love, but following a brutal assault in the summer of 2015, she has emerged with newfound purpose, transforming that traumatizing experience into a joyous celebration of life that permeates this song off her first full-length album since 2013. Recorded live at The Owen Brown Interfaith Center in Columbia, her masterful vocals soar to new levels—her soulful pipes floating in, light as a feather, before climbing up to powerful peaks. With the pitter-patter of hand drums and hearty plugs of upright bass, she creates her own world rhythm and makes a healing declaration that resonates with any listener: Despite all hardships, you still exist. You can start over. You will once again be free. Chandra, and her music, are living proof.

“Lemon Glow” by Beach House

On Valentine’s Day, Beach House gave us a glimpse of their upcoming spring album with this dreamy new number. “Wishing everyone out there love tonight,” they wrote on Instagram, and the Internet went wild. Everything that the Baltimore-based duo does is instant indie gold, and the song immediately skyrocketed into a slot under Pitchfork’s list of Best New Tracks. The band’s lush, lilting music is easy to get lost in; you come to, unsure of where the last song ended and the next one began. But on this new track, there’s a distinct fresh energy that propels the pulsing melody forward. The glitchy beat permeates outward but stays in tight, staccato lines as singer Victoria LeGrand’s ethereal vocals gain new lyrical clarity, and Alex Scally’s searing guitar builds heat toward a crescendo that never quite peaks. This shimmering tease—no doubt a love song—ends abruptly, leaving us wanting more.

“Simple Light” by Brendan Sullivan

The loss of Brendan Sullivan to Brooklyn was a big one for the Baltimore music scene. As GM (and just generally super nice guy) at The Crown, Sullivan had built the Station North venue into a living room for the local arts—where, on any given night, you could experience a witch’s brew of homegrown talent, from indie shoegaze and thrashing punk to experimental hip-hop and electronic R&B. Luckily, he’s still regularly booking Baltimore talent in New York. But on his solo debut, out now via Friends Records, Sullivan stands alone, having stripped away the vocal distortion and gritty, grunge guitar of his past work—having been one part of the much loved art-rock duo Weekends—to bare his soul. Recorded right here at home, this haunting, heart-aching hymn features a few simple guitar chords, a shimmering tap of hi-hat drums, and the smoldering slow burn of saxophone by Microkingdom’s John Dierker. Biggest of all, there’s Sullivan’s gravelly baritone. A la Nick Cave, a little late-life Leonard Cohen, we were instantly bewitched.

“D.I. Cig” by Surf Harp*

If you’re anything like us, once Surf Harp’s new album, Mr. Big Picture, drops this weekend, you’ll have it on constant rotation. The indie quintet brings it on this second full-length record. Exhibit A? This first single—a rhythmic, rolling avalanche of New Wave, post-punk, and pop. It shifts between freewheeling melodies that are at once meticulous and outside the box, with each exploding in jubilant, energetic bursts. Eighties-infused verses fly over urgent drums. Anthemic crescendo choruses soar above wily guitar riffs that we simply applaud. Electronic touches twinkle in and fritz out. This new album plays with the mundane structures of and societal emphasis on work. It’s almost too fitting that this rollicking number makes it hard to sit still in your seat.

“The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs” by Wye Oak

This gorgeous new song, off an equally gorgeous new album, feels like the Wye Oak we never knew we’d always been waiting for. A cascading sweep of percussion, live wire guitar, and twinkling electronic tones, it marks a new beginning for the 12-year-old Baltimore-born band. It’s a fusion of Jenn Wasner and Andy Stacks’  propulsive rock past with their shimmering synth present into a future that blossoms like a dream. Poetic verses reveal a moment of self-discovery—the realization that, however hard we try, we can’t hold onto the past, and yet, we can’t outrun the future, which can only truly be seen in the rear-view mirror, anyways. We are always at once both the old and new versions of ourselves. Embracing both speaks to the indie duo’s progression: reinvention, evolution, all leading to here and now (also heard on their second single, “It Was Not Natural,” out today, which we also highly recommend). This revelation—and this new music—seems to set the stage for all that is to come. 

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

Surf Harp

Mr. Big Picture
(Friends Records)

I rarely inject myself into music reviews, but as a child of the ’80s, I couldn’t help but wildly relate to this new album from indie quintet Surf Harp. With its off-kilter electronic touches, lo-fi instrumentation, and playful vocals, it takes us back to the very best of that unruly, experimental decade. Where the band’s 2016 Peel felt like an homage to the psych-rock of the 1990s, this record is imbued with a stellar fusion of post-punk and New-Wave pop influences from the years that came before. At times, it’s a little Devo, Talking Heads, maybe even a hint of the Buzzcocks, though mostly it’s a jubilant sound all their own. As in the last album, each song is in and of itself a little independent masterpiece, meticulous in its layering of multiple melodies and fitting imperfections—the fuzzed-out guitar, the fluctuating vocals, the outside-the-box arrangements, the in-your-face creative energy. I particularly fell for the shadowy ballad “I Lost You” and the rhythmic, rolling avalanche of “D.I. Cig.” Surf Harp refuses to stay inside the lines, making this—yes, we’ll call it now—one of the most exciting releases of 2018.

Letitia VanSant

Gut It to the Studs
(self-released)

There’s a subtle depth to this new album by Letitia VanSant. In the great tradition of Americana music, these songs are so much more than just pretty melodies and honey-coated harmonies. Whether it’s expressing a personal journey or a political one, this fourth record is a coming-of-age moment for the Baltimore singer-songwriter. Start with the first track, “Where I’m Bound,” to see what we mean. A few hearty pats on the body of an acoustic guitar slowly meld with the belly-deep tugs of upright bass and the heart-aching runs of old-school fiddle, building and blossoming like a moment of clarity—an awakening—that goes on to permeate the entire album. Born out of great change, this record marks a transformation for VanSant, who recently quit her 9-to-5 job to become a full-time musician. Her mellifluous voice stands bright and dynamic as ever, as does her vivid, masterful storytelling. But in the quiet corners, like “Wild Heart Roam,” “Dandelion,” and “Sundown Town,” VanSant embraces the power of her own emotions, asks the important, at-times difficult questions, and reveals an unshakeable artist who knows exactly where she wants to go.

Read the full interview with musician Letitia VanSant.

:3ION
Ronin (Nina Pop)

We think we’ve found our favorite new artist of 2016. Pronounced like Elon, :3ION sounds like nothing we’ve heard from the Baltimore music scene thus far. In fact, we expect his futuristic R&B to hit the national platform before long. Pairing electronic dance beats with ethereal melodies and vocal swoons, the 24-year-old artist creates a dreamy sound that pulls at your heartstrings and presses your deepest desires. On his solo debut, he hooks you with sexy slow jams, like “Floatin,” and up-tempo tracks that blossom like a time-lapsed flower, as in “Many Moons.” In the coming year, expect to find his name on a bounty of genre-crossing bills.

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Surf Harp
Peel (Friends Records)

As you open the windows, shorten your shirtsleeves, and make plans for summer, this is the Baltimore band to dig on. The garage-pop five-piece just debuted its first full-length album, full of fuzzy beach guitar, driving percussion, and an overflowing, sun-drenched sound. It’s an accomplished feat for a 4-year-old band. Each song is a ball of energy, raw and rambunctious yet densely layered and vibrant, like the first single, “Leather,” or the rolling wheel of “Rubber Dad.” But there’s not one second-rate song. The band even brings it on the slow ones, like in the swelling clash of “Rubylith” or gentle jangle of “University.”