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.”

EAT

Nov. 16: Intercostal Breakdown

Monument City Brewing Company, 1 N. Haven St. 5-10 p.m. Free.

A dip in the temperature and a bit of snow on the ground is all the convincing we need to spend Friday night digging into a pile of smoked ribs with an imperial stout in hand. Head toMonument City Brewing for this one-night-only barbecue pop-up by chef Damian Mosley of Blacksauce Kitchen and chef Patrick Morrow of South Point, featuring fall-off-the-bone ribs cooked on custom grills and cages. In between sampling some of Baltimore’s best ’cue, sip on five-dollar pours and listen to Annapolis-based folk rock band Ampersand Stringband.

DRINK

Nov. 16: The Baltimore Transgender Alliance Fundraiser

Locations vary. 12-10 p.m. Free.

This weekend, The Baltimore Transgender Alliance is hosting a variety of workshops, community discussions, and fundraisers to celebrate our city’s transgender communities. Show your support and raise funds for this local coalition by tagging along on this four-stop bar crawl to favorite haunts including The Back Yard, Peabody Heights Brewery, Charm City Meadworks, and R. Bar. With signature cocktails and a performance by locally renowned DJ Trillnatured along the way, this is a perfect way to meet new people and try new drinks.

SEE

Nov. 16-18: Fiddler on the Roof

Hippodrome Theatre at France-Merrick Performing Arts Center, 12 N. Eutaw St. Fri. 8 p.m., Sat. 2 & 8 p.m., Sun. 1 & 6:30 p.m. $70-199.

Set in the tiny village of Anatevka in 1905, this time-honored musical about a poor milkman finding suitors for his five daughters in their Jewish community has become a Broadway classic. During its final leg at the Hippodrome Theatre, experience the charming story that has won the hearts of audiences for decades with themes of change, tradition, and growth, featuring new movement from Israeli choreographer Hofesh Sheather.

HEAR

Nov. 16: Wume

Ottobar, 2549 N. Howard St. 9 p.m. $12.

In a few short years, this experimental duo has carved out theirown space in the local music scene for their mesmerizing sound and masterful use of polyrhythmic percussion. This Friday, hear drummer and vocalist April Camlin and keyboardist Albert Schatz debut their third full-length album, Towards the Shadow, on the Ottobar stage and hypnotically bob along to new songs by this rising pair.

DO

Nov. 17: Baltimore Vintage Expo

The Ideal Arts Space, 905 W. 36th St. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Free-$12.

Get ahead of the post-Thanksgiving frenzy and start your holiday shopping at this Best of Baltimore-winning market full of one-of-a-kind finds. This Saturday, spend the afternoon browsing through tons of high-end vintage clothing, accessories, furniture, and décor from area retailers. Pro tip: Don’t forget to look up from the racks of Milk & Ice threads and tables of Out of Office home goods to appreciate this Hampden venue’s original Art Deco architecture and design.

Andy Bopp

Wherewithal (Dren Records)

As the local music scene is rightly celebrated for its growing number of exciting new bands, let’s take a moment to appreciate a lifelong legend, Andy Bopp. Over the past nearly 40 years, the alt-rock veteran has recorded dozens of albums with various collaborators, from his acclaimed ’90s indie group, Love Nut, to his folk-inspired Strung Out String Band, which still stomps around Baltimore today. Bopp is an ace songwriter in every act, and this new solo record is a dynamic feat, featuring guitar-driven anthems and lyric-fueled ballads influenced by power pop and Americana with a hint of psychedelia. Hear the hit single “Shadow” riding the airwaves of WTMD, but dig into this entire record of timeless rock ‘n’ roll by one of Baltimore’s very best.

Wume

Towards the Shadow (Northern Spy Records)

We fell in love with this experimental duo the first time we heard their otherworldly sound. April Camlin and Albert Schatz are masters of polyrhythmic percussion, with each song building, expanding, pressing forward—taking listeners on a tonal journey to the far reaches of their minds. Featuring a fresh emphasis on vocals, this third full-length record—the band’s first with national indie label Northern Spy—digs even deeper, with Camlin’s meditative incantations, her gut-punchingly precise drums, and Schatz’s cosmic electronics each and all sending you further into an introspective space. Consider this album a personal exploration worth embarking on. For us, it ended with a much-needed dose of clarity and enlightenment in these chaotic times.

In the latest iteration of The Big Baltimore Playlist, we round up five local songs we can’t get enough of right now, ranging from funky R&B to fiery Southern blues to two very different tunes called “Shadow.” Check back each month for new songs of the moment, and follow our Spotify playlist as we continue to build a soundtrack for our city.

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“14 Daze” by Josh Stokes*

Josh Stokes is not new to the Baltimore music scene, having been around for years now, producing music for the likes of Eze Jackson, DJing at The Crown and Motor House, and, perhaps in our favorite iteration, drumming alongside the inimitable Abdu Ali. But it’s Stokes’ solo albums that truly set him apart, and are continuing to make him an artist to watch in Baltimore. In short, they’re unlike anything else coming out of this city, traversing the decades and fusing old-school styles into his own spin on ’60s soul, freaky ’70s funk, ’80s pop and hip-hop, and ’90s R&B. His eclectic new record, Funktion, refuses to stay inside any lines, and for that it’s hard to pick a favorite song. But put on this not-quite-slow-jam with an effusive, dreamy melody and addictive clap-beat, and you’ll see what we mean.

“Shadow” by Andy Bopp

If you listen to WTMD, you’ve likely heard this hit single riding the airwaves of the local station. Since it was released last year, the power-pop track has been in constant rotation, shining a much-deserved spotlight on this Baltimore music veteran of the past four decades. Bopp is a man of many bands, but his solo rock act is a standout, and this Beatlesian melody might be his new album’s very best. With ruminative lyrics, anthemic guitar, and a hint of psychedelia, it transports you to a time when a melody just made you feel good, even if it’s recognizing all that could go wrong. Find the silver lining in the rest of this new album, Wherewithal.

“Last Call” by Sean K. Preston & The Loaded Pistols

There have been few better feelings than stumbling into Cat’s Eye Pub on an oddball Friday night and finding Sean K. Preston at the mic, belting out some heartbroken ballad or burning down the house with a fiery set of honkytonk blues. This rock-and-roll raconteur has long been one of Baltimore’s best-kept secrets, bringing some serious skills to the Fells Point dive bars while keeping the neighborhood’s old rough edges alive and well. He’s always had chops, and we wouldn’t be surprised if his new album, Forgive, out next month, puts him and his Loaded Pistols on the map. This first single is a raw, rabblerousing ultimatum that showcases his talents and shakes you to the core.

“Sticky Clix” by Sweepstakes

We can’t get this lovely melody out of our heads. It carries the listener like a rolling tide, moving through the experimental indie band’s signature valleys and peaks, propelled forward by Allyson Little’s haunting vox, Justin Custer’s undulating bass, and Dan Todd’s punchy drums. Old trappings of romance lost appear in the lyrics, but it definitely doesn’t feel like their self-ascribed “sedated pop.” Rather, this is a fiercely confident love song—even if only about trying to find it, after the fact, within yourself—with swift, soaring vocals running in step with tight swells of both instrumentation and emotion. The trio has found fresh power and precision in this first track off their new album, Warmbloods.

“Shadow” by Wume

It’s been three years since Wume’s last album and now, with a brand-new record out via Northern Spy, we find ourselves even more mesmerized the experiment duo than when we first laid ears on their cosmic sound. Across eight songs, the band’s intricate polyrhythms remain, but they dig even deeper, with electronic master Albert Schatz crafting even more expansive soundscapes that you’re guided through by the newly present (and exceedingly spellbinding) vocals of drummer April Camlin, who still slays on the kit. This is just a taste of Towards the Shadow’s many wonders. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again—follow these two, wherever they go. And if this new album is any indication, it’ll be far.

*This song is not on Spotify. We’ll add it to the playlist if or when it comes online.

Over the years, Baltimore’s DIY scene has birthed a number of dynamic music festivals. Whartscape. Scapescape. Fields Festival. Ladyfest. Most have petered out—some losing their venues and others with founders who have moved on to bigger projects—while a small few still remain, like the punk-forward U+N Fest.

Now, after a three-year hiatus, the Ratscape music festival has announced its return to Station North with three days of underground music during Artscape weekend on July 20-22. Named for the city’s prolific rodent but also as a celebration of the scene’s underdog status, the event will feature more than 40 acts across multiple genres, playing for free or small covers outside at the Ynot Lot and inside at The Windup Space.

After the festival’s last event at the Ottobar in 2015, “we decided to take a break for a couple years because we wanted to move things into our own venue and do things by our own rules,” says Joshua Schleupner, who co-founded the festival with Mike Franklin at the now-defunct Hour Haus on North Avenue in 2012. Lack of sufficient space has long been a point of conversation and contention in the city’s various arts communities. In the wake of 2016’s Ghost Ship warehouse fire in Oakland, CA, the DIY Bell Foundry was shut down on North Calvert Street, and while Mayor Pugh’s Safe Art Space Task Force released recommendations for the creation of new safe and affordable arts spaces in December, there is still no timetable for their implementation.

But while the Ratscape founders have yet to open their own venue—they’re currently looking at buildings in Station North, Remington, Mt. Vernon, and the Bromo Arts District—Schleupner, Franklin, and fellow artist Caroline Devereaux recently founded the Baltimore Music Preservation with the long-term goal of creating a new, inclusive music space to help nurture the city’s artists.

“The current political climate can really contribute to the breaking down and separating of arts scenes, even further than they already were—and never should have been in the first place,” says Schleupner. “We just want to bring people together and let them realize that they’re appreciated.”

This year, the organizers hope that the festival, located within walking distance of Artscape, will have a community block-party atmosphere. In the tradition of their past lineups, which have included such revered local artists as Arbouretum, Celebration, Eze Jackson, Wet Brain, and Wing Dam, the bill features a diverse mix of both up-and-coming and national news-making acts.

On Friday, be sure to catch experimental rappers JPEGMAFIA and 83 Cutlass, followed by late-night sets from synth-pop singer Pale Spring and Giddeon Gallows, the new solo project by producer Drew Scott of electronic duo Blacksage. On Saturday, check out hardcore punk band Joe Biden, pictured, rising rapper Butch Dawson, and the Champion Sound 4 showcase, featuring some of the city’s top beat makers and emcees. On Sunday, wrap things up with garage “un-pop” group HexGirlfriends, R&B singer Bobbi Rush, rapper Dyyo Faccina, and experimental duo Wume, followed by late-night sets from drummer-producer Josh Stokes and electro-pop singer Gurl Crush.

“There’s this constantly evolving idea of what music is,” says Schleupner. “These young artists will keep pushing us forward and innovating, paving the way for more.”

Wume
Maintain (Ehse Records)

The perfect word to describe Wume (pronounced woom), the Baltimore-by-way-of-Chicago duo, would be “chill.” Their minimal psychedelic music is chill, their personal vibe is chill, and the way you feel while listening to them is, you guessed it, chill. See them live or listen to their new record, and, before long, you’ll find yourself hypnotically bobbing along. Their sound is a sort of soundtrack groove, as drummer April Camlin’s steady beat and keyboardist Albert Schatz’s sparkly synth transport you into the opening scenes of a 1980s space film, swelling and swirling like some antiquated arcade game. Inspired by early German krautrock and funk, the duo layer their instruments and a few stray instrumental-esque vocals into polyrhythmic structures—a sort of ordered chaos. The repetition somehow manages to not sound droning or monotonous, but rather lulls you into a pleasant trance. True to the name of the album, Wume’s low-key, cadenced sound maintains, but we doubt that’s all they’re going to do. In fact, as they return home from a European tour with Dan Deacon, it’s safe to say they’re only going to grow.

Read an interview with Albert Schatz and April Camlin of Wume.

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The Honey Dewdrops
Tangled Country (self-released)

The Honey Dewdrops are like a cold glass of lemonade on a sticky summer afternoon. They’re simple, sugar-coated, and Americana to the core, a mix of sweet vocals, pretty melodies, and gentle, strumming guitar. It doesn’t hurt that the Virginia natives also share a lovely little love story, too: The songwriting couple spent nearly two years traveling across the country before settling in Baltimore last summer, and all their adventures and mishaps are chronicled on this fourth studio album. It’s full of love songs, blues ballads, Southern spirituals, and the kind of music heard in the depths of the Appalachian woods. They sing about hitting the road and breaking down before ending with an instrumental that feels like finding home. Mandolin and banjo plink and pluck, acoustic guitar twangs, the occasional harmonica whines—and all the while, warm harmonies permeate throughout. A year on the road must have been the ultimate test of marriage, but this album sounds like it only brought them closer. On every song, their love shines through.

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Blacksage
Basement Vows (Friends Records)

There’s a new kind of girl power taking over the music industry, but it’s not all pop princesses, choreographed dance moves, and bubblegum hits. Sometimes, the spotlight goes dark, with electro-goth queens like Grimes, Purity Ring, Lykke Li, Zola Jesus, and even Lorde taking center stage. These femme fatales have created their own genre, combining deep house and trap music with good old-fashioned pop and R&B. In Baltimore, Blacksage has edged its way into the dark corners of this new world, with vocalist Josephine Olivia and producer Drew Scott making music that’s as ambient and brooding as it is bold and bright. From out of the darkness of their second album comes a glimmer of light, with murky, snaking lullabies like “Stay” interwoven with more upbeat, synth-riddled pop songs, like the title track. The songs come on low and slow. They’re moody, sexy, and haunting, like some smoky film noir. Olivia’s vocals ache and echo between low purrs and high coos while Scott’s heavy beats throb in the depths beneath. They toe the line between eerie and spellbinding, but you’ll find yourself seduced in no time.

Before embarking on a month-long European tour with fellow Baltimore artist Dan Deacon, April Camlin and Albert Schatz of
Wume (pronounced woom) talked with us about learning new instruments, loving The Doors, and feeling at home in Baltimore. Their new album, Maintain (out now, via Ehse Records), is a hypnotic collection of soundtrack grooves that you can’t help but bob along to.

So not only do you guys have a new album, but you’re also joining [fellow Baltimore artist] Dan Deacon on his European tour.
April Camlin: Oh yeah, we’re really psyched about it.

How did you guys meet?
Albert Schatz: Dan and I met on tour. We both played a really crappy show in St. Louis when I was in this weird band called Bird Names. So when he would come to Chicago [where I was living at the time], I would book his shows, and when I was in Baltimore, I would play Wham City or The Depot or wherever. Then, you know, he got famous and he would stay with me [when he was playing shows in town] and we’ve both been good friends for a long time.

And how’d you meet each other?
AC: Kind of through the same scene—through Dan. I used to live with him, and Bird Names would always stay at our place. I remember the first time I heard them play, I was like, “Oh, this is what the inside of my brain feels like.” I got really excited, I was super into them, and we stayed in touch. The DIY music scene in this country is just this network of friends with everybody doing each other favors and staying connected and visiting each other on various tours.

That’s one of the cool things about bands coming out of Baltimore. It seems like everyone has been friends or playing together for a long time. But you guys started in Chicago, right?
AS: I’m from Chicago, the near suburbs, and April’s from the suburbs of Baltimore.

AC: I grew up in Baltimore City—in Belair-Edison. I had lived here for 26 years and I needed a change of scenery. I had been visiting Chicago and it just felt like the right place for me.

AS: In 2010, I had just quit Bird Names and I had never played the keyboard before but I was interested in learning. And April wanted to take the drums to the next level. We’re both a little primitive in our styles.

AC: It was great because we were both at the same experience level with our instruments and we were both interested in experimenting with odd time signatures—playing around with polyrhythms—so it came together very organically.

How do you manage to bring your polyrhythms together into something cohesive?
AS: I can’t describe what we’re going for and I don’t know how to get there every time—to the point where I’m like, “This is the music, this is good”—but I know once we get there. I know when it’s happening. If we just keep messing around, keep trying stuff, something will happen.

Yeah, it’s not easy to describe your sound, but it does feel right.
AS: I usually bob my head when we’re playing music, and once it starts spinning in an around-the-world motion, I’m like, “Alright, this is it, it’s going down.”

AC: For me, Al is definitely the backbone of our sound. He does a lot of the melodic composition, so when I’m coming up with drum parts to go along with it, I think, “Ok, what is the part I can’t play?” and then I try to teach myself to play it.

AS: I fancy myself a sort of Woody Woodpecker instigator with April because I’ll write a part that makes her like, “This is impossible!” But I tell her: just try it, just try it, and it’ll just be a couple hours—she’s so fast at picking stuff up. It’s like I can throw anything at her and she would get it, no problem.

What was the thought behind the use of sporadic vocals on some of the tracks?
AC: We like to look at vocals as our version of the guitar solo. We invest so much time and creative energy into writing the songs—that’s our focus—and vocals are the thing we think about least. They can be a nice accent, but a lot of times they steal the spotlight from everything else.

AS: For me, I’m always trying to avoid the pigeonhole of being an instrumental band. I like to sing, I love lyrics, I love vocals, and it’s a different tambour you can add to a song. We used to play everything by hand: I would be doing all the keyboard parts by hand and pedals by foot and April would be playing as many drums as she could possibly fit, but it wasn’t finished. We thought, what else could we possibly do? But then we realized, well, our mouths are available. It was the only thing we had left.

And now you’re doing loops and sequencing, too?
AS: I fought it for a long time, but its actually been freeing for me. I have a lot more fun playing live because it used to be…

AC: A gauntlet.

AS: It was like doing this elaborate dance. All these keyboards and all these levels. It took forever to set up and it made me feel like a ball of stress. I feel much more chilled out now that I can focus on the performance.

AC: I think working with sequences has really helped us refine our sound.

AS: It’s much tighter, but I still miss the live feel. I was watching Stop Making Sense about the Talking Heads and they’re all on stage percolating and vibing off each other and I thought, I miss that. But it’s also not totally different with a computer—it’s like the third member of our band.

So what was the decision behind moving to Baltimore in 2013?
AC: Al started working with Dan and I wanted to go back to school to finish my BFA at MICA, which I just finished. I just graduated! So it kind of worked out perfectly.

AS: Yeah, I’m Dan’s sound engineer. We’ve been friends since like 2005, but in 2012, I started touring with him, doing his sound.

AC: Baltimore is just such an amazing and supportive community. I love Chicago and I miss it all the time, but it feels like family here. I knew it would be the right place for us.

How has Baltimore’s music scene evolved over all those years?
AC: I will definitely say there are a lot more women in the music scene now, and that’s really great for me to see. Ten years ago, it was very discouraging. I really wanted to play the drums, but not everyone would take me seriously and it was tough. There were certainly incredible female musicians—there have always been incredible female musicians here—but there is a better balance now. It’s still not where I hope it would be, but it’s nice that there is more diversity in general.

Baltimore can be a city of disparate scenes—that’s probably how it is in a lot of towns—but it seems like over the past few years, there have been some shows and dance nights around town that really help to diversify the music scene and its been a long time coming. I’ve been in this academic bubble with a million jobs and going to school full-time, so I don’t really go out that much, but
Abdu Ali has a regular dance party called Kahlon and that’s been a really amazing thing for the city.

AS: I do sound at Metro Gallery and The Crown, so I see every kind of music here. It’s really diverse, more so than it used to be, and Baltimore has so many different kinds of bands. And the quality is really good.

AC: That’s the benefit of being in a smaller town. When I lived in Chicago, I always felt like the music scene was so incredible and inspiring and everyone worked so hard and it sounded really good, but all of the different arts scenes were so separate. In Baltimore, they’re all existing and informing each other. You’ll see the same people at an art opening that you’ll see at a show or at the Annex Theatre watching a performance. It’s a small town, but there’s enough fresh blood coming in all the time that everyone is really strengthening each other.

How were you influenced on this album?
AC: I think a big part of the inspiration comes from how we put the record together.

AS: We recorded it as a demo, just because we wanted to record, but we didn’t have any money. It was really casual. I borrowed a few mics from Dan and Christian Best of the Smoke Bellow and we did it in our basement in Mt. Vernon. We would just get together. We were never like, “Ok, this is the take that’s going to be on the record.”

AC: “Let’s see what happens.”

AS: We would do that for a week or two then go back and listen to all the takes and decide on the good ones.

AC: Al got all these blue moving blankets, lined the room, and built me this sound-dampening drum cage. It was like playing inside of a tent.

AS: We started it last spring and finished it that June. It came out as a tape last summer originally called Basement Waves, in case it sucked, but then we realized it was actually kind of good, so we changed the name.

Speaking of names, explain “Wume.”
AS: I had been listening to a lot of the German band, Faust, and their compilation called The Wümme Years. Wümme is a town in Germany where their home studio was.

AC: And they all lived there. It seemed so utopian.

AS: Faust’s work ethic is kind of like our archetype—this free, casual, experimental music-making environment—so they’re very inspirational to us. We toured for a year as Wumme but every called us wummy, so we lost a “M” and that’s where we’re at.

AC: For better or for worse.

You have this awesome tour with Dan Deacon. How did that come about?
AC: I think it just happened out of us being pals. We opened for Deerhoof a few months ago and Dan came up to us afterwards like, “You guys should come to Europe with me.” Dan has all these ideas—I always refer to him as a visionary—but somehow he always makes it work. Throughout his musical career, he’s been really generous to his friends. He always wants to share the wealth and his success with everyone around him.

AS: The Round Robin Tour of 2008 is the perfect example of that. He wanted to share Baltimore with the rest of the country.

AC: And he wanted to bring all his friends along for the ride.

Is this be the biggest tour that either of you have done before?
AS: I’ve toured with Dan before, but we haven’t toured anything but the Midwest, and this is a month-long, so this is a big thing for us.

AC: It’s definitely the biggest thing I’ve ever done. It’s really exciting.

You’ll come back with all these new experiences from the road.
AS: My goal for this year is to record another album. I really like the way Maintain came out. I still love listening to it, which is crazy, but I think we can do better, so that’s our drive. I’m looking forward to the next go.