Welcome to our monthly series on new Colorado music. Every month we highlight five local musicians, five local music videos and five local songs. Go here to check out previous entries to the series. Are you a Denver artist with fresh music you would like us to check out? Send to Mariah.Hansen@303Magazine.com for consideration.
As 2021 marches forward, the local music scene has provided no shortage of new music to keep us going. This month, we’ve rounded up music from a variety of genres, highlighting rising names in the Colorado music scene and spotlighting familiar favorites who are heading in new directions.
Five Up and Coming Local Acts
Allison Lorenzen
Listen if you like Emma Ruth Rundle
The debut single from Allison Lorenzen, “VALE,” showcases deeply beautiful vocals and hauntingly heavy melodies. Partnering with local artist Midwife for the track, it combines ghostly vocals and slow motion percussion, creating something uniquely dark and soul-stirringly beautiful.
Cherry Blossom
Listen if you like Dr. Dog
Formed in 2019, Cherry Blossom is a promising young addition to the local indie scene. So far, the band has only released a handful of singles and EPs, however, with each one proving to be stronger than the previous, it seems that Cherry Blossom has nowhere to go but up.
Lando Burch
Listen if you like
A self-taught producer, Colorado native Lando Burch’s 2020 release, Roller Skates showcases Burch as a funk force that can’t be ignored. The disco-inspired album is high energy and makes it nearly impossible not to dance.
Many Mountains
Listen if you like Simon & Garfunkel
After abruptly ending their tour at the start of the pandemic in 2020, Many Mountains returned to Denver and set to work on their latest EP, Endless Time. Only their second full-length release, the album showcases a refined and polished sound from the folk band that makes them one to watch in the local scene.
Chase Dobson
Listen if you like
Drawing on his technical sound experience from working backstage with artists like Logic and Ariana Grande, Chase Dobson’s latest release is a culmination of many years of experience. Written over the course of four years, the single gives listeners a strong sense of exactly who this rising techno artist is.
Five New Local Songs
San Andrea – “Home Again”
Listen if you like The Wombats
A hopeful single about moving forward, San Andrea’s “Home Again” is a representation of the homesickness that many have felt while stuck at home due to the pandemic. Lyrically, the song calls back to childhood when life was simpler and things like a kiss from mom could fix nearly any problem, while musically the track showcases the Denver native transitioning away from his previews pop sounds in a more folk-oriented direction.
Adam Bodine – “Swamp Stomp”
Listen if you like Fats Domino
A jazzy tune inspired by the sounds of New Orleans, “Swamp Stomp” is a fun tune just in time for Mardi Gras. Similar to the other tracks on Bodine’s recent album, “Swamp Stomp” finds the keyboardist experimenting with styles and dabbling in other genres, ultimately making the local artist a unique voice in the local jazz scene.
Isadora Eden – “Ghosts”
Listen if you like Birdy
Shifting from her folk roots toward a more indie focus, Isadora Eden’s latest single is a haunting shoegaze dreamscape. Soft melodies drive Eden’s vocals forward, exposing the emotions of the song and laying everything bare.
Jess Parsons – “Heart Emoji”
Listen if you like Melissa Ethridge
Jess Parson’s recent release showcases her as a strong solo artist, while still showcasing nods to her contribution in other local projects like Bluebook and The Still Tide. A sorrow-filled song, “Heart Emoji” is dripping with a sense of loss and longing, at times feeling like an exposed nerve.
Pythalo – “Gold Rust”
Listen if you like This Town Needs Guns
Until the release of their 2018 album, You Can’t Stay Sad Forever, Pythalo was an exclusively instrumental project. However, following their 2018 release, Pythalo fans may have been wondering if the project would return to instrumental roots or continue to collaborate with vocalist Kennan Goldwine. “Gold Rust” proves to be another step away from purely instrumental music, instead focusing on a more alternative rock-driven sound.
Five New Local Music Videos
Adiel Mitchell – “Want It Now”
Listen if you like The Weeknd
An inventive new release from Adiel Mitchell, the music video for “Want It Now” follows a text conversation between the local solo artist and a love interest. However, the video also serves as an easter egg hunt. Throughout the video, fans will notice references specific to the state of Colorado and callbacks to other work from Mitchell.
Claire Heywood – “I Won’t Resign My Love For That Old Dream”
Listen if you like Shovels and Rope
Beautiful in its simplicity, Claire Heywood‘s latest music video showcases images of her in casual settings, simply being herself. Accompanying Heywood’s distinctive vocals, the close-up shots of the artist give an intimate feel to the video.
CITRA – “R.Y.F.F.”
Listen if you like
Filmed before the pandemic started, CITRA‘s latest music video features a classroom full of kids, setting an explosive scene for an exciting tug-of-war between the school rebel and his sworn enemy: the principal.
ZEMBU – “Mixed”
Listen if you like Sylvan Esso
Displaying openness and vulnerable honesty, ZEMBU shines through the simplicity of her latest music video. Exploring the experience of being a mixed-race individual, the song searches for a balance in honoring and reconciling what can sometimes be disparate parts of your heritage and identity.
Glass Cases – “Chemicals”
Listen if you like Moon Taxi
A single from their upcoming EP, which is scheduled for release in March, Glass Cases are open and honest in “Chemicals.” In the song, the band details personal struggles the band members have faced while still finding a silver lining and a hope for the future.