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.
Summer is over and so are some of our favorite shows, but that doesn’t mean the flow of new music has stopped. Quite the opposite actually—concert season is here and if Ball Arena and Red Rocks Amphitheatre are off the table for the time being, check out some of these artists and get to know your local music scene.
Be sure to check out their playlist below and don’t forget to follow 303 Magazine and like our New Colorado Music playlist on Spotify:
Five Up and Coming Local Acts
host body
Listen if you like Mild Orange
The three-piece band host body consists of singer and guitarist, Leo Paterniti, bassist, Evan Green and drummer, Bensamtom. The twanging guitar and ringing symbols are a piercing but pleasant instrumental static that supports the band’s shoegaze foundation. With this being the band’s first song release, be sure to pay attention to them in the future.
Envy Alo
Listen if you like Tauk
Off their latest album release, The Ranch, comes “God Don’t Make No Junk.” The song is an instrumental set of dancing keys veiled in flaring sax and an upbeat drum rhythm. The band celebrated their release at Cervantes’ Other Side last month and will be playing again in Fort Collins in October and December.
Years Down
Listen if you like New Found Glory
Years Down, like so many other bands, emerged and established their sound during the 2020 isolation. The group categories themselves as punk and garage rock and there’s no doubt about it. The band’s discography is composed of singles currently, but if they aim to appeal to pop-punk fans, they could very well have a dedicated fanbase in no time.
Ipecac
Listen if you like Dead Sara
With only two songs to their name, Ipecac is still well on the radar of local listeners. The four-piece band rooted in metal and rock caters to a harder and heavier tone found in Denver. The band’s most recent accomplishment was their appearance at this year’s Underground Music Showcase where they played at HQ Denver.
Tuff Bluff
Listen if you like Slutever
The garage-punk trio is making waves in the local DIY scene. And that do-it-yourself attitude makes Tuff Bluff all the more appealing. Each of their songs has a gut-punch forward motion, propelling the listener forward and leaving them wanting to dance.
Five New Local Songs
Who’s Calling – “Lost In The Lights”
Listen if you like PatrickReza
Who’s Calling requests, “Don’t close your eyes I want you to see this” on their latest release, “Lost In The Lights.” Just the same, don’t tune out in the midst of the lyrical and melodic wonderland of their music.
Khemmis – “Living Pyre”
Listen if you like Alcest
“Living Pyre” is the first single off of Khemmis’ upcoming album, Deceiver—coming out November 19. Their previous work has earned them recognition from Metal Injection, Pitchfork and even Rolling Stone Magazine’s, 20 Best Metal Albums in 2016. “Living Pyre” takes you on a quest filled with endless ripping guitar and aggressive drums that will leave you begging for the album to come out sooner.
Zembu – “Far Away”
Listen if you like Baynk
Here’s another artist who made it to UMS this year and for good reason. Zembu’s name has popped up numerous times for 303 this year with her chill beats and soothing voice. Her latest release “Far Away” is the perfect song to zone out in your own world or dance in a crowded place too.
Sophie Gray – “Bored To Death”
Listen if you like Angel Olsen
The Denver-based singer, songwriter’s latest release “Bored To Death” stays true to her indie-pop roots. The single is another push in the young musician’s success story as she has yet to produce a full album, but with her discography slowly expanding, it’s only a matter of time before she takes that next step.
ReSrface – “Prodigy”
Listen if you like KOOL A.D.
The 23-year old rapper, Jesse Santana or ReSrface is a rapper to listen closely to in the Denver music scene. His lyrical execution and unapologetic self grounds his music in a genre that is becoming harder and harder to breakthrough. “Prodigy” is the latest release in his ever-growing track archive that deals with belief and hard work The song is called “Prodigy” but the confidence delivered by the artist feels more so like a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Five New Local Music Videos
Neoma – “Might Forgive You”
Listen if you like Kali Uchis
Neoma’s latest video for her song, “Might Forgive You” was released on September 9 and takes the viewer into the singer’s personal realm. The contrasting quality gives the video a vintage appeal that supports an atmosphere that is disconnected from the singer’s current timeline. This stylistic approach supports the feeling of disconnectedness and conflict within herself as well as her willingness to forgive.
Tejon Street Corner Thieves – “Love’s Pilot”
Listen if you like Rag’n’Bone Man
Tejona’s Street Corner Thieves’ video, “Love’s Pilot” is as entertaining as it is insightful. The video starts with the group’s banjo player and guitarist exiting a corner truck stop and getting hit by a semi-truck. It’s not all doom and gloom though as the two, clad in their all-white attire, enjoy the pleasures only found on a perfect road trip as perfectly explained by the line, “Your wheel’s keep on turning, your tank’s always full. The AC is still broken but the weather’s always cool.”
The Velveteers – “Brightest Light”
Listen if you like Kid Kapichi
If you’ve listened to The Velveteers before, it’s apparent how different ” Brightest Light” is compared to their other songs. The video, released on September 16, starts with a playful innocence as the lead singer, Demi Demitro sings and plays her guitar on a grassy knoll. The video, shot entirely with their own phones shows just how far a lack of equipment and an expansive imagination can take us.
TheyCallHimAP – “3 Roses”
Listen if you like
“3 Roses”— the latest video release from rapper, TheyCallHimAP, is a performance-based video that speaks about overcoming adversity through persistence. The artist speaks on past experiences and failures and how you can improve from them in the line, “Cry every tear, feel every ounce of pain that courses through your veins, so if you travel this road again, you’ve conquered your fears.” He goes on to claim, he’s “still standing —” perfectly explaining the artist’s attitude when it comes to the music he creates and the choices he makes.
Said The Sky – “Go On Then, Love”
Listen if you like
“Go On Then, Love” by Said The Sky continues the story of the two video he’s released prior. As a viewer, we are placed in the middle of infidelity and are conflicted about the situation. Where the last release “Treading Water” followed the demise of the main couple, “Go On Then, Love” explains the relationship between the friends in the video. We want the main character to act genuinely with her feelings but it comes at the cost of the person she’s currently dating, leaving the audience torn on what’s right and wrong in that moment.