New Colorado Music You Should Know – December Edition

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.

This month’s roundup of local music features music from a variety of genres and highlights a wide array of talented local artists. While there were new releases in a variety of genres, this month’s selection of local music is marked by a surprising number of irresistible mellow tunes — perfect for cozying up by the fire and relaxing while the snow falls outside this holiday season.

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

The Study Abroad

Listen if you like Citizen

What started in 2013 as a small project is now poised for a potentially explosive future. Denver alternative group The Study Abroad has been slowly building a following by playing local live sets and with the release of their latest album, How Long Is Forever?

Rob Roper

Listen if you like Sonic Youth

Born in Jackson, Mississippi, Rob Roper bounced around the country before finally putting roots down in Denver in 2000. This year, Roper released his first album in almost a decade. The 16-track epic, The Way, was produced in Denver by Platinum Accredited mixer Jeff Kanan.

Amanda Juline

Listen if you like Koffee

Colorado-based Amanda Juline weaves relaxed, reggae melodies with island rhythms. Juline’s lyrics are inspired by interpersonal topics like honoring your roots while navigating the nuances of relationships.

Jillian Antinora

Listen if you like Sarah McLachlan

Following the release of her debut EP, Make My Day, earlier this year, Colorado Springs-based Folk-singer Jillian Antinora continues to assert herself in the local music scene with the release of a five-track Christmas album titled Joys of Christmas.

The Kid Kung Fu

Listen if you like Mac Miller

The Kid Kung Fu has been quietly releasing music since 2016, flying under the radar in the local hip-hop scene. The Boulder-based artist underscores honest vocals with light and airy melodies.

Five New Local Songs

One Flew West – “Holes in My Jeans”

Listen if you like All Time Low

Longmont-based One Flew West explore their fears on their latest release, “Holes in My Jeans.” The second single from the local alt-rockers this year, “Holes in My Jeans” follows the release of “The Blur,” earlier this year.

READ: One Flew West On Their New Release and Future Plans

Bluebook – “Shake Shake”

Listen if you like Lana Del Ray

Bluebook slowly builds soundscapes to a near crescendo before softly allowing the melodies to melt effortlessly away on “Shake Shake.” The refined single shows a glimpse of what fans can expect on the local indie quartet’s upcoming album, Optimistic Voices, due for release on February 11, 2022.

Auracane  – “Floating Heavy”

Listen if you like Redrum

“Floating Heavy” evokes exactly the feeling the name hints to, with bubbly synths and airy melodies that carry you through the track’s effortless two-and-a-half minutes. “Floating Heavy” is a track off the Denver-based artist’s latest album, Album II, which is full of ambient soundscapes that draw inspiration from hip-hop beats.

READ: Auracane Showcases Artistic Roots in Album II

N3ptune – “Black Horse”

Listen if you like Beyonce

N3ptune is closing out 2021 with a bang and gearing up for one hell of a 2022. The local’s most recent single, “Black Horse,” exudes strength, power and a strong point of view that promises a renaissance for local listeners on the upcoming album.

Love Stallion – “Bareback Cowboy”

Listen if you like Steel Panther

Whether you love it or hate it, glam metal is an impossible genre to ignore. Even if you’ve never “loved” glam metal, Denver-based Love Stallion is sure to put a smile on your face with “Bareback Cowboy,” a track off their latest album, Hot to Trot.

Five New Local Music Videos

Wellington Bullings – “Flame”

Listen if you like Solange

Drawing inspiration from the resilience of the black community to tell the story of her own experience as a Black woman, Wellington Bullings shines in her music video for “Flame.”

Premiere – Wellington Bullings Lets Black Resilience Shine on “Flame”

13th Bell – “Dance of the Vulture”

Listen if you like Ghost

One of the most unique music projects to come out of Denver this year, 13th Bell combines heavy metal with throat singing, which is a unique type of vocalization in which the voice simultaneously hits multiple music notes.

Lolita – “Sober Without Your Love”

Listen if you like UPSAHL

Lolita’s latest neon pop single, “Sober Without You,” explores what happens when the blinding adoration of Cupid’s Arrow wears off, leaving you left to face the facts and accept that the dream of a perfect relationship is nothing more than an illusion.

Zoe Berman – “Lilac Hour”

Listen if you like Oh Wonder

In February of this year, Zoe Berman enchanted us with the release of her electro-pop single “Lilac Hour.” Now, she’s captivating us again with the dusk-hued tones of the music video for the song, which depicts Berman in contrast to the stark sight of the setting sun.

READ: Zoe Berman Melts Hearts and Mountains With “Lilac Hour”

Arily Michele – “Dollars and Sense”

Listen if you like Penelope Scott

Arily Michele’s latest music video flips the script to provide a counter-narrative that empowers women. The video for “Dollars and Sense” shows Michele sharply dressed in a corner office as she laments the stereotypical male-dominated workplace.