As one of the few publications in Greater Cincinnati that regularly covers the local music scene, CityBeat has always worked hard to spotlight as many homegrown artists as possible. But as this list shows, even we struggle to keep up with the nonstop stream of incredible new music coming from every genre under the sun.
To give these artists the love they deserve — and to help you discover your next favorite band — we’ve launched a new annual tradition: the CityBeat Music Roundup.
A few months back, we put out a call for submissions, asking Greater Cincinnati musicians to send us their latest albums, EPs and singles. And wow, did they deliver. In the pages that follow, we’ve included new tracks and albums from nearly 100 local musicians creating original music in every genre imaginable — including Ohio Valley psych lounge rock (we don’t know) — to help both the uninitiated and local music fans find their next obsession.
Hamlet
Light Under Repair (indie rock)
Key track: “The White Stars”
“Recorded in January and February. Songs, guitar, vocals and keys by Chris Wales; Jason Short on drums; Dan Nolan on bass; Kate Wakefield on cello on track three.”
Listen here
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Chance Hopper
Sober Side of Midnight (country)
Key track: “Sober Side of Midnight”
“A mix of traditional and modern country but a DIY aesthetic and production.”
Listen here
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TIGERVOICE
Stadium Sized Synth Rock (multi-genre)
Key track: “Feel The Thunder”
“A synth-rock record ready to be performed in stadiums and amphitheaters!”
Listen here
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Motel Faces
“Forever” (rock)
“‘Forever’ is a 2024 single by Cincinnati-based rock band Motel Faces, known for their fusion of alternative, grunge, power pop and garage rock. The track showcases the band’s energetic, no-frills rock style, continuing their tradition of delivering high-energy performances since their formation in 2014.”
Listen here
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General Baxter
Concussion (punk/garage/psych)
Key track: “Dumb Luck”
“Recorded in a single weekend at The Lodge in Dayton, Kentucky, Concussion is our most straightforward and high-energy release yet. Inspired by the various concussions of our youths.”
Listen here
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KAE Savage
FOREVERALONE (hip-hop/alternative)
Key track: “Mac and Yams”
“FOREVERALONE is an EP that explores loneliness and depression and finds safety in solitude and contentment with circumstances outside of one’s control.”
Listen here
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STARDOOR65
MIND SOUP (indie electronica)
Key track: “404: Ego Not Found!”
“MIND SOUP is a swirling cauldron of ambient psychedelia, space-funk grooves and cosmic noise — an odyssey through inner worlds and melting dimensions. Dive in and lose yourself in the strange, shimmering pulse of STARDOOR65’s mind at full boil.”
Listen here
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Gloss Ave.
Big Night at Club Bug (electronic)
Key track: “Fantasy Emulator”
“BNACB is a collection of dance tracks (for bugs) that came about through experimentation with hardware synthesizers, drum machines and sampling. Influence for the EP ranges from house and chillwave to the Earthbound soundtrack.
Listen here
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Bear The Moon
promise/was it safe? (indie rock/indie pop)
Key track: “promise”
“promise/was it safe? was an A & B side tandem release we did last fall that embodies those moody autumn break-up feelings.”
Listen here
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Charlie John
GLUE (pop)
Key track: “GLUE”
“The four-song EP GLUE is a heartfelt exploration of love and mental health. The title track, ‘GLUE,’ is a driving, anthemic pop song that delves into the complexities of fleeting moments of pain transforming into love.”
Listen here
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Snails
The Movement (industrial/punk)
Key track: “2025”
“Anti-fascist music for anti-fascist people. If you like hardcore, industrial bands like Helmet, Ministry and Dead Kennedys, this is for you!”
Listen here
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Jim Trace & The Makers
Mash Bill (indie folk/post-Americana)
Key track: “Western Wind”
“Mash Bill was our first full-length studio release in almost 10 years. This album showcases our growth and evolution as a band as we added elements of indie and rock to our classic folk sound.”
Listen here
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Jonathan Tyler Jackson
red walls (folk)
“‘red walls’ is a raw, intimate folk song about feeling trapped in a relationship with someone you still deeply love. I am a Northern Kentucky native and grew up reading CityBeat in print!”
Listen here
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A Sequence of Echoes
Everything Changes (alt-pop)
Key track: “Just For Now”
“ASOE is a collaborative band between the Pacific Northwest and Midwest featuring strong female vocals, pop production and atmospheric ambiance.”
Listen here
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Nick Fed
Five Addresses (indie pop/lo-fi)
Key track: “None of This”
“The songs took shape over (at least) five addresses as chords and melodies materialized. A strong rhythm section of Rob Stuckert (Junior Citizens, Jim Trace) and Drew Brown — both fellow music educators — brought the life, energy and grooves that were needed to finish the job. Solo project from sideman/hired gun guitar warrior around town. Pop songs with some jazz chords and distortion. Aspiring to the heights of Elliott Smith’s major label work and younger Dave Grohl’s self-recorded ventures.”
Listen here
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Lost Henry
“Where Is My Hug? (I Love A Good Regicide)” (punk/post-hardcore/emo)
This single is heavily influenced by anime openings, Warped Tour bands and the decay of the American dream. We’re a touring band based in Cincinnati who have been gigging in the area for the past seven years! We have multiple Cincinnati festival dates coming up at the end of the summer and more music on the way.”
Listen here
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Jordan Smart
“Who Would Jesus Bomb?” (folk)
“Released a lo-fi phone demo of my song that had a video go viral. The video was shot at Southgate House Revival, and one hundred percent of streaming proceeds go to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.”
Listen here
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Nicholas Brehm
Live at 3rd Street Music (acoustic instrumental)
Key track: “Change (Live)”
“This live EP was recorded on the 10-year anniversary of my debut album, Heavy Light, at 3rd Street Music in Hamilton, Ohio, (where the album was recorded). This collection of six songs spans my entire discography and is a celebration of the album that started it all.”
Listen here
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New Moons
“The Well” (Indie rock)
“New Moons is an indie rock band based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The band has been working on a string of singles eventually leading to a future album release. After creating a home studio during the pandemic, the band has been hard at work writing and self-producing new music, leading to this first single, ‘The Well.’ Thematically, the song asks the listener to reflect on how they treat other people and warns about harboring hate for your fellow man. As the lyrics state, ‘hate isn’t free’ from consequence or criticism. The Well refers to the many excuses one might give for acting the way they do. A real-world example being the internet ‘trolls’ who feel safe being nasty to people and hide behind anonymity.”
Listen here
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The Jared Presley Experience
Born on Another Planet, Born to Rock and Roll (instrumental rock)
Key track: “I’ll See You in Heaven”
“The physical album is out but it will be out digitally in July through the Radio Artifact label.”
Listen here
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The Electric Blue Soda Crew
The Electric Blue Soda Crew (alternative indie rock)
Key track: “betty blue”
“The Electric Blue Soda Crew lyrically and musically embodies both simple life on the mighty Ohio, as well as the undying desire to navigate the opulent blue beyond that looms just above us in the form of outer space.”
Listen here
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Arlen Gun Club
An Unbearable Weight (alternative rock)
Key track: “Run of the Mill”
“Our first release in nearly three years shows us sticking to our roots and keeping things fast-paced and catchy. This time around, though, we wanted our sound to emulate some of our influences such as Title Fight and Balance and Composure.”
Listen here
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White Lighter
Human Law (rock and roll/blues/indie)
Key track: “Excuse Me Love”
“This is our second album we have put out. We record mix and master everything ourselves and are very happy with how this album has been received by our listeners.”
Listen here
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Motel Chicago
“Florence, In My Living Room”/”Nightmare Girl” (indie rock)
Key track: “Florence, In My Living Room”
“‘Florence, In My Living Room’ was a song I wrote about the emotional flux you feel after a good thing is over — about the euphoric highs and the longing and nostalgia for an experience, or person, no longer in your life.”
Listen here
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Pretty Mean
Hell’s Within Me (riot grrrl punk)
Key track: “Hell’s Within Me”
“An angry demand for more respect for women in music, in the community, and around the world.”
Listen here
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Tender Brutes
Bloodletter (alt-rock)
Key track: “Penance”
“Tender Brutes’ debut EP, Bloodletter, showcases our signature blend of alt-rock intensity and introspective lyricism. With tracks like “Penance,” we delve into haunting melodies and visceral themes, offering anthemic hooks like in “Beautiful Wreck,” that capture the essence of our band’s unique sound.
Listen here
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2-22s
2-22s (rock)
Key track: “Southgate House Song (Try)”
“Our debut EP features three songs to daydream to while played at full volume. Debut full-length to be released this August.”
Listen here
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Adam Flaig
Morning EP (folk, pop)
Key track: “Rocks”
“This is a concept album meant to be treated as a morning alarm to help jump-start your day.”
Listen here
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Left at Orion
Radiowaves (indie/alternative/shoegaze)
Key track: “Radiowave”
“Radiowaves is Left at Orion’s debut album; it is a collection of songs about escapism from the mundane and the feelings you get when you look at the stars. We are a three-piece band from the Greater Cincinnati area and write and record all original music. We’ve been described as shoegaze and dream-pop, and draw inspiration from moods, landscapes and our collection of ‘90s records. Check out our music videos on YouTube and our full-length album wherever you stream your music.”
Listen here
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ASTROVAN
“Three Point Night (3PN)” (outlaw indie)
“Three girl dads living out a mid-life evolution.”
Listen here
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Philip Diox
“Woman” (regressive pop)
“‘Woman’ is the fourth single of my gradually unfolding album Pull. Beginning Jan. 1, 2025, I am releasing the album one song at a time, one song per month. ‘Woman’ is my most recent release. This song is what I consider an animalistic love ballad.” Sonically, there are elements reminiscent of The Beatles, early Motown, The Beach Boys, Phil Spector’s ‘Wall of Sound’ and much sonic inspiration was taken from Paul McCartney’s solo album RAM.”
Listen here
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Raivon Don’tez
Wanna Play Vol. 3: Let The Games Begin (The DLC EDITION) (alternative/hip-hop)
Key track: “RPG Nightmare”
“Wanna Play Vol. 3: The DLC is a perfect dysfunctional amalgamation of punk rock, metal, rap and grunge — all blended into one. It also highlights my unapologetic authenticity with experimental sound.”
Listen here
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Goof Juice
Spinout (indie rock/emo)
Key track: “Insomnia”
“This was the first collection of songs I released after graduating from UC CCM’s Commercial Music Production Program. It captures a lot of the emotions I felt during a very transitional point of my life.”
Listen here
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July For Kings
“24 Vibe” (rock)
“The band’s first music release in over a decade. Formerly signed to MCA Records in the early 2000s. The new single ‘24 Vibe’ is out now with a music video shot and directed by Brandon Weaver.”
Listen here
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Noah Smith
Cavaliers Into Cadillacs (rock/country)
Key track: “Right Here With You”
“Cavaliers Into Cadillacs is the sound of a live band in the studio, capturing the same energy, edge, feel and authenticity as they would if they were on stage entertaining the masses. It ain’t a live album, but it’s not far off. ‘Right Here With You’ was the first co-write with the entire band in the room at the same time.”
Listen here
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Jess Lamb
“Since You’ve Gone” (soul/rock/R&B)
“With vocal stylings that are reminiscent of James Brown and Janis Joplin, ‘Since You’ve Gone’ is 15 years in the making and emotes soul and sadness. This is a tune about Jess’s grandmother passing. Oh the power of loving someone so much — you feel like you’re dying when they are gone. Recorded live at The Tone Shoppe.”
Listen here
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The Bell & the Hammer
The Things We Get Wrong (indie folk, singer/songwriter)
Key track: “When I Was a Sailor”
“The culmination of 15 years of writing.”
Listen here
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One Strange Dog
Seasons (indie rock)
Key track: “Billie”
“Seasons is a walk through the seasons of the year and the emotions that come with it — with ‘Billie’ as an exuberant track full of the feeling of summer ambition, ‘Captivated’ as a moody and reflective fall afternoon, ‘Find Me There’ as a harsh but passionate winter, and ‘Heavyweight’ as a cautiously hopeful spring with the promise of a good year to come.”
Listen here
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Cash Daniel
Cashius Clay 3 (hip-hop)
Key track: “OH Man”
“It is the third installment of the ‘Cashius Clay’ saga.”
Listen here
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West Union
Buzzard Roost (folk/folktronica)
Key track: “September Sun”
“We went out for a weekend to West Union, Ohio, to record this EP, and came out with four tracks that are very near and dear to us. This EP pays homage to our original namesake ‘Buzzardroost’ and to our time spent in solitude.”
Listen here
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Jeremy Harrison
Song of Love and Blight (dark, liminal folk)
Key track: “Crook of Rain”
“Songs of Love and Blight weaves together visceral textures with incorporeal vocals and filters it through a lens of lo-fi intimacy.”
Listen here
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Brian McRedmond & Myron Hart
“One Wish” (pop/reggae)
“When you just want to spend all your waking hours with that special someone!”
Listen here
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Courtney Wilder
“Blame It On the Roads” (country)
“This track was co-written by Damon Mitchell and Courtney Wilder and recorded under MC1 Nashville Records.”
Listen here
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Brandon Voorhees
“Come Over Now” (alternative)
“Brandon Voorhees just dropped his latest single, ‘Come Over Now,’ a beautifully stripped-down acoustic track that’s sure to resonate. Released in 2025, this song feels like a warm invitation, showcasing Voorhees’s ability to craft intimate and heartfelt melodies. It’s now available to stream on all major music platforms, ready to be added to your chill-out playlists.”
Listen here
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Lydia Shae
“Seattle Sucks” (pop/rock)
“The first follow-up single after releasing her debut album, Decade Diaries. ‘Seattle Sucks’ embraces a fuller pop-rock sound of heartbreak and how one person can ruin an entire city through association.
Listen here
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Jimmie Infinity
“Lately” (Indie)
“Indie alt-rock with ‘90s West Coast vibes.”
Listen here
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Space Chaise Lounge
Space Chaise Lounge (indie)
Key track: “Earrings”
“This first release from Space Chaise Lounge is self-produced, creating an intimate, upbeat and genre-blending listening experience. Across its tracks, the EP showcases the group’s dynamic musicality, offering listeners a fresh and energetic sound.”
Listen here
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Sami Riggs
“Black Sheep” (folk/pop/country)
Key track: “Black Sheep”
“‘Black Sheep’ represents a stylistic shift and, more importantly, pays tribute to my Southern roots — it’s a salute to the resilience of outsiders who’ve had to overcome adversity.”
Listen here
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Project Nekton
Transcripts from Astoria (rock with a psychedelic edge)
Key track: “Long Road”
“The EP was conceived after a trip to Grand Teton National Park. The tracks are reflections on relationships with the land we live on and the lives we touch.”
Listen here
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Coy Comer & the Wanderers
“Take Me Back” (singer/songwriter, indie, Americana)
“This song is about chasing the memories of younger years.”
Listen here
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Millie Oliver & The Missing Pieces
“Can We Make It” (rock)
“‘Can We Make It’ is a concept piece that ties the music, lyrics and artwork together. It’s a duet emulating a couple having an argument and feeling like a broken record. We have dueling guitars to re-emphasize the two perspectives, feminine vs. masculine or vulnerability vs. anger and frustration.”
Listen here
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Honour Rae
Firestone (country)
Key track: “Firestone”
“The album is a journey through heartache, redemption and self-discovery.”
Listen here
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Aarón Magical
“Locked House” (rock)
“‘Locked House’ was recorded at The Tone Shoppe, located in Spring Grove Village, and features drummer Matt Musty (Grace Potter, Train). I tracked the rest of the instrumentation and vocals. The main theme of the track is a critique of the United States prison system and how many incarcerated people are woefully unprepared for life upon their release.”
Listen here
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Famband
“Crazy Lady” (rock)
“This song is about relationships. You want to do it right but can’t all the time.”
Listen here
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Rural King
Heart Attack Gun (indie rock)
Key track: “Spirit of ‘76”
“Heart Attack Gun is an album about growing up, examining your allegiances and living through these paranoid times. Listen if you like the Grateful Dead, Pavement, Vampire Weekend, Bob Dylan or The Band!”
Listen here
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Kevin McCoy Band
“Move Heaven (Raise Hell)” (country/country rock/independent artist/Americana)
“Frontman and lead singer Kevin McCoy’s newest single is coming June 6, 2025, to all music platforms. Co-written with McCoy’s good songwriting buddy, Mason Douglas, it will be the third song of collaboration with each other. “Blue Collar” hit the top 50 on MusicRow Country Music Charts.”
Listen here
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Wendigo
“Bury Me” (grunge, ‘90s alternative)
“Wendigo is a local high school band from Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati. We are currently working on our debut album, but, for now, our first single is called ‘Bury Me.’ Inspired by Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots, Wendigo has been making music for about four years. ‘Bury Me’ was written by our guitarist, Anderson Byrd, and was recorded at White House Studios with Garrett Crider of Trauma Illinois.”
Listen here
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Clifton Cowboys
Cowpoke Daydream (country)
Key track: “Lawn Chair”
“This was our first album that we released as a band after forming about two years ago. All songs were written by Spencer Caudill.”
Listen here
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Resonator
“Campus Green” (rock)
“This was our first release since 2019 and will be the first of several other new songs coming within the next year.”
Listen here
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Sean Waits
“Don’t Waste Your Time” (indie)
“‘Don’t Waste Your Time,’ the debut single from Sean Waits, rejects the concept of sitting and waiting for something to happen in life, instead urging others and by proxy, himself, to ‘get off your ass, and make a pact. Do something for the world to see.’”
Listen here
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Let It Happen
A Space For Emptiness (pop rock)
Key track: “All of Me”
“A Space For Emptiness really is the next step in the musical evolution of Let It Happen. It’s moody, emotional, sincere and fun all at the same time. Songs like ‘Little Love’ really encapsulate the diversity of the album with a dark, brooding verse and a sing-a-long chorus that completely lifts you out of those depths and puts a smile on your face. You have songs like ‘The Devil,’ which are incredibly upbeat and poppy and songs that are heartbreaking, like the titular closing track ‘A Space For Emptiness.’”
Listen here
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Palmer Bowman
“Travis Kelce’s Longhard Schlong” (art)
“‘Travis Kelce’s Longhard Schlong’ represents Strength, Unity and Togetherness and is a legal triumph in the world of comedic parody music.”
Listen here
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ibbi Too Vicious
“La Coste” (alternative R&B)
“‘La Coste’ is the first single from an upcoming EP I am working on putting out this year. It was the most expansive rollout I’ve done yet, where I put together a runway show at Flora & Flair for the release party and designed a 40+ piece collection of upcycled Lacoste clothes.”
Listen here
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Chad Wonsik
“Up!” (children/family)
“‘Up!’ tells the tale of a brave and determined young penguin with a dream of flying.”
Listen here
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Xzela
Fever Dream (multi-genre)
Key track: “If You Think I’m Pretty”
“This EP was one of the more heartfelt projects I’ve written. Extremely vulnerable and close to my heart, with spoken word included which is not something I usually do.”
Listen here
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David Prues
“Be Yourself” (pop)
“This song was written for all of us struggling with feelings of not being good enough.”
Listen here
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Maria, etc.
Maybe Time’s Not in a Bottle Anymore (alternative folk)
Key track: “This Old Life”
“I released this album under a new stage name to represent a shift to an alternative folk-rock style. I wrote each song as a stripped-down piece with me and my guitar, but as local Cincinnati musicians contributed their ideas and talent, the songs morphed and became even better than I could have imagined.”
Listen here
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No Conscription League
ÂME DAMNÉE, KEEP YOUR HEAD HELD HIGH! (noise rock, post-punk, alternative rock)
Key track: “A Knife Fight”
“The EP is our first fully mixed and mastered release consisting of four songs and an interlude. Each song was a culminative effort of every one of the band’s members, showing all of our influences.”
Listen here
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Jeremy Pinnell
“Save You” (honky-tonk, Americana)
“Produced by Shooter Jennings.”
Listen here
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Vudu Childe
“FAFO” (R&B)
“It is about the current state of the world, specifically the U.S. A lot of Americans may think or feel a way about the U.S. that others would disagree with.”
Listen here
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Lotus Pocus
Lotus Pocus (indie psych-rock)
Key track: “Electro-Waves”
“All Lotus Pocus songs are original and written and performed by Brady and recorded at The Lodge and Spiderweb Cabin. Songs explore various topics related to enlightenment, illusion, duality, play, nature, control, relationships with others and the self and patience.”
Listen here
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Hafer
“Vulture” (indie rock)
“A song about a cult leader and his followers.”
Listen here
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National Barks
Petty Arcade (Ohio Valley psych lounge rock)
Key track: “Supper Club”
“Petty Arcade is our first full-length album. We wrote, recorded and mixed these songs in Cincinnati for the past two years. The songs reflect on technology’s impact on society and how it can push those around us towards nihilism.”
Listen here
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Evan McMillian
For A Dreamer (folk)
Key track: “Burnt New Ground”
“This collection of songs weaves between love and loss and highlights some of the uncertainties in life.”
Listen here
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Dan Webb and the Spiders
Difficult Creek (folk/rock/country)
Key track: “Next Stop Aurora, IN”
“This album is a collection of family songs that pulls from stories and lore collected by my uncle from his genealogical research. One of the tracks is based on a story my wife told me about her family.”
Listen here
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Dan Webb and the Spiders
Fall Back (punk)
Key track: “On My Way”
“I wrote and recorded all the parts for this album myself. I wanted to write a punk album after a couple releases that had more of a folk/country vibe.”
Listen here
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KNOTTS
SLAP (Silly Little Art Projects Will Save The World) (art pop/indie soul/indie pop )
Key track: “Hourglass”
“KNOTTS’ SLAP EP (Silly Little Art Projects Will Save The World) sounds like the Bee Gees and Solange collaborated on a buzzing, driving, synth-y EP of songs. The tracks invoke a reflective musing of time, direction and letting go.”
Listen here
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Reaper On Red
Doom Daze (darkwave/post-punk)
Key track: “Major Arcana”
“Reaper On Red creates human-meets-machine music inspired by minimalist art, occult mythologies and dystopian science fiction (a.k.a. current affairs).”
Listen here
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One Strange Dog
Seasons (indie/alt-rock)
Key track: “Find Me There”
“We wrote and recorded our first song (the first track on the album) in only a few hours after meeting at a music workshop hosted by Girls Rock Cincinnati in February 2024. We continued to write the remainder of the album over a course of a year, with each track serving as a space to reflect on the feelings and changes that occurred for us — individually and collectively — throughout this time.”
Listen here
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RATSTAR
“Vader” (tape rock)
“I put out my first single with a music video. Just putting out singles until I have a few more saved up for a record. Debut show is a feel-it show with the Drin and a band called Leopardo from Sweden.”
Listen here
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Benjamin James Howard
Vestiges (alternative)
Key track: “Ashamed”
“Benjamin James Howard is a Cincinnati-based singer-songwriter and former frontman of Bottom Line and Pluto Revolts, now stepping into the spotlight with his first solo album, Vestiges. Stripped down to acoustic roots, the album breathes new life into songs spanning nearly two decades — some once destined for major-label release, others long tucked away in the margins. With contributions from bluegrass artist Maria Carrelli and a mix of raw ballads and radiant melodies, Vestiges is both a reckoning and a rebirth. It’s the sound of an artist revisiting his past to finally let it go — and finding clarity in the echoes.”
Listen here
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Tony!
nightmare RADIO* (alternative hip-hop)
Key track: “hoopty” (feat. Grandace)
“Tony! is a rapper, singer and producer from Florence, Kentucky. nightmare RADIO* is his second album and is fully written, produced and recorded by Tony!
Listen here
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The Shivers
Prism (indie rock)
Key track: “Company Man”
“We’re an original, local, four-piece rock band formed in 2018. This EP is a follow-up to our 2021 full-length album, Dreadfully Distinct.”
Listen here
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This story is featured in CityBeat’s July 9 print edition.
This article appears in Jul 9-22, 2025.