The duo of James Adamiak and Ryan Long (aka Brass Monkey and Quent Diggy, respectively) has been putting out soulful boom-bap tracks as Rising Path for nearly a year now. Their latest brings them together with Muja Messiah and Juice Lord , as well as frequent collaborator DJ A-Scratch . "5G" changes things up a bit for the group, swapping out their typical dynamic for something a bit more hard-hitting. Adamiak's beat uses stuttering hi-hats and a forceful piano loop to provide a propulsive sea for the rappers to glide over. The track isn't nearly as conspiracy-minded as the title might imply, fortunately. Each MC threads together smooth boasts: Muja Messiah compares his life to the Make-a-Wish Foundation and threatens to throw a chair at Geraldo Rivera; Quent echoes the flow of Atmosphere's Slug and drops some Shel Silverstein references; Juice Lord finishes the track off by professing allegiance to the truth. A-Scratch glues each verse together. Listen to ...

It's been a while since we've heard from Static Panic . The funk pop trio released their stellar EP Glow  back in the fall. Now, our ears are finally being graced with new music in the form of "Taste." Anyone familiar with the band's discography is used to the groove-inducing sexiness they always bring to the table. "Taste" updates that sound with a lustful wink and healthy dose of distortion. Static Panic combines human pleasures with the synthetic. Keston Wright's guitar, grittier than ever, stays in a perpetual lockstep with the electric drumming of Eli Kapell. The pair's synthesis is undeniable, never straying far from the rigid beat. Meanwhile, Ro Lorenzen's vocals totally embody the sensuality of the lyrics. The way they sing the word "taste" is more than enough to make anyone sit up straight and get a little self-conscious. Desire is voiced with each ecstatic chorus or note of falsetto. "Taste" is a showcase of a ba...

Double Grave is definitely one of Minnesota's best-kept secrets. Since releasing their debut record in 2017, the trio has been working tirelessly, refining their blend of grunge, shoegaze, and alt rock - something that is on full display with the band's newest single, "The Farm." At its core, "The Farm" grapples with where one is supposed to fit within this existence. Right away in the first verse, vocalist/guitarist Jeremy Warden depicts feeling backed against a wall and lost among the existential horror of reality. A haze of swirling fuzzy guitars, shaped by bassist Bree Meyer and drummer Seth Tracy, supports Warden's haunting voice as he processes his thoughts. The single's mood takes a turn in the second verse during which existential dread is channeled into hope. Warden sings of moving to "the farm" in order to refocus before finding new resolve in the lyrics, "Somewhere away from here / I'll find what I like." The ...

Today is Juneteenth, the day that honors the end of slavery in 1865, when troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to ensure the freedom of all the enslaved people. Bandcamp is donating 100% of their share of any purchases made today to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (and on every subsequent Juneteenth). Today is a day to direct attention and money to the voices of Black artists and bands with Black members. That should be the case every day. In addition to those listed below, Bandcamp posted a list of artists with special releases today , many of whom will be donating their proceeds to benefit racial justice organizations. Here is a crowd-sourced database of Black artists to support on Bandcamp. Here is a list of Black Twin Cities community members to support directly. Dua Saleh made a wonderful playlist of Black and BIPOC LGBTQIA+ artists to stream and support directly. Here's a  thread of trans Black women's Venmos/CashApps. The Current also put out a list of ten local artists ...