The Radar tracks new music by Washtenaw County-associated artists and labels.

This week: VIRID and David Minnix, deegeecee, Marissa Conniff & The Starter Packs, Porcellan Hammer, Stephen Rush, KUZbeats, Mei Semones, VaporDaze, Bill Edwards, Sam Watson, Kid Jay, Acid Lab, Riot Course, Kelly Moran, Premium Rat, Pale Gallery, Vladimir's Universe, Post Scriptvm, Sigidy, A Church Made From Burnt Churches, and Michael Armstrong.

VIRID and David Minnix
Slow Images
Genre: Experimental, electronic, contemporary classical
Location: Ann Arbor
Notes: VIRID (Olivia Cirisan, Ancel Fitzgerald Neeley) and David Minnix met as U-M students. "Slow Images explores memory and sensations of texture through imagery. The 7 movements contain structured improvisations each written in response to images with distinct characteristics. The photos were collected and compiled by the group and depict personal instances of fleeting encounters with striking environments. One finds that the longer you gaze at one of these photos, the more intrigue it offers, thus giving the record its sense of endless peculiarity."
Links: linktr.ee/virid.duo

deegeecee
...and the promises we made.
the memory of life itself
Genre: Lo-fi experimental through the filter of indie, hip-hop, and R&B
Location: Ypsilanti
Notes: Two 2025 albums from this forward-looking musician who came to our attention through his hip-hop work, but these records are searching, left-of-center soundworks.
Links: instagram.com/dee.gee.cee | "Out of This World: deegeecee finds relief on and off Earth on 'Sundogs & Weekends on the Moon' album" [Pulp, September 27, 2023]

Marissa Conniff & The Starter Packs
Glowing/Growing EP
Genre: Pop-rock
Location: Ypsilanti
Notes: Catchy, guitar-based songs fronted by the big-voiced Conniff.
Links: marissaconniff.com

Porcellan Hammer
Born for Years 
Genre: Experimental guitar with violin, cello, and percussion
Location: Ypsilanti
Notes: "Porcelain Hammer formed in 2018 for the purpose of expanding the direction of Ben Miller's multiphonic guitar work into a full ensemble. This new direction in Miller's music is the melding of art, psych, world and no-wave with lyrical hypnagogia."
Links: 2182recordingcompany.com/porcelain-hammer for limited edition LP version | benmiller.info | "Who's Running the World? The Miller brothers' prolific musical output spans genres, decades, and all of 2022" [Pulp, December 29, 2022]

Stephen Rush
"Kyrie:Psalm 46"
Genre: Choral
Location: Ann Arbor
Notes: Lovely vocal piece written by the University of Michigan music professor. "My new choral piece for Michigan Tech Choir (ConScience Choir) conducted by Jarod Anderson - text: Kyrie and Psalm 46 - recorded in a mine last week (Sept. 24-6)."
Links: https://soundcloud.com/stephenrush/kyrie-psalm-46 (embed is disabled)

KUZbeats
"Abominabubble"
"avtomobil (instrumental)"
"a Haikuu for Taelo & James"
Genre: Electronic, world
Location: Former Ann Arbor-ite
Notes: Three new singles by the prolific, multi-genre composer.
Links: linktr.ee/kuzbeatsadinfinitum

Mei Semones
Indie Hourzz live session
Genre: Jazz-steeped indie pop
Location: Former Ann Arbor-ite
Notes: Live session by a tremendous guitarist and Community High grad. She also did some recording recently at Ann Arbor's Solid Sound studio. Already working on a follow-up to her debut LP,  Animaru? And here's Semones ripping on Django Reinhardt's "Django's Tiger" with fellow guitarist Aron!.
Links: meisemones.com

VaporDaze
All Gonna End EP
Genre: Psych-rock, hip-hop, and jazz
Location: Ann Arbor
Notes: From the duo of George Mashour and Marty Gray.
Links: instagram.com/p/DPbcZ-jAAAe 

Bill Edwards
"Our Stubborn Love"
Genre: Country
Location: Ann Arbor
Notes: New ballad from the singer-songwriter.
Links: billedwardsmusic.com

Sam Watson
"Welcome to Wayside"
Genre: R&B
Location: Ann Arbor
Notes:  A2 singer featuring Detroit artist K. Huff. A cappella and instrumental versions of the single are also available.
Links: instagram.com/samwatson_official/

Kid Jay
"Ketchup"
Genre: Hip-hop
Location: Ypsilanti
Notes: A song about competition and growth by Kid Jay, aka Jason O'Banner.
Links: instagram.com/officialkidjay

Acid Lab
Calling Card EP
Genre: Drum 'n' bass
Location: AGN7 label is in Ypsilanti; artist is from Germany
Notes: Daniel Schwerdel continues to crank out top-notch modern-jungle jams.
Links: instagram.com/agn7audio | instagram.com/acid_lab.dnb | "Agent Audio: Ypsilanti label AGN7 runs a stealth operation dedicated to drum 'n' bass music" [Pulp, August 29, 2022]

Riot Course
Before You Can Say Knife EP
Genre: Shoegaze alt-punk
Location: Ypsilanti
Notes: Six guitar-focused tunes. 
Links: linktr.ee/riotcourse

Kelly Moran
Don't Trust Mirrors 
Genre: Electronic, classical
Location: Former Ann Arbor-ite
Notes: U-M grad and occasional FKA Twigs collaborator. On the legendary Warp Records label.
Links: instagram.com/kellymoran__

Premium Rat
I Felt It (demos)
Genre: Indie rock, folk
Location: Ypsilanti
Notes: "realized i was a lesbian, got my heart broken, changed my life, wrote some songs about it. i love being queer." 
Links: premiumratmusic.com | "Cast Away: Ypsilanti’s Premium Rat finds connection and community on debut album, 'Stranded on Land'" [Pulp, January 24, 2025]

Pale Gallery
MK Ultra Deprogramming Sequence
Genre: Indie rock, jam band, electronic
Location: Ypsilanti
Notes: One-man band with six new songs.
Links: pale-gallery.bandcamp.com

Vladimir's Universe
Say the Loud Part Quietly
Genre:  Indie, new wave, garage
Location: Ypsilanti
Notes: Another one-man band from Ypsi, this time with seven new songs.
Links: facebook.com/VladimirsUniverse

Post Scriptvm
C​е​к​т​а
Genre: Industrial, dark ambient
Location: Ann Arbor
Notes: "Post Scriptvm is a Russian-American industrial/dark ambient music act, formed in 1998, in New York City. Based in Ann Arbor, MI." Don't know anything about this one-person project, but a large back catalog is now on Bandcamp, with C​е​к​т​а being the latest album.
Links: discogs.com/artist/152467-Post-Scriptvm

Sigidy
"Chance Locations (Radio Edit)"
Genre: Reggae, hip-hop, R&B
Location: Ypsilanti
Notes: Breezy new single from Sigidy.
Links: instagram.com/sigidy34

A Church Made From Burnt Churches
Taking Home the Bronze
Genre: Electronic, IDM, experimental
Location: Ann Arbor
Notes: Leftfield-tronica with some nods to trip-hop.
Links: acmfbc.bandcamp.com

Michael Armstrong
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Coldplay
Genre: Children's instrumental music
Location: Ypsilanti
Notes: Music for infants (and people who like Coldplay). There are also lullaby albums for Led Zeppelin, Metallica, and Nirvana on Armstrong's Bandcamp page.
Links: lullabycompilation.bandcamp.com

Send your music to pulp@aadl.org if you're an artist or label with Washtenaw County associations.