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

This week: Ellen Rowe Quartet, Ed Dupas, Dreadmaul, Scotty Karate, Will Kaye, How to Draw Monsters, Alison Albrecht, Jib Kidder, 14KT, North Ingalls, Queso Tone, Lovepark., and Post Eden.

Ellen Rowe Quartet
Vinton's Cove
Genre: jazz
Location: Ann Arbor
Notes: Professor of Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation at the University of Michigan Ellen Rowe returns with her sixth record as a leader. Smokin' Sleddog Records: "The album features six original compositions by Rowe, recorded with her quartet and special guest vocalist Sunny Wilkinson, showcasing a range of jazz styles. Drawing on her extensive background as both educator and performer, Rowe also presents arrangements of jazz and pop standards that cast them in a slightly different light, interpreting them through varied harmonic approaches and diverse musical feels. Recorded with close friends and musical kindred spirits, Vinton's Cove represents Rowe's work as both composer and bandleader." In addition to Wilkinson, those close friends include Mike Sakash (saxophones), Pete Siers (drums), and Dennis Carroll (bass).
Links: ellenrowe.com

Ed Dupas
Codename California
Genre: Americana
Location: Ann Arbor
Notes: Ten tracks of twangy tunes written after the death of Dupas' father and some sabbaticals in the Central U.S., Vancouver Island, and Southern California.
Links: eddupas.com

Dreadmaul
No Shade EP
Genre: drum 'n' bass
Location: Ann Arbor label, Southeast England artist
Notes: "Dreadmaul returns to AGN7, this time with a deeper approach to the drumfunk/breaks driven sound."
Links: instagram.com/dreadnaughtuk | instagram.com/agn7audio

Scotty Karate
"Evil Be Gone"
Genre: Roots rock
Location: Chelsea
Notes: "Check out 'Evil Be Gone,' a rocking, new piece by the electric one-man-band Scotty Karate. Let's rid this house of evil spirits. Cover art by Ariana Abud. Recorded by Darrin James at Ravine Records, mixed and mastered by Marc Daniel Nelson."
Links: instagram.com/scotty_karate_music | "Recovery Strategy: Chelsea singer-songwriter Scotty Karate finds catharsis on 'Always Honey'" [April 5, 2022]

Will Kaye
"Drifting Heart"
Genre:  folk, singer-songwriter
Location: Ann Arbor
Notes: "Taking cues from the Nick Drake, Bob Dylan, Adrianne Lenker, and others, singer-songwriter Will Kaye's intimate fingerstyle guitar, soft voice, and oblique lyrics have served to turn him into one of Southeast Michigan's most affecting emerging acts."
Links: willkaye.com

How to Draw Monsters
Too Numbe to Feel...Too Numb to Care
Acres of Diamonds
Genre: vaporwave, electronica, ambient
Location: Ann Arbor
Notes: A week after we featured three releases by How to Draw Monsters, now come two more full-length albums, still featuring the down-tempo beats and slowed vocals common to the subgenre of vaporwave called "barber beats."
Links: howtodrawmonsters.bandcamp.com

Alison Albrecht
Hurts to Be Wiser EP
Genre: pop, singer-songwriter 
Location: Los Angeles, formerly Ann Arbor
Notes: U-M grad and 2023 contestant on The Voice returns with a five-song EP of emotive pop.
Links: alisonalbrecht.com

Jib Kidder
LA Ave
Staccato Pianito
Genre: jib kidder 
Location: Ann Arbor
Notes: Two unearthed collections of outsider jams from this restless experimentalist. LA Ave: "A collection of toy keyboard music from my last 2 teenage years." Staccato Pianito: "using Pianito Microstudio midi freeware & toy keyboards on a PC clone."
Links: linktr.ee/jibkidder

14KT
"Rain Watcher"
Genre: instrumental quiet storm
Location: Ann Arbor
Notes: Laidback rainy-day groover from Athletic Mic League's beatmaker, Kendall “14KT” Tucker.
Links: linktr.ee/14KT

North Ingalls
"Meet Me on Mars"
"Live From a Backyard"
Genre: soulful rock
Location: Ann Arbor
Notes: First two releases from this promising seven-piece band of U-M students.
Links: instagram.com/northingalls

Queso Tone
Human
Genre: soul, pop, hip-hop
Location: Ypsilanti, Detroit area
Notes: Recent Eastern Michigan University grad and Oak Park native Antonio Byrd Jr. continues to display his genre-hopping skills, from soulful crooning and speedy rapping to upbeat pop and guitar-led tunes.
Links: instagram.com/quesotone

Lovepark.
"Like a Fire"
Genre: pop, vaporwave 
Location: Ann Arbor
Notes: A catchy mid-tempo tune with quiet vocals and fat synths.
Links: linktr.ee/Loveparkmusic

Post Eden
"Red Robin"
"Ruins"
Genre: psychedelic indie rock
Location: Ann Arbor
Notes: A couple of solid new ragers from this tight trio.
Links: postedenband.wixsite.com/post-eden | "From Solitude to the Stage: Post Eden’s debut album is a trip to achieve 'Solace in Entropy'" [Pulp, May 18, 2023]

Send your music to pulp@aadl.org if you're an artist or label with Washtenaw County associations. Check out more local music coverage here and in the Friday Five archives.