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

This week: David Barrett, Skinned Knees, Omo & Delos Prismatic, Defy Modern Theory, VaporDaze, Studio Lounge, Future Holograms, and Latimer Rogland.

David Barrett
Guitar Stories From the Midwest
Genre: fingerstyle, folk
Location: Ann Arbor
Notes: Did you know the soundtrack to the NCAA basketball tournament, "One Shining Moment," was written by Ann Arbor's own David Barrett? When the Emmy-winning composer isn't writing for TV and other commercial endeavors, the guitarist immerses himself in fingerstyle acoustic instrumentals, and there are 14 of those beauties on the new Guitar Stories From the Midwest.
Links: davidbarrett.com

Skinned Knees
Underwater
Genre: jazzy indie-folk
Location: Ypsilanti
Notes: Skinned Knees is always Sydney Timbrook, but she's sometimes had friends assist on recordings. But for her debut Skinned Knees album, Timbrook keeps things simple and plays everything herself, save for Eric Shore's piano on “Riverside.” (It also sounds like Underwater was recorded at home, but it was mixed by Fundamental Sound Company's Taylor Greenshields.) Timbrook writes jazz-tinged indie-pop tunes, and Underwater presents these low-key ballads with little more than voice, guitar, and bass. But the minimalist accompaniment works because the songs are strong enough to stand without the aid of full-band arrangements. 
Links: instagram.com/skinnedkneez

Omo & Delos Prismatic
Cosmic Odyssey
Genre: modular-synth techno
Location: Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor
Notes: OMO is Javan Cain Delos, and Prismatic is Jordan Compton. "This album was created using only hardware. It was recorded in Ann Arbor over multiple sessions between November 2024 and January 2025. Every track was recorded using music hardware into a Play Differently Model 1.4 mixer. The majority of the tracks were improvised live. We then spent time going through and cutting tracks out of our recording sessions." (OMO is also one of the organizers of the monthly Gear Lords electronic-music concerts.)
Links: instagram.com/omo_________omo | instagram.com/delosprismatic

Defy Modern Theory
Textural Criticism EP
"Vaguely Responsible Citizen"
Genre: dark ambient, industrial
Location: Ypsilanti
Notes: A new EP and single of spooky sounds.
Links: defymoderntheory.bandcamp.com

VaporDaze
"I Can Vibe"
Genre: psych-hop
Location: Ann Arbor
Notes: George Mashour and Marty Gray return with a funky single that sounds like something you'd hear on a Manchester dancefloor circa 1990.
Links: annarborrecords.com

Studio Lounge
John Crete Blvd St EP
Genre: off-kilter indie-rock
Location: Ann Arbor
Notes: Four new Ween/Zappa-influenced jams by this quartet of U-M students.
Links: studiolounge.org | "Total Eclipse of the Art: Studio Lounge's 'Staring at the Sun' ups the band's absurdity, eclecticism, and musicianship" [Pulp, July 18, 2024]

Future Holograms
Near Miss
Genre: electronica
Location: Ann Arbor
Notes: Adam Stolarczyk is Future Holograms, and his latest album continues to hone the excellent synthwave/chillwave/darkwave vibes of his many previous releases, but there's also a grimy, overdriven sound that underscores the ambiance of Near Miss. Released by Ann Arbor's Caffeine Free Records.
Links: instagram.com/futureholograms | instagram.com/caffeinefreerecords

Latimer Rogland
Surrounded in Jena,
Genre: experimental, drone
Location: Ann Arbor
Notes: "Impulsive performances, improvisations, and captures" is how U-M organ student Latimer Rogland describes his new collection, Surrounded in Jena,.which finds the keyboardist messing about with synths in noise-drone improvisations.
Links: instagram.com/latimer.rogland

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.