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

This week:
Lord Centipede, Annie and Rod Capps, Sigidy, Rabbitology, Lily Talmers, Ryan Gerald, Rohn - Lederman, Plantsgarden, Larkn, and Backwanzus. 

Around the time John Beltran was living in Ann Arbor prior to the pandemic, he resurrected his Placid Angles moniker, which has come to yield some of the most adventurous music in the electronic music producer’s celebrated and diverse catalogue.

While the Detroit-based producer and DJ no longer lives in Ann Arbor, Placid Angles has endured to become something of a go-to alias for Beltran to channel his love for combining nostalgic '90s-centric breakbeats with deep house and ambient techno.

His latest Placid Angles album, Canada, has received rave reviews. The record is dedicated to the country he visited as he finished the LP, and it encompasses everything the Placid Angles project represents since his first album under the alias, 1997’s The Cry, while channeling his love for labels like Warp and 4AD in equal measure.

“It's still fun, and I think Canada is my best offering,” Beltran said. “I'll get a lot of disagreements, because a lot of kids love [2019’s] First Blue Sky. I agree that's a good one, but this one really, really hits it for me.”

“One Track Mind” features a Washtenaw County artist or band discussing one song from their latest release.

Standout Track: No. 1, “Denim Blues,” from DAViS. The Ann Arbor singer-songwriter’s latest EP, Denim Duster, features themes of wanderlust, growth, and aspiration. The EP is named after an actual denim duster that DAViS regularly wears and sports on the cover of his release.

On “Denim Blues,” DAViS struggles with the present, questions the future, and longs for an escape. “Yeah, this one was like a diary entry and gets at my challenges with being present and aims to make peace with what’s right now. To ‘stand here and be patient’ and not feel like I have to be so action-oriented all the time. The experience of writing and producing this song was cathartic for me in the way that it happened quite fast compared to other songs.”

The University of Michigan produces a tremendous number of major talents in the fields of visual arts, music, film, theater, literature, and more. The various colleges within U-M, as well as several in-house publications, also do a good job of documenting the various creative pursuits of the university's students, teachers, and alumni—if you know where to look.

So, here's a round-up of arts and culture articles and interviews published by various University of Michigan news services and departments over the past few months.

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

This week:
Chirp, Diont'e Visible, Prol'e, Hewin, Mark Zhu, GVMMY, Troy Birdsong & Carrington Vaughn, Knut Hill, 42itous, Laurence Bond Miller, Tried, Latimer Rogland, and Armored Moth.

“One Track Mind” features a Washtenaw County artist or band discussing one song from their latest release.

Standout Track: No. 2, “Maneuvers Through the Prominence of Tau Ceti,” from Michael Skib. The Ann Arbor artist’s latest album, The Distance Between Two Stars, is an electronic and cinematic journey into another realm. The album includes several references related to stars, planets, and space pollution.

On “Maneuvers Through the Prominence of Tau Ceti,” he takes inspiration from the star Tau Ceti in the constellation Cetus. “I was reading about exoplanets—planets outside our solar system—actually. Tau Ceti has been a star of interest in the search for exoplanets for a while because of its proximity to Earth and its sun-like properties. It’s also in reference to The Dispossessed, which takes place on planets in Tau Ceti’s orbit. I sort of imagine whatever mission might have been taking place, in the loose-fitting storyline of this album, might have been related to the search for hospitable planets.”

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

This week:
Laughing Hyenas, Post-Ford, Houdïnï CHïN, Matt Jones & The Reconstruction, Deniz Tek, The Saturations, BigPlanet, and Prhyme Rhyme Boss.

“One Track Mind” features a Washtenaw County artist or band discussing one song from their latest release.

Standout Track: No. 4, "Rain (We Are Alive)," by Ann Arbor vocal-looping artist Ki5 from his new four-track EP, Mind, with guest vocals from Aviva Match. The artist born Kyler Wilkins writes uplifting, soul-centric, a capella pop that is usually built by him sampling his own voice to provide the harmonic and rhythmic beds of his songs as well as the melodic leads. On some previous releases, Wilkins has strayed outside of vox-only jams and incorporated the likes of drums, synths, bass, and viola, but for "Rain," it's just body parts—mouth and hands—to make all the sounds, including the liquid percussion. "'Rain' was inspired by a want to encourage presence by engaging with senses of hearing and touch," Wilkins said. "The first set of lyrics are 'Be free / Listen to the rain / We are alive,' and that very simply is an invitation to the present using hearing. The rain sounds [here] apply to the sense of touch through their creation with hand-clapping and snaps."

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

This week:
Animal Trial, Dennis Proctor, G.B. Marian, Redwood Ride, DAViS, Marc Hannaford, Jerry Arlen, and Will Kaye.

“One Track Mind” features a Washtenaw County artist or band discussing one song from their latest release.

Standout Track: No. 6, “Amaretto,” from Fearless Amaretto (they/them). The Ypsilanti artist’s latest EP, Diary of Amaretto, is an exploration of passion, intimacy, and authenticity in relationships. Each song is like a personal journey entry, examining Fearless Amaretto’s thoughts and feelings about different romantic encounters.

On “Amaretto,” they’re educating potential suitors about how to approach them. “Navigating sex and relationships as a witch, or even as an intuitive or empathetic person, is always interesting," Amaretto said. "I’m often presented with suitors who talk a big game with no follow-through, or have feelings they want to explore with me, but are afraid to speak up. ‘Amaretto’ is that song to let them know to shit or get off the pot. Either make a move or move aside, because someone is waiting for their chance. You are that witch! I hope people hear this song and are reminded that they are not only desired, but they’re also deserving of people who won’t play about their desire for you. Tell them not to call your name unless they’re about that life.”