New Music NC: June 2025

Featuring ColorMeKrazy!, Watchhouse, and 46 new releases from North Carolina artists

Welcome to another installment of our monthly local music feature, New Music NC!

Each month highlights some of our particular favorites, followed by several categories to sift through. Think of it as your virtual record store, except all the music is new and local!

[Pst! Get included in a future issue!]

Top Selections

ColorMeKrazy!“Last Summer” single [Raleigh electronic pop-punk]

The musical hustlers in ColorMeKrazy! can’t be stopped, y’all. Only several months from their debut EP, they’ve released a fresh single with a fantastic summer-themed music video. Their synth-infused pop punk proves to be at its catchiest when soundtracking the band having fun in the sun, playing on Rock Band instruments, and spraying Super Soakers.

Watchhouse Rituals [Chapel Hill folk/Americana]

If there was one record that stood out in the past month of interviewing musicians, this is it. And for good reason: it’s a fantastic, relaxing folk record. Watchhouse (formerly Mandolin Orange) is at their best, moving outside of the bluegrass realm to present a more folky record that lulls you into pure bliss. Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz bring dreamier instrumentation alongside their beautiful vocal harmonies and lyrical reflections on the beauty of everyday rituals. This record was made for lounging after a fun night with friends.

Monthly Round-up

Rock, alternative, and punk

2:00AM Wake Up CallDead City [High Point power pop/indie rock]

applefield nimbus/nowandthen [Durham shoegaze/slacker rock]

BitslingerBleed [Chapel Hill alt-psych/rock]

Buck Swope upstairs//downstairs [Raleigh post-punk]

CANNED SNAKES LIVE AT BUDGETCAN [Raleigh garage rock]

Clothing & ShoesDoubt the Patterns! [Raleigh pop rock]

David TravisBorn in 1987 [Chapel Hill power pop/punk rock]

Electric FrankensteinSpittin’ Blood [Raleigh punk rock]

Felix & BonesSecrets, Lies, and other Deceptions [Raleigh piano rock]

Gavin ConnerGrey Too (2025) [Asheville pop rock]

Gyganta Gyganta II [Raleigh grunge/alt rock]

Heavy For The VintageRESIST. DANCE. [Carrboro synth punk/new wave]

Le WeekendA Spell in the Darkness [Chapel Hill indie rock/pop rock]

Lower PeaksBalances [Asheville indie rock]

Psychic ScreamEP1 [Raleigh psych-punk]

Reld Pressley Im In Your Area [Durham alt rock]

Scott McMicken and THE EVER-EXPANDINGNew Purple Dress [Asheville chill rock]

True Optimist“Make Money All Day” single [Charlotte alt rock]

Tyler BaumPostcards From Pangea [Charlotte surf/world/new age/country/electro]

Electronic, ambient, experimental, and more

Doug SoursDream World [Raleigh world/ambient/jazz]

FATHERGITASlow Collapse [Winston-Salem electronic/pop rock]

Five Foot Failureblack hole superstars [Winston-Salem weirdcore]

Human Pippie ArmstrongThe Drogues [Charlotte electronic/punk]

Mombi YulemanLight to Shadow: A Psytrance Collection [Raleigh psytrance]

SunfishLaugh It Up [NC electronic/neo-psych]

weird gumballburnt out [Charlotte chillwave]

Hip-hop/rap, soul, jazz, and funk

Defacto ThezpianNot Impressed II [Durham hip-hop/rap]

EPBZTAEntheogen [Raleigh jazz]

Eugenius(DEMO) [Greensboro hip-hop/rap]

Kunai ChromeInsanity is Natural [Charlotte rap/R&B/dance]

MassaDonKingDrapetomania [Fayetteville underground hip-hop]

parallelvision headgazer! [Fayetteville alt hip-hop/rap]

Metal and hardcore

animal kingdom (NC)Tell Your Friends at the Bottom [Raleigh hardcore/thrash]

Doomsday Profit“The South Will Sink” single [Durham sludge/stoner metal]

Free Will Agonist “Thief” single [Raleigh ambient rock]

HolyRollerRat King [Winston-Salem stoner metal]

PawnschloncheThe :3 Agenda [Raleigh deathcore]

The Consistency ParadoxCosmogenesis [Greensboro deathcore/black metal]

Folk, Americana, and country

Couldn’t Be Happierscouple(t)s [Winston-Salem folk rock]

Drew BowenMoon Over Sun [Durham singer-songwriter/folk/Americana]

Grey Revell Tear Gas Ghost Story [Charlotte indie folk/alt rock]

Justin Baker & J SegerWill I Only Harvest Some [Asheville alt-country/Americana]

Kit BirdLiving In The Particular World [Durham queer folk]

Wild CoastSlowly then all at once [Raleigh folk pop/Americana]

Ready to get featured in our monthly roundup for new music from NC artists? Fill out this short form and we’ll include your latest release in a future issue!


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