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! – WE KNOW THE TRUTH [Raleigh electronic post-hardcore]
Our beloved friends in ColorMeKrazy! have been building towards their new EP all year long and it’s finally here as a complete release.
As someone who has followed the band for 2 years, it’s a significant level up from their first EP in every aspect of their sound. The songs are heavier and more in a post-hardcore/metalcore-adjacent space, but the production ensures that their trademark hyperpop influence isn’t lost in the noise. Add in anthemic vocals across every track, and a collaboration with Charlotte’s American Theory, and you’ve got a recipe for a good time when you finally go see them live.
Top Tracks: “ANGEL_”, “BIDE_ (ft. American Theory)”, “ERROR_”
Dowsers – Dogwood / Three Forks of Cheat [Durham folk rock/Americana]
As someone on the ground covering the NC scene, it’s always a delight to see what escapes beyond our imaginary borders and into the greater zeitgeist. Dowsers – the new band from members of Sluice, Fust, Weirs, Magic Tuber Stringband, and many other projects – is just the latest to garner some well-deserved attention.
Their debut double-single shares the Americana twang as some of those other bands, with an added lo-fi layer to the production that makes it feel almost vintage. From the lyrical “Dogwood” to the instrumental “Three Forks of Cheat” that starts as a fiddle song and ends as a sludgey cacophony, both songs flex that creative energy that only these folks can create.
Eric Maust – kiss on the cheek [Charlotte singer-songwriter/indie folk/rock]
This debut from Charlotte’s Eric Maust is a record built on sincerity and a long fight with self-doubt. His indie folk and alt-rock draws a line from the Christian rock he grew up on, Switchfoot and Relient K, to the heart-on-sleeve songwriting of Phoebe Bridgers and Medium Build. That byline shows in how he prioritizes lyrics that stand on their own with music that rocks and is easy to sing along to.
Recorded in 2025 with engineer and co-producer Caleb Whitlock, it splits roughly in half between polished studio tracks and mostly live takes. And when you give it a full listen, it doesn’t take long to dig into standout songs like “say it with your eyes closed”, “kiss on the cheek”, and “100 million years”. Eric makes his pivots between gentler folk and more uptempo rock seem effortless throughout, with real top-notch songwriting on display throughout the 38-minute runtime.
Top Tracks: “say it with your eyes closed”, “in the shallows”, “100 million years”, “osprey”
Harm – As Age Begins to Shape Us [Charlotte post-hardcore]
Simply put, As Age Begins to Shape Us is Harms boldest record yet, pushing their scene-revival roots deeper with a bleak read on the 2020s. Billie Cloer’s haunting melodies float over shoegaze haze and mathcore violence, while Andrew Cloer’s production wraps it all in electronic flourishes and ensures nothing is lost in the chaos.
Opener “Standing On Our Necks” sets the tone with a choir that sounds beautiful and wrong at once. From there, the band refuses to relent their metalcore instincts. Their trio of locally/regionally-sourced guests widen that range: the members of Moving Boxes reinforce the shimmering emo ache to “Compose”; Susy Reyes of MUELAS trades screams perfectly with Billie on “No Hope”; and “Amber Wave” is made crushing with the latter-half addition of Wiltwither.
If you were a 2000s emo and post-hardcore kid, this will undoubtedly hit.
Top Tracks: “Viper Pit”, “Compose (ft. Moving Boxes)”, “Amber Wave (ft. Wiltwither)”, “As Age Begins to Shape Us”
Woke County Speedway – Woke County Speedway [Raleigh/Durham/OBX alt-country/power pop]
If you’re in the Triangle, odds are that Woke County Speedway is a more familiar name than they were just a few months ago. Between performances at Hopscotch and Good Moon Festival, they’ve released this self-titled debut album that’s well-worth the attention. From the opening seconds of “Reverse GB”, it’s clear that the band has crafted a blend of alt-country twang that feels all their own. And that only gets confirmed more as you get into songs like “Woke County Speed”, “Joy”, and “Sisyphean Ass”.
What makes the band buzzworthy is how true to their live sound this record is. Take any one of these tracks to the stage and it will sound ripped from the studio recording, which is a triumph in its own right.
Top Tracks: “Reverse GB”, “Woke County Speed”, “Cash Considerations”, “Existential Whip”
Monthly Round-up
Rock, alternative, and punk
big mistake – thanks. [Raleigh alt rock/noise pop]
What a dreamy tapestry of sounds on this one. From the drop, it feels like something you’d hear put out by Run for Cover Records 10-15 years ago. Think Wishy meets Westkust. Anyway, this is fantastic.
Cor de Lux – Year Of The Horse [Kill Devil Hills post-punk]
Guitarists Dawn Moraga and Tim Lusk split vocals, and tracks like “Bread Bag,” “Ping Pong,” and “The Western” slide from delicate, tangled melodies into distortion and near collapse, with the two trading lines like a couple mid-argument. J. Robbins’ production makes the songs pop, amplifying the Sonic Youth and Unwound influence throughout. The record is catchy yet jagged and worthy of your attention.
driving through ghosts – It Comes With The Territory [Charlotte lo-fi/shoegaze]
On a more lo-fi end of that spectrum lies this album from driving through ghosts, which is an impressive evolution for the Charlotte-based artist. While their self-titled LP was more lo-fi ambient vibes, these new songs tread into full-throated shoegaze and post-rock with great success.
Emergency Nothing – “Class War Jamboree” [Wilmington ska punk]
Let’s pick it up with this immediately two-step-able anti-billionaire jam from the southern coast. With so many great lines to choose from, “Calamity, but all is well if the crash is trending” takes the cake for being right on the nose in our current climate.
Hook of Moon – i am god yet god is not me [Asheville indie rock/emo pop]
If you want an exciting mix of genre influences through an emo lens, this Hook of Moon record shouldn’t be missed. You got a song like “Progress” that scratches a unique itch if you dig Petey USA and American Football, while the endlessly catchy “Walkie” flexes more experimental pop sensibilities.
Hurricanrana – So Money [Raleigh punk rock]
Some good old-fashioned ‘70s punk swagger with sharp riffs and a rhythm section that will have you bopping along wherever you hear it.
Impending Joy – “Antivenom” [Asheville psych rock]
Some groovy, proggy, and arguably Brit-inspired psychdelic goodness on this one. The song takes one of “those turns” halfway through that I don’t want to spoil, but definitely want to hear live.
Lawn Enforcement – Keep Off The Grass [Wilmington grunge/alt rock]
Now this is what I call some top-notch grunge in 2026. Not only are the riffs and grooves potent enough to prompt headbanging by instinct, but the band can just as easily pivot into softer melodies than make the heavier sections hit much harder. Hit play on any track and you’ll see what I mean.
Little Chair – 100 Dresses [Durham jangle rock/twee pop]
On their second LP, Little Chair sounds even sharper than last February’s Ladybug Cat. When they’re rocking, it’s a bouncy, jangly time. But in the quieter moments, they’re more delicate. The addition of horns across the record is a nice cherry on top.
Low Country Jam Machine – She Has It (Black Magic) [Wilmington funky stoner rock]
Another ripping release from the Wilmington funk rock trio. Such an impressive combination of musicians who leave you wanting more, especially after that breakdown in “You Know What I Mean”.
Neon Ruins – Gas Station Carnivals [Chapel Hill indie rock/folk]
If you’re on the hunt for a new road trip album, do yourself a favor and put this one from Neon Ruins on the list. It’s a beautiful listen that bridges the gap between bands like R.E.M. and Uncle Tupelo.
Over & Over – Over & Over [Raleigh emo/pop-punk]
Purely infectious pop-punk with an elder emo’s songwriting tact. That is to say that riffs are front and center, but the potential for a creative slowdown or Midwestern emo-esque noddling is always around the corner. It’s a sound that would fit comfortably on a bill with a Bedroom Division or a blankstate..
Piedmont – “Machine Dreams” [Durham indie rock]
There are plenty of (great) anti-AI songs, but the way Jim Brantley gets poetic on this rocking track (with drums from Matt McCaughan of Bon Iver & Hiss Golden Messenger) really resonates with me. “Every phrase was déjà vu but no one had said it first” and “I’ve been talking to my reflection just to pass the time / Slipping down a spiral but it’s clean and it’s mine” just hit.
Research Triangle – “…and how do we resolve this time…” [Wilmington emo/pop-punk]
Both a blast from pop-punk, emo, and hardcore pasts in a refreshing package. While only four tracks, this EP feels like a journey to the underworld, getting heavier with each song. It all comes to a head in “Tumult” that’s loaded with so many riffs that would make Mike McCready blush.
Run Hill – Turning Starboard [Elizabeth City surf punk]
The “surfgaze” agenda is in full effect! If you’re looking for something that feels distinctly its own and lyrically relevant, you can’t go wrong with this debut LP from Run Hill out on the coast.
Secret Message Machine – Swim the Phantom River [Chapel Hill indie rock]
Swim the Phantom River strips singer-songwriter Michael Barrett back to a guitar and open road, blending indie rock, pop, and folk with a synth designer’s ear. Across it all, travel imagery keeps asking where you’ve been and where you’re headed.
Check out our full review from Ella Nakos!
Slow Teeth – “Window” [Durham post-rock]
Our 2025 Artist of the Year follow last year’s debut EP with “Window,” a slow-building alt-rock track with Jeremy Haire on lead vocals that has long been a fixture of their live sets. The riffs swell into a cinematic post-rock and shoegaze crescendo few North Carolina bands can match.
Read more here!
Small Doses – Dont Not Tread On Me [Asheville punk rock]
Boared to Death Records strikes again with another locally sourced punk signing. Small Doses are true to their name in how little time they need to leave an impression, while label founder Dan Mitre’s production makes every snare hit and scream pop.
Weymouth – The Gang’s All Here! [Southern Pines pop punk/alt rock]
If you dig A Day to Remember or Four Year Strong, look no further than Weymouth for your next listen. Literally every aspect of these songs is tight and the band as a whole is exceptionally talented. Go listen to it.
Electronic, ambient, experimental, and more
0xGRLF00D – Psychorthagonality [Wilkesboro lo-fi/vaporpop]
Another dizzying release from the experimental producer we featured back in March. It feels like a cross between a chiptune-esque video game soundtrack and “everything-but-the-kitchen-sink” sampling that somehow manages to come together in a chaotic meld.
Amelia Riggs – original score from “the angels” [Durham piano solo/experimental]
Amelia Riggs has released a single and a double single of sorts these last two months, but it’s her work branching out into short film composing that’s most worthy of recognition, in my opinion. It’s such a treat to see awesome humans stretch their skills in new ways.
Anne-Claire – Do You Dream of Me, Too? [Durham indie-pop/avant-pop]
Do You Dream of Me, Too sets bright, theatrical instrumentals against abstract storytelling, with a showtune sweep closer to Easter Parade than to standard indie pop. Strings carry the suspense from “Night of the Hunter” into “Three Things,” giving both an old-film grandeur. The title track closes on a warm, hopeful note that makes the long run of complicated emotions before it feel earned.
Marley Carroll – Southern Research Station [Asheville electronic/downtempo]
Hurricane Helene upended Marley Carroll’s Asheville life just as a breakout year was taking off, and the Southern Research Station EP takes him back to the forests that have always fed his music. It’s a hypnotic, richly layered walk through that terrain, from the cicada roar of “Cicadas” to the waterfalling arpeggios of “Chroma Falls” and a closing airburst of synths and crow calls.
Matty Frank – Dooda: Bee-Sides [Durham synthpop/folktronica]
Six tracks that missed Matty Frank’s 2024 record get their moment in Dooda: Bee-Sides. The anti-folk songwriting stays wry and a little foggy, wandering from forest floors to junkyard ruins to reclaimed meadows. Matty describes these leftovers as needing time to simmer, and now they sound too good to have been left behind.
No One Mind – Soft Work / Hard Dreams [Durham psychedelic art pop]
Packed with 14 tracks, this third LP from Ellis Anderson is a dynamic and rich listen, channeling The Beatles sensibilities through a The Strokes-meets-modern synthy pop lens a la The Killers’ Imploding the Mirage.
oddcolours – A Short Stay [Greensboro electronic/instrumental]
A six-pack of quality bass-led instrumentals that aren’t afraid to get complex. The synth beats underneath, as well as samples and textures throughout, all come together for a quick but satisfying listen.
Okonski – Additions [Asheville jazz piano]
A year of Okonski’s scattered singles gets gathered on tape with Additions, with guest appearances from saxophonist Cochemea and harpist Rachel Kitchlew. The flip side gives the trio’s hip-hop-leaning Trio Session Demos its first physical pressing, a fitting stopgap before the 2027 LP.
Real Followers – Real Followers Guaranteed [Asheville/Durham electronica/house/synthpop]
North Carolina producers Treee City and Tin Foil Hat debut as Real Followers with an EP that starts as a sleepy, keys-soft morning thought and builds into a full-on dance floor pull. Big time Hot Chip vibes on this one, culminating in the pulsing bass-heavy bliss of “Don’t Die”.
Sylvan Esso – Ow ∞ [Durham indie pop]
Having seen a good chunk of these songs live during the band’s hometown Good Moon Festival, it’s clear that this record will be adding a lot of fun moments to their future setlists. Standouts like “Concrete Glen,” “Hot Slob,” and “Back Again” fit more energy and genre-flexing than passive listeners would expect from a band on their fifth LP.
Tashi Dorji + Faith Coloccia – And Their Power Was Alive [Asheville ambient/experimental]
Traded demos between Anacortes and Asheville became And Their Power Was Alive, a record that treats yielding as strength and will land hard for anyone who loves Mamiffer or Big Brave.
Folk, Americana, and country
A. Lee Edwards – Interpreting Heart Sounds Vol. II [Western NC folk/singer-songwriter/country]
A. Lee Edwards steps deeper into the hushed, homespun world of his solo debut, pairing patient fingerpicked guitar with cello lines that rise and fall like breath. Recorded in Asheville with a Western North Carolina cast and mixed again by John Wood, the songs shine with a pop glow that nods to Big Star and early Beach Boys.
cami – porchsongs [Raleigh folk punk/singer-songwriter]
Cami Denning of Rumbletramp and PEYTOPIA emerges with a tremendous solo EP recorded by Amelia Riggs. Her sound perfectly toes the line between cathartic folk punk and gentle singer-songwriter, best heard the beautiful “song for migratory birds”.
Driftliner – “Love in the Age of Dread” [Chapel Hill alt-country/indie rock]
Chapel Hill newcomers Driftliner introduce themselves with “Love in the Age of Dread,” a moody indie rock-meets-alt country single from their forthcoming four-track EP, tracked at Nightsound Studios in Carrboro.
Evan Blackerby – A Better Story For Us All [High Point folk/blues rock]
With this latest album, Evan Blackerby has whittled nearly fifty songs down to eleven eclectic, stubbornly hopeful mix of blues, folk, and rock. The core message of refusing to look away from the present while insisting on a better story anyway feels particularly relevant after this year’s elections.
Jake Xerxes Fussell – The Old Beloved Path [Durham folk/Americana/old time]
On his sixth album, Jake Xerxes Fussell trades atmospherics for a room full of musicians playing live. The result threads old ballads, shanties, and blues standards through a cast of homesick drifters, but the arrangements stay spare and warm.
Jane Kramer – Moon & Mother [Asheville Appalachian folk]
After a stretch that brought motherhood, the loss of her own mother, and Hurricane Helene, Jane Kramer channels it all into a transcendental record. “The Wanting Time” feels like a sepia-toned, piano-led song from the ‘70s; just one example of an album that stretches from pop-pulsed Americana to hazy distorted banjo and fiddle songs.
Kit McKay – Dogtown Lowdown [Raleigh honky tonk/folk]
When he’s not playing bass with Fake Jr., Kit McKay is clearly busy writing some catchy “dance along in the bar” country folk songs. Most of this listen falls into that category, with backing from musicians across the Honeyguide Collective, but a few slow things down to really emphasize Kit’s warm melodic vocals and his gentle guitar work.
Leon Rosewater – “Red Room” [NC alt rock/alt-country]
What an awesome blend of country twang and a rock sound that flirts with grunge and emo. I love the juxtaposition of the distorted guitar tones and ultra-clear acoustic notes. The lyrics here hit hard, especially in the chorus: “Fifty years / there’s got to be more to this / When will I have something / small to call my own?”
Max Jacobson – The Artist’s Guide to Becoming Rich and Famous [Chapel Hill singer-songwriter]
Max manages to channel Billy Strings-level fine guitarwork alongside warm vocal ballads. He saves the best for last with his insightful lyric reflections on the state of our whole wild world.
Nathan Brunson – under standing [Raleigh country folk/Americana]
This debut gathers years of songs about things you have to tilt your head back to see (think stars, trees, birds) and packages them up in a warm folksy sound that could warm you up in the wintertime.
Sham – Sham [Asheville devotional]
What a sound for a record cut live to tape in a Woodfin, NC shed. The production makes every instrument sound divine, from the acoustic folk roots to the bass, flute, clarinet, and oboe arrangements that layer over it all.
Twilark – Never Learned the Tide [Raleigh indie-folk/Americana]
Never Learned The Tide is chamber folk built for quiet, with Canon Pence’s high, heartbroken voice floating over pedal steel, fiddle, accordion, and string-like harmonies. Recorded live in six days in Nashville, every instrument feels placed with care, and the muted banjo and cymbal-light drums leave room for songs like “Oranore” and “Deeper I Fall” to breathe.
Check out our full review from Pamir Kiciman!
Hip-hop/rap, soul, jazz, and funk
Austin Royale – PLAN|A: The Coming Of… (Ego Death) [Durham punk rap]
In a time when it feels like mainstream rap is facing an identity crisis, it’s genuinely refreshing to hear a fresh sound and voice. Listening to Austin Royale doesn’t teleport me to a club, but to a packed basement venue barely holding the floor overhead. His flow is impeccable over instrumentals that ping-pong between hypnotic electronic beats and full-on headbanging punk.
Don’t just take my word for it: go deeper with Charles Morse’s expert analysis at Super Empty.
spirit. – HELP [Charlotte R&B/hip-hop/rap]
On the flipslide but just as refreshing is this project from spirit., dubbed “a last ditch-effort, but became a goal I needed to live for.” He’s vulnerable across what is inherently a batch of sad songs, but his vocals (rap flow and singing) pair perfectly with the slow-tempo R&B, lo-fi piano, and emo guitar work.
Metal and hardcore
Attach – Drought [Wilmington post-hardcore/metalcore]
This EP is like a time capsule from the early 2000s post-hardcore and metal sound, but with the production quality we’ve come to expect genre-wise these days. The band only gets sharper as it goes on, ultimately culminating in a brutal erratic metal finale.
Bible Belt – Demo 2026 [Charlotte hardcore punk]
I’ve been trying to scratch my Every Time I Die itch for years now and Bible Belt has finally done it. The vocals hit just how I like them, the riffs are crushing, and the band doesn’t do “one trick pony” hardcore, as evidenced by the incredible closer “147 Days”. Don’t ignore this band.
CHAINED – I’VE SEEN THE WORLD PROMO ‘26 [Thomasville beatdown hardcore]
These two songs are such an imposing hardcore sound that it almost takes the wind out of you listening to it. (Or maybe that just because I started thrashing along in my kitchen…)
Covenant Eye – WARNING: [Raleigh skramz/hardcore punk]
Chaotically cathartic. Even if you don’t like noisier hardcore, it’s hard to deny how in-sync the band is. It’s like a hurricane where nothing feels out of place.
Dull Appearance – This Part Lasts Forever [Asheville metalcore]
Now that’s what I call a good shredding time! These tracks feel like an ode to the now “throwback” screamo and metalcore of the late ‘90s, with truly sensational riffs throughout.
The Fault Of Man – Hope Will Eat You Alive [Greensboro death metal]
Such an devastasting display of metal heaviness that knows how and when to sprinkle in melodic layers that elevate each song. I fear a mosh pit charged up to these tracks.
Sunyata – Inside My Head [Raleigh hardcore punk]
If you’re going in order (like I usually do), this is a pivot from a streak of metal-forward hardcore and into more Oi!-adjacent territory. Top quality punk at that. Wild how many directions we can go in an effort to bash our bodies together.
Vectors – A Legacy Written [Raleigh deathcore]
Ignore the “deathcore” label and you will see the sheer dynamism Vectors puts on display here. They don’t hit you with just heaviness, but a great mix of high screams and low growls that are punctuated by intense rhythm performances and dueling guitar harmonies.
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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