Welcome to The Scouting Report, a monthly list of 10 Minnesota artists with exciting new projects, as curated by our local music team. If you like these picks, check out The Local Show on Sundays from 7 p.m. to midnight, hosted by Diane, or check out our Spotify playlist, updated every week. In April 2024, The Current compiled the first Minnesota Music Month Scouting Report with votes from the local music industry.

juunni

“Can we spit pop music in your mouth and vibrate our larynx in your ear hole?” asks new electronica duo juunni. Having already developed a devout following, juunni secured one of their very first shows at Icehouse alongside Minnesota heroes Alan Sparhawk and Hippo Campus’s Whistler Isaiah. Their new single “new york is underwater” sounds like a glitchier, more erratic Charli XCX meets Dorian Electra. While the music is highly digital, project-mates Ezekiella and Yvonne Mont Martin created it in an off-grid school bus studio in rural Maryland during the pandemic. Expect more new music on the way.  -Diane

League Two

Heralded by Atwood Magazine as “a refreshing boost of Midwestern adrenaline,” and “a wily, raucous outpouring of angst filtered through a buoyant indie rock lens,” League Two puts on a live show you can’t take your eyes off of. Formerly known as Present Company, the band features Eddie Chisham (lead vocals, guitar, synth), Berin Joseph (drums, vocals, guitar), Seth Lemmon (guitar, vocals), and Dain August (bass, vocals). Their unique sound is infused with ‘80s synths and catchy indie melodies, which fans of Talking Heads will likely enjoy. Their recent single, “People Pleaser,” playfully incorporates guitar riffs that bounce off each other, bridged by soaring vocals. The band is celebrating their EP release with a show on Saturday, Feb. 8, at Aster Cafe in Minneapolis, with support from Tewks. -AD

Trench Size Trio

The friendship of Tom Reichert and Joey Van Phillips spans more than a decade and the two, along with Jim Anton, have distilled their combined years of music knowledge into a new project, Trench Size Trio. “Jiggle the Handle” is an instrumental jazz title track from a new EP. Smooth and heavy on the low end, the song is a culmination of musical passion and improvised composition to create a fusion of fresh energy.  The trio will premiere their EP on Saturday, Feb. 8, at Berlin in Minneapolis’ North Loop. -YV

room3

Discovering the world of room3 is like watching a Miyazaki film for the first time. Sonically, it’s an unexpected adventure with many infectious layers. The band is named after the spac where they met: jazz rehearsal room 3 at the University of Minnesota. “Moqueca” is the first of three singles arriving before their full-length album drops in April. “Moqueca” features RAWTWHYLAH on drums, Eli Awada on keys, Jovon Williams on saxophone, Beck Schacht on bass, Desmond Teague on flute, and Evan Espinoza Robles on percussion. On Jan. 31, room3 performed at First Avenue’s Best New Bands of 2024 event. -NT

afters

Followers of idiosyncratic indie pop should check out afters. Inspired by acts such as Lana Del Rey and Black Country, New Road, the Minneapolis-based group’s earnest storytelling and rich soundscapes explore themes such as finding oneself and a loss of innocence. The meditative “EVERYTHING WAS BEAUTIFUL,” the title track of their recent album, blends frontwoman Megan Rose’s dreamy vocals, deep synth swells, and ambient soundscapes of party chatter. The musically varied album moves between dark, smooth tones to bouncy, bright melodies. -AD

Samia

Samia is officially a Minnesotan — with special thanks to noteworthy collaborators Jake Lupin, Raffaella, and Caleb Wright. The Los Angeles-born singer/songwriter gained popularity on The Current in 2023 with her refreshingly intimate pop single “Honey.”  Samia’s latest release, “Bovine Excision,” equates a bloodless, surgical phenomenon to her pursuit of the impossible. “I noticed a pattern in my life of wanting to live up to the person I became in someone’s head; you become a lot bigger with distance,” she says. Fans of Phoebe Bridgers’ record Stranger in the Alps may especially dig the track’s minimal, yet spellbinding, aesthetic. Samia’s new album, Bloodless, is set to drop April 25. -Diane

The Dregs

Eilif Dregni, the poet behind the Dregs, draws inspiration from time working at the Riverview Theater in Minneapolis and its retro aura. Their self-titled record captures the feeling of roaming the city at night under glowing neon lights. Eilif grew up listening to doo-wop, and its influence is evident in their fresh sound that incorporates jazzy rhythms and grunge guitar tones. The Dregs, Eifif and brother Otto, truly love Minneapolis and its community of artists. -AD

Vicious Vicious 

Jangly, bright guitars lead Vicious Vicious’ first new music in three years. Erik Appelwick has constantly reinvented himself — playing bass in Tapes n’ Tapes, and releasing work under monikers including Tropical Depression, Citrine, and Monolux — but his work as Vicious Vicious constantly delivers wonderfully catchy chords and melodies. His carefree electro–pop rock sound draws from disco, house, soul, funk, indie, and pop. “Last of the Magicians” is a danceable tune, weaving in the band’s electric performances, condensed into three and a half minutes of bliss. A new full-length album, I Think We’ve Got a Situation, is expected on Tuesday, Feb. 11. -YV

wolfbabycup

Ethereal and dreamy Minneapolis synth-pop duo wolfbabycup includes Wendy on vocals and Jerry on keyboards. Their single “soju” was written during a shared experience featuring soju consumption and contemplation of the afterlife. They considered how we hold on to each other and music’s role in daily life. “Maybe it's in the notes of a song radiating across the airwaves, resonating into eternity in the darkness of space … somewhere we’re still holding on.” Catch wolfcupbaby at the Underground Music Venue on Friday, Feb. 7. -NT

Mineral Man

Mineral Man have consistently released music throughout 2024, including a self-titled album. A song that caught our ear is “Storybook.” There was also a live album, Live at Aster Café, and a recent single called “Your Heart.” Guitarist and singer Henry Saarinen, the person behind Mineral Man, moved to Brooklyn last year but still collaborates frequently with Minneapolis-based drummer Alex Guzman. The current performing band consists of Saarinen, Joshia Mastuscello on drums/violin, Ethan Gifford on bass, Gianni Chiloro on bass/guitar, and Sam Dwyer on guitar. -NT