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 9 p.m., hosted by Diane, or check out our Spotify playlist, updated every week. In April 2025, The Current compiled the second Minnesota Music Month Scouting Report with votes from the local music industry.

To vote in the 2026 Minnesota Music Month Scouting report, fill out a ballot here.

The Rumors

In February, local musicians Anna Devine (who is a Scouting Report contributor), Ryan Kemp of Chutes, and Jonny “Darko” Fuller came together to oversee a compilation album called Melt ICE, which includes music from 110 Minnesota musicians. Minnesota Artists United Against ICE’s project is raising funds for Minnesota families impacted by local operations by ICE. One of the songs on the compilation is called “Speedboat” from the Rumors, formerly known as Orlando and the Rumors. The two founding members of the band met on the Burnsville High School freshman football team and have since grown their band into a 13-member collective. Their sound has been described as genre-blending, which is true. It’s fresh, unique, and just plain awesome. Their next show will be at Green Room with Dilly Dally Alley, Juice Lord, and Charlieboy, on Friday, March 20. -NT

Agony in the Living Room

Agony in the Living Room is an alt-rock band that made its debut with the Walkthrough! EP in 2025. On the shoegaze-infused single, “Can’t Help Myself,” members John Michels (vocals/rhythm guitar), Max Mueller (bass guitar), John Page (lead guitar), Benen Sego (keyboard), and Liam Wallace (drums) incorporate distorted strings and echoing vocals that make them sound like they’re inside a world of their own. The gloom in Michels’ voice when posing the question, “Why do you wait for so long?” begins the melancholy song on a despondent note. Just like the emotion, the dense production never lets up. -MR

Spaceport

Spaceport is a three-piece band of good friends creating indie rock inspired by nature. Vocalist and songwriter Arianna Wegley’s soothing voice, combined with mesmerizing slide guitar tones, creates a dreamy soundscape on “Lungs,” a “partly cloudy reflection on death” according to the band. Their new album, Cut the Lake, was recorded at the iconic Pachyderm Studios located in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, and is set to release on April 3. For fans of: Angel Olsen, Mitski, Slowdive. -AD

LET JOY

Producer and musician Obahiah Mainia, who goes by LET JOY, blends minimal, softly whispered vocals and jazzy electronics to create smooth dance music on the recently released song, “Fifth Element.” Zip-zagged synthesizers open the track, which is accompanied by the airy, soulful “Better” on the two-track release titled Same Time? “This album is a snapshot,” he writes about the four-minute project, perhaps hinting that more music is on the way. Mainia’s debut singles, released last year, play with autotuned vocals, hyper-pop (on the gentler side), and R&B, so LET JOY’s defining sound seems to be in the works. -MR

aibai & vinny

Aibai Tarrant and Vinny Franco make up indie-folk duo aibai & vinny, who released their self-titled debut EP in 2025. Their sound is very dreamy, lush, and nostalgic on “open space,” a song from their self-titled EP released in mid-February. aibai has since relocated nearby to Milwaukee, but the two continue to collaborate frequently. They recently released a single on their Bandcamp to raise funds for organizations supporting immigrant communities in Minneapolis. Stay up to date by following their Instagram. -NT

Bird Hotel

Frequent local music scene showgoers might recognize Bird Hotel frontman Abe Anderson’s name. The drummer/guitarist/bassist/vocalist plays with bands like Fend, Keep for Cheap, Kate Malanaphy, and Father Melissa (and formerly Niiice, Thank You, I’m Sorry, etc.) and produces for many others. His self-titled debut EP rocks with heavy basslines and lighthearted pop-punk energy, often letting percussion lead the way. On the Melt ICE mixtape, Anderson continues a vibrant streak with “Pine Bend,” a song that quickly jumps into a buoyant vibe and makes guitar strings themselves sound exciting. -MR

AP Lit Class

AP Lit Class is a producer, emcee, and engineer based in Minneapolis. He recently released a project called The Future Is Now…THX, featuring artists like KPW, EL Figaro, Omar Abdulkarim, Aja Darrah, among others. The production has a laid-back, ‘90s boom bap feel. Though you may not find too much on AP Lit Class on social media, he has a strong connection out in community. Check him out on Instagram for all AP Lit Class updates. -NT

Bethany Larson and the Bee’s Knees

Bethany Larson and the Bee’s Knees have returned with an Americana/old school country tune, “Deep Dark Water.” From their upcoming album, Love & Lust & Settled Dust, “Deep” is built on shimmering guitars and a driving rhythm. The song captures the uneasy feeling of trying to hold yourself together while everything moves too fast. Larson’s vulnerable vocals float over layered instrumentation. The chorus hits with an immediacy, the kind that begs for a festival sing-along. “Deep Dark Water” balances melancholy and optimism beautifully, proving why Larson and the Bee’s Knees are so adept at crafting poignant tunes. -YV

Sparrowhawk

“Underneath the Moonlight” is an irresistibly nostalgic and thrillingly raw new track by Minneapolis rockers Sparrowhawk. With towering twin guitars and swaggering rhythms rolled in the grit of classic ‘70s rock, this short-but-striking song showcases a band confident in both punchy hooks and expansive storytelling. Such abundant punk energy and glam-rock expressiveness nod to bold things ahead for the March 20 release of Sunflowers in the Moonlight, the group’s sophomore album. Both playful and fierce, Sparrowhawk is for fans of power pop and bar-band bravado. -YV

Elijah Herchert

Twin Cities-based Elijah Herchert’s new song “Villager” is also part of the Melt ICE compilation album. (Disclosure: I helped compile this album, but didn’t play on this particular song.) “I had so many strong feelings regarding the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and it felt important that I put it into words,” says Herchert. Powerful lyrics include: “They’re making martyrs / it’s a public sacrifice / are you still complacent?” The melancholic slide guitar pairs well with the heartfelt lyrics. The track also features fellow local musicians Soren Burkum (drums) and Eli Orion (strings), who added delicate arrangements that make the song glow. -AD