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 2026, The Current compiled the third Minnesota Music Month Scouting Report with votes from the local music industry.

I Will Die In This Jean Jacket

I Will Die In This Jean Jacket is the new gloom-punk project from Minneapolis’ Jim Blaha (The Blind Shake, Green/Blue). The debut album, Hang From a Cloud, is set to be released Friday, August 21 on Swami Records, and the entire project is analog, recorded onto a 1/4-inch tape machine. In our current era of digital-everything and AI music, it is refreshing to hear. According to Blaha on an Instagram post, “I’ve been toeing the line between solitude and isolate for the past 3.5 years…it’s basically me trying to mix my moods onto cassette tape. I also have been trying to create the nostalgia I feel for mixtapes a friend used to make me back in my skateboarding days!” The first single “Too Bright” does just that. It is catchy and it captures a sense of nostalgia that many are reaching for in these times. -NT

The Real Chuck NORAD

The Real Chuck NORAD have released their debut EP, Circuit, with a lo-fi psychedelic title track that feels like midnight at a dimly lit cocktail bar. The Minneapolis band combines deep trombone and tenor saxophone with light cymbal taps to create a dark, seductive cinematic mood. “A flush to my cheeks and these cold, cold feet / I guess I need your body for heat, I need your body,” Jenna Wyse sings breathily. The EP continues on a more uplifting note with playful bongos and tambourine. The Real Chuck NORAD play at Pimento on the Lake in Minneapolis on Friday, Aug. 7. -MR

Abalone

A new trio has popped onto the Minneapolis music scene. Elliet Tomlinson, Owen Busselberg, and Dane Raarup make up Abalone. The band’s first release, “know you well / paywall,” is a double single that’s part alt-rock, part trip-hop, and part electronic. On “know you well,” layers of electronic sounds sputter, fade, and drift. Vocals on “paywall” are heavily modulated. Both include glitchy synth melodies and brief flares of distortion, yet drums hold down the rock component. The debut is an adventurous flex, and on Instagram, the band hints that more music is in the works. -MR

Mindset & MimeticGoblin

Jazzy piano opens the new single from Minneapolis singer/songwriter Patti DeMay (AKA MimeticGoblin). “Proximity,” which follows the January release of a debut EP, builds with electronic drum punches from Tom Dickerson (AKA Mindset) who developed all instrumentation. The tense, repeated question, “Why won’t you release me?” climaxes with fuzzy distortion. An upbeat bass beat jumps into the mix to give way to a full-on dance track in which the singer works through the anguish between the thoughts, “I don’t even know you / But I know that I love you” and “You don’t want me for my love / You just want my touch.” By the time the song ends, it’s hard to remember that it began as a ballad. -MR

JD Mic

JD Mic, real name Jordan Mckinley, is a singer-songwriter and musician based in the Twin Cities. He has been releasing self-produced music for about 6 years, exploring genres between rock, R&B, hip-hop and pop, and playing guitar, piano and electric bass. His latest single “Too Hard to Love” is a cool mix of melancholy indie-rock with a soulful twist. Follow JD Mic on Instagram for updates on any future releases. -NT

Austin Holiday

Formerly known as Demon Marcus, Austin Holiday recently collaborated with local hip-hop artist Student 1 on the song “kevinkevinkevin,” adding funky vocals to an otherwise very laid-back track. Now, the Minneapolis-based artist returns as Austin Holiday with a brand-new single “Labyrinth of Love.” The track has a synth-heavy, 80s new wave vibe where Holiday can let his soulful voice shine. This seems to be the beginning of a new era for Austin Holiday, and we can’t wait to hear what’s next. Give him a follow on Instagram for updates. -NT

Maura Dunst

Sheryl Crow’s 1993 original version of this song faced vulnerability with a polished roots-rock swagger. On this track from an EP of covers of Crow, Bruce Springsteen, R.E.M., Brandi Carlile, and Hozier, the Foxgloves member Maura Dunst strips away that radio gloss, leaving only a quiet, bruised frame. Accompanied by minimal acoustic backing, Dunst’s voice carries the weight of genuine sorrow, turning the song's famous questions of emotional endurance into a fragile, late-night confession. Every pause feels heavy with longing and quiet desperation. Rather than trying to out-sing the classic, Dunst simply sits in its pain, delivering a cover that feels deeply personal, deeply tired, and impossible to turn away from. -YV

Zaq Baker

Zaq Baker steps back from his usual hyperactive synthpop on "Peonies," and opts for a far quieter arrangement that lets the songwriting breathe. The track is a slow release of tension built over years of bruised optimism. Baker sings about the quiet relief of finally dropping your guard around someone who makes the world feel slightly less hostile. His earnest piano-pop instincts keep the track grounded, capturing that brief, unspoken shift when trusting another person stops feeling like a gamble and starts feeling like a safe place to land. The Zaq Baker Team will celebrate the release of Your Heart Will Thank You on Friday, Aug. 1, at Pilllar Forum in Minneapolis -YV

Raymnd

Raymnd is a dream pop artist whose music blends indie and folk influences with shimmering guitars and memorable melodies. Raised in the Minneapolis suburbs, he grew up listening to artists like The Beach Boys and The Beatles, whose melodic sensibilities continue to shine through in his sound. His song "Eureka Rd." is a warm, nostalgic track featuring soft harmonies and vivid lyrical imagery that captures the quiet beauty of a snowy evening. Though he only began releasing music two years ago, Raymnd has already built an impressive catalog of albums, EPs, and singles. -AD

Zoe Grigsby

Minneapolis-based folk singer-songwriter Zoe Grigsby weaves intricate classical guitar melodies with heartfelt, introspective lyrics. Her debut EP, A Piece of Me, showcases her thoughtful songwriting, with all Bandcamp proceeds benefiting the Minneapolis human rights organization Until We Are All Free. Fans of Haley Heynderickx and Joni Mitchell may enjoy Zoe Grigsby’s music. Her next show is Aug. 12 at Underground Music Cafe in Minneapolis. -AD