Sometimes Duluth feels very far away. Unless bands from the area are playing regularly in the Twin Cities, it's typical for some of the brightest acts from the North Shore to get overlooked. Last year, we got a ton of tips regarding musicians producing incredible work just a few hours from The Current's home-base. One of the bands we heard most often was Southwire, and we have a feeling that Minnesota is going to be talking a lot about them this year.

Jerree Small, Ben Larson, Matt Mobley and Sean Elmquist have created a gorgeous blend of folk and heavy atmospherics, with Small's and Larson's lyrics bouncing off of one another with ease, especially on standout track "God."

Their debut album is out March 5 on Chaperone Records.

Songs performed: "God," "Gone Astray" and "Time Bomb"