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 6 to 8 p.m., hosted by Diane. For more music discovery from The Current, watch for Jeffrey Bissoy's The Come-Up, highlighting new local hip-hop and more. Also, each Thursday, The Current's music director Jade picks great new tracks from around the world.

Loki’s Folly

Once a sibling duo and now a sibling trio, Loki’s Folly have recruited their 10-year-old brother, Oskar, to play bass. The young punk-rock group appears sweet and innocent. However, when they start performing – they bite. Lead vocalist Annie sing screams with unapologetic ferocity and might to the heavy beat of drummer Nissa, especially on their latest single “No Right”: What right do you have to look at me / What right do you have to stand near me / What right do you have to mess with me / What right do you have to address me?! Be on the lookout for Loki’s Folly debut LP Sisu this May. - Diane

Why Not

If you’re not ready for it, Why Not’s “Everything So Far” playlist could give you whiplash. Their most recent songs bubble with falsetto, lovely guitars, and the kind of experimental pop that mixer Caleb Hinz has become known for. Further down their discography, math rock and punk take over. Why Not have always written great hooks and clever guitar parts. Now, the band — Henry Breen, Isaac Dell, and Joshua MacGregor — have wrapped their ideas and influences into music you can’t hear anywhere else. Their Very Why Not EP comes out on Jan. 28. - Cecilia Johnson

Bloodline

From the Andrews Sisters to the Jets to Durry, Minnesota loves a family band - and Bloodline are no exception. Siblings Lukaz, Eliza, and Julia Wheaton are based in Cottage Grove; they say their smooth and swirling alt pop R&B reflects “a blend of North and South American influences.” They’ll be at the 7th St Entry on Feb. 16, on a bill that also includes YYY and Tedious & Brief. - Jay Gabler

Tone LaDon

Minneapolis rapper Tone LaDon exudes musicality in his words and rhymes. His flow bounces, grooves and stomps, making him accessible to fans of both old school hip-hop and contemporary R&B/pop. With a youthful-voice tonality similar to emcee Lupe Fiasco, Tone LaDon has also been known for his work with kids. In particular, his single “Healin’ Groove” was a collaboration with Minneapolis School of New Music, dedicated to educating 6th-8th graders on music creativity. His latest single “Handle My Set”, featuring quick/sharp lyrical bars, will be released Jan. 23 and debut on The Local Show. - Diane

Purple Funk Metropolis

Many Minneapolis music fans first met Purple Funk Metropolis as the tight young band in matching silk jackets backing Lady Lark during her latest album cycle. The group - whose name perfectly captures their sound - also make their own music. Their new LP The Golden Goose was recorded in Northeast Minneapolis with Jake Luppen (Hippo Campus) and Caleb Hinz (Happy Children). Most of the album is instrumental, but Sophia Cruz sings on opener “Get Loose” while Luppen takes vocal duties on “Salty” - not that you’d necessarily recognize his highly processed disco falsetto. - Jay Gabler

KKTheInfamou$

Lakee Abner, aka KKTheInfamou$, has been performing music since she joined church choir at 12 years old. Since then, she has gained experience at Bullwinkle’s in Seven Corners, performing covers and originals, and she recently opened for fellow Northside singer Annie Mack at Icehouse. She’ll be at the Driftwood Char Bar this Friday, Jan. 21. - Cecilia Johnson

Hot Freaks

TikTok strikes again. It turns out “kiss me with your eyes closed” is a highly sought-after lyric on the popular social media platform. After nearly seven years of inactivity, Minneapolis’s Hot Freaks discovered their song “Puppy Princess” went viral. The song’s success was enough to help the band sign a record deal with Elektra Records and make a music video for the humorous and fun-loving pop song about an unrequited crush. The band will fully reemerge this year with new music and shows. - Diane

Elle PF

Led by singer/songwriter/producer/multi-instrumentalist Ranelle LaBiche, Minneapolis-based indie rock band Elle PF are releasing their sophomore album, I Woke Up Today Laughing, on Jan. 28. Their peppy lead single “Don’t Think Too Much” offers a deal it’s tempting to accept: “we will be okay/ if we don’t think too much about it.” Labiche is currently living in L.A., where she works as a music therapist and likes to ride her motorcycle through Hollywood. - Jay Gabler

Buffalo Weavers

Way back in Feb. 2020, six musicians piled into Drum Farm Studio in Menomonie, Wis. and tracked a parcel of solemn, grounded songs. Those sessions have become Loving Water, an album that features meditative guitar (Ben Weaver), poignant poetry (Strong Buffalo, a Sissetonwan-Wahpetonwan Dakota Elder), and front-and-center violin (Walker Schweigert) — plus contributions by Mikkel Beckman (Charlie Parr), Liz Draper (Low, Black Blondie), and Siri Undlin (Humbird). Buffalo Weavers opened for Charlie Parr at the Turf Club last Sunday. - Cecilia Johnson

Green/Blue

Jim Blaha has since tamed down from his heavy and fast punk days fronting the Blind Shake. Same goes for Annie Sparrows, known for her work in the Soviettes. The two guitarists pair well in their latest project Green/Blue. Mixing indie, power-pop and a hint of shoegaze, Green/Blue delivers satisfying melodic riffs with just the right amount of rock ‘n’ roll crunch. Chicago’s HoZac Records will release the group’s latest LP “Offering” this January 21, 2022. - Diane