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.

Brotherkenzie

Brotherkenzie (Nathan Stocker) is one of the leading sonic masterminds behind the ever-popular indie-pop group Hippo Campus. As a multi-instrumentalist and producer, he has proven himself to be not only an adept collaborator but also a strong lead. His new solo LP NATHAN is a hyper-rebellious experimental pop record. It’s starkly personal – at times, painfully honest – yet pleasantly melancholic in sound. According to Stocker, what happens “if you turn toward self-loathing”? Answer: Catharsis. -Diane

Little Man

Chris Perricelli, Sean Gilchrist, and John Fields perform rock that drives as hard as the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” as Little Man. The group turns back the clock for a classic rock twist on their newest single “Heartburst.” Using self-expression to rise out of difficult times, the track makes use of the ebb-and-flow, give-and-take, romp-and-stomp that makes good rock music work well -- and to this, the band adds droplets of truth. Recorded and produced by Fields (Soul Asylum, Switchfoot, Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus), the song is a part of a series to be released in the coming months. -Youa Vang

Anju

Have you ever heard a song and imagined the last scene of an epic film? Picture the main character walking away -- leaving us sad, but also hopeful? That’s how “Cicada” feels to me. Released in February by the Minneapolis-based, Indian-born artist Anju, the song captures a night in New York City. It takes us on a detailed journey exploring the beauty of the simple details of life. Maybe it’s the beautiful strings, Anju’s serene vocals, or the combination of it all that make the the song feel simple, yet so grand. -Natalia Toledo

Charlie Bruber

Sonically speaking, the alien-like synths leading into Charlie Bruber’s “Spire” caught my ear first. Released in July, “Spire” as stated on Bandcamp “observes the global reaction to the spire of Notre Dame burning down in 2019,” and was a prelude to what was to come globally shortly after. There is a melancholy that goes along with the groovy bass line, whispery tone, and synths that evokes a really beautiful mix of Isao Tomita, Mac DeMarco, and Toro y Moi. -N.T.

Bad Posture Club

Bad Posture Club make lean, beautiful folk music. Sign me up! Members Maren Day and Morgan Kavanagh will harmonize at a free Mid West Music Fest show in La Crosse, Wis., on Friday, Sept 16. They’ll also open for Jake Blount at the 7th St Entry on Sept. 25. -Cecilia Johnson

Plastik Boxes

Minneapolis-based synth-pop duo Plastik Boxes released their latest project Moments in March. “Nights” is a standout track in a great body of work from Efren Maldonado and Greg Johnson. The chord progressions and heavy reverb brought me right back to listening to Tears for Fears and Pet Shop Boys as a child. But Plastik Boxes bring a modern twist, of course.  “Nights” has an upbeat melody with melancholic lyrics: “These are the nights when the silence screams, these are the times, I'm falling off.” That contrast is what makes Plastik Boxes interesting to me, and I am excited to hear more. -N.T.

Jae Fontane

Jae Fontane has spent the better part of the past few years supporting artists like Ka Lia Universe, but the hip-hop vocalist is finally coming into his own with new work. His latest single, “Lies,” is as exhilarating as driving down a dark road with your headlights off. Bask in the freedom of the vulnerability expressed and don’t be surprised to feel the need to tell all your friends. The song rides swiftly on the energy of its own breathless emotion -- dense, reaching, and alive. -Y.V.

Corey Medina

Guitar-driven roots rock has staying power, especially among live music enthusiasts. But finding just the right artist can be a hunt. The tone, the voice, and the riffs need to glow. Look no further than Corey Medina, whose vocal and instrumental prowess is strong enough to put listeners in a spell. Fans of the Black Keys, Shakey Graves, or Jonny Lang may especially enjoy this locally based Navajo artist. His new LP, SOAK, is irresistibly growly, bluesy and groovy. Medina recently performed in front of thousands at the Water is Life Festival in Duluth and two evenings at Schell’s Amphitheater at the Minnesota State Fair. -Diane

Colin Bracewell

Colin Bracewell is blossoming in the Twin Cities music scene. The vocal performance and marketing major at the University of Minnesota recently received the Live Nation And Music Forward Scholarship. The award goes to students with a “demonstrated commitment to the entertainment industry.” Bracewell’s heart-on-your-sleeve indie-pop music is rich in gleeful melody, emotional lyricism and playful instrumentation – particularly exemplified in his catchy 2022 singles “Making Me Crazy” and “Slopes.” -Diane 

Lena Elizabeth

Lena Elizabeth’s first new work in four years, “Row,” ushers in the beginnings of spooky season. The song is as haunting as an Edgar Allen Poe poem, with singing of working through lost love. As she sings, “And you told me dear/ that you would never stray/ but then where/ baby where've you been these days,” her voice rises into the rafters of a space where pain lingers. Its raw, powerful, and ethereal sounds are caressed by lyricism both gentle in intent and ruthless in execution. -Y.V.