Austin-based producer, composer, and pianist (and Black Pumas keyboardist) JaRon Marshall blends jazz with R&B and hip-hop. Following his debut album earth sounds in 2023, he launched his first international solo tour, performing at festivals such as the Montreal International Jazz Festival, Winter Jazz Fest NYC, SXSW, and LEVITATION/Austin Psych Fest, while also opening for artists like Vieux Farka Touré and Tigran Hamasyan. Marshall’s work has been featured in US and international publicatsions such as NPR, BET, Tsugi, TSF Jazz, and CLASH Magazine as well as right here on KUTX as the creator of music beds. A new release and UK/EU tour is coming this Fall.

In recent interviews, the Cork, Ireland group Cardinals spend time saying what they’re not – the latest post-punk Fontaines phenomenon – without a lot of articulating what they actually are. So it goes with a lot of young bands. With one EP and few singles to their name. They’re still figuring things out. Cardinals are bursting with talent, and while they lean into actual singing and melodies, their noisy guitar underpinnings make them sound, well, a bit post-punk. It’s easy to understand why Fontaines‘ Grian Chatten calls them his new favorite band. Singer Euan Manning commands their material, and they’re not afraid to go quiet at times, even a bit vulnerable. The six minute “If I Could Make You Care” shows this, moving from a whisper to a howl: “If I could make you care / Or run my fingers through your hair / Or tell you how it feels / I wouldn’t dare.”

– Jeff McCord

Jamaica-reared and Canada-based MC, King Cruff, was born Solomon Marley-Spence. And before you read any further, yes, he’s Bob’s grandson, and part of the large, and ever-growing Marley dynasty. Now that that bit of hard-hitting music journalism’s out of the way, we can talk about King Cruff, who has resolutely blazed his own path under the King Cruff moniker with a blend of dancehall reggae, pop and contemporary afrobeat on his recent debut EP, What Have I ‘Don. Montreal-based production duo Banx & Ranx lend a hand on standouts like the dancehall banger “EASY!” as well as the dreamy, pop-inflected closer “WAY WE KNOW.” King Cruff may come from a famous family, but he chose his name just like he’s choosing his own creative road forward.

– Paul Carrubba

Chaparelle, the Texas supergroup of Zella Day, Jesse Woods, and prolific producer-composer-multi-instrumentalist Beau Bedford bring a lifetime of country music experience that, when combined, authentically encapsulates the classic midcentury sound that so many of us miss hearing on the airwaves. Based on the level of polish we’ve heard, we already see Chaparelle as a champion of twang made in and for the Lone Star State. And we’re bettin’ they’re gonna go a lot further than that after the release of their debut LP on Mom + Pop Records this year.

– Jack Anderson

Chaparelle at ACL Fest 2024

Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, and raised in Los Angeles, the 23 year old singer/songwriter Edgar Alejandro blends Mariachi with Jazz, Bossa Nova, and Salsa. Coming from a family of mariachis, he began composing at 13 and launched his music project in 2021. Skilled in guitar, vihuela, trumpet, bass, and piano, in 2024 he sold out shows in Los Angeles and San Francisco, leading to his first U.S. tour with Live Nation. His music went viral on TikTok and accumulating 3 million+ streams. Alejandro will be back in ATX for the Besame Mucho Fest on April 5.

Our February 2025 KUTX Artist of the Month, Anastasia Hera, released her wide-ranging and ambitious album, Way Outside, at the end of 2024. Hera’s recording and stage shows have earned her many raves (from the Austin Music Foundation, Sonic Guild and others), but her work is also multi-faceted. Despite the challenges of being a single mom, she has also built up her non-profit organization CAKE (Creativity Abundance Knowledge Elevation), guiding and educating other women looking for careers in music. And a few years back, she launched her own brand of rum, HERA.

Anastasia Hera in Studio 1A

Sofie Fatouretchi Royer, aka Sofie Royer, is an Austrian-Iranian musician and producer. She guested on Lewis Of Man’s latest record Cristal Medium Blue, on Toro Y Moi’s album MAHAL, and recently opened for Lana Del Rey, Air and LCD Soundsystem. Sofie’s third album, Young-Girl Forever, was released in November 2024 on Stones Throw Records.

Freak Slug, the alias of Xenya Genovese, originally a painter and visual artist, emerged with the 2020 EP Videos, featuring the viral hit “Radio” (15M+ streams). The Manchester England musician released her debut album, I Blow Out Big Candles, this past November on Future Classics. Influenced by ‘90s acts like Ride, Mazzy Star, and Stephen Malkmus, Freak Slug focuses on mood and raw self-expression, blending nostalgia, dreamy textures, and experimental elements, reaching beyond her lo-fi production to explore a more widescreen canvas.

Grace Sorensen is quickly becoming an integral part of Austin’s R&B and rap scenes. That’s her voice all over BLK ODYSSY’s phenomenal album BLK VINTAGE, and a recent single featured Austin rap heroes Magna Carda for some guest verses. Last year, she opened for Diana Ross—a crowning achievement for the young singer and for the city as a whole. Sorensen steps into 2025 with a handful of new singles destined for her debut album, Blueprint, due out on February 28, 2025, just weeks before her official SXSW showcase.

Grace Sorenson at ACL Fest 2023

Hailing from Down Under, Delivery began crafting whimsical garage punk in 2020 when couple Rebecca Allan and James Lynch teamed up with a few friends from Melbourne’s deep pool of local rock bands, eventually releasing their punchy debut album, Forever Giving Handshakes, in 2022. Now, the band is back with an even harder-hitting new record, Force Majeure, released at the beginning of this year on the UK’s Heavenly Recordings.

Los Eclipses is a Franco-Mexican duo of French singer Eva de Marce and Mexican musician/producer Dan Solo. Their contrasting styles blend light and dark, melancholy and euphoria. In just a year, they have gained attention from audiences and media, performing at festivals and clubs in Mexico alongside Röyksopp, La Femme, Polo & Pan, and more. The debut album Eden Sauvange was released November 29, 2024 and our KUTX Live at Scholz booker Deidre Gott recommends putting this album on and getting real high (on life, of course).

Chinese American Bear is a quirky, mando pop/synth pop duo based in Seattle, WA creating fun & eclectic bilingual English/Chinese ear candy. Composed of Anne Tong and Bryce Barsten, the couple creates groovy, and “not too serious, food loving” tunes in their home studio together and have been described as a mix of Melody’s Echo Chamber, The Flaming Lips, Dusty Springfield, and The Care Bears. Chinese American Bear’s sophomore album, Wah!!!, dropped this past October via Moshi Moshi & Modern Sky China and exposes new listeners to Chinese flavors in their indie pop delicacy. 

Somebody Someone is an alt-pop artist based in Austin, TX. Their songs invite listeners to ponder identity, belonging, and the fluidity of reality — or just get hooked on a perfect pop chorus.

American Songwriter premiered their debut track, “Better”, calling it “spellbinding” and “riveting.” “With an entrance like their single and video for ‘Better,’ Somebody Someone is well on their way to building a name for themselves,” declared Ghettoblaster. New Noise called it “a stunning yet subtle piano ballad that’s notable for its raw emotion and powerful vocal performance.”

Anouska Sokolow and her band Honeyglaze spring from the versatile and fertile South London music scene. At first glance another indie rock guitar trio, Honeyglaze seems to buck the scene’s innovations. Yet Sokolow is one of those rare prodigies. Climbing out of adolescence, their second album, Real Deal, reflects unease and an unsettled existence. Emphatic and plain spoken, Sokolow’s work on “TMJ”, “Safety Pins” and the album’s showstopper, “Don’t”, show a brittle and acute self-awareness, and her brilliantly askew guitar work provides all the needed punctuation.

– Jeff McCord

Frankie and the Witch Fingers are a psych-punk rock band based in Los Angeles known for their high-energy and frenetic performances. Fueled by relentless global touring and a fierce DIY ethos, the band has shared stages with OFF!, Ty Segall, Oh Sees, Cheap Trick, and ZZ Top. A new album is set for release this year via Greenway Records and The Reverberation Appreciation Society and will be announced March 11.

Antony Szmierek cut his teeth on the Manchester spoken word scene and gained notoriety for his seamless flow of contemporary British life, to finding the unexpected beauty in the everyday. It was the 2023 release of his single The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Fallacy that kicked off his meteoric ascent. Set against the backdrop of a pounding kick drum and club-ready synths, Szmierek lets loose a stream of consciousness that lays out his vision of musical vulnerability and communal escapism. His dancefloor-focused debut album, Service Station at the End of the Universe is set for release 28th Feb 2025, where Szmierek cements his sound as one that is distinctly his own.