The Lamb’s Ones to Watch 2023

WNSM was founded on the groundwork of a few long-standing truths, one being a fact many of us embody but few publicly admit: discovering a musician before the world does is one of the most satisfying and thrilling experiences we can have in this bankrupt, copy-and-pasted hellscape. Knowing, supporting, and listening to an artist before they blow up is an express ticket to a sonic superiority complex, and at WNSM, we embrace that experience. But don’t fret, we aren’t gatekeepers – we firmly believe in sharing the wealth (get used to the communist ideology, we are a liberal arts school after all).

We asked WNSM members and The Lamb writers to share the artists on their radars for 2023, artists you probably don’t know now, but should listen to before they get all big and popular and dare we say, maybe even forget their roots. So go forth, read, listen, and absorb the greatness before the catchiest 10-seconds of these songs become so overplayed on TikTok that you consider throwing your phone into the East River. Just don’t forget who did the legwork to find you the good stuff.

Margaritas Podridas

Carolina and Esli, the bassist/singer and guitarist, respectively, of Hermosillo grunge band Margaritas Podridas, thrash on stage in little velvet frocks with frilly gossamer trim like exorcized porcelain dolls. They evoke the twins from The Shining, if the cult horror flick was written by Courtney Love in 1994 Seattle, and they rocked harder than the dive bar stage I saw them play could handle. Floating somewhere between doom and gloom, the four-piece group has harnessed the snarling electricity of female rage and channeled it into a no-skips discography of riot grrrl anthems and spectral, shoegaze-y hymns. My pagan intuition whispers their inevitable success, but I hold them close to my blackened heart for now. -Bella Savignano

Listen to: Dysmorphia, Cock Diesel, and Pétalos Mordidos / Keep up with them on Instagram and listen on Spotify.

Crowboy

Crowboy is a rapper based in Chicago putting goofy lyrics over electronic trap production. With each release his style gets more defined. He combines trap with hyperpop sounds and internet sound effects. He relentlessly makes song after song and performs with whatever equipment he can find. Known to play his beats from a bluetooth speaker and scream the lyrics at parking lot concerts. He has a definitive crow sound so you know you’re listening to Crowboy. In an interview he said he “doesn’t listen to any music without autotune, it just doesn’t sound right.” From Who Invited Crowboy? to The Legend of The Sablefish, Crowboy’s music is very diverse in its sound, including both trap bangers and chill lofi beats. -James McGough

Listen to: Kickin’ it, Dennis Rodman, and what’s the word? (prefer) / Keep up with them on Instagram and listen on Spotify.

Strawberry Fuzz

Playing shows out of Venice, California, Strawberry Fuzz took over the Cali coast rocking to stories of parties, drugs, sex, and beach living. Their debut album Fuzz Tapes, Vol 1 is the real life soundtrack to the aftermath of the best trashy beach day. If god had the world’s aux chord, Fuzz Tapes would be playing out of the clouds while you wake up covered in sand, with two different shoes, and a random girl you have never seen before, in dire need of some tea and a shower. Their second album just came out this year with some more hardcore vibes than their original tracks, Strong Dr. is a punk soundtrack laced with aggravated sentiments of all the moments in your daily life that just piss u the fuck off. ie running out of beer after the liquor store closed early, having a fresh pack of cigs with no lighter, or wasting time with a bunch of people who have absolutely nothing to say. This album, when played at cochlear-altering volumes, is guaranteed to let all your frustrations out. Inspired by The Doors, Elvis, Germs, and The Pixies, Strawberry Fuzz oozes the energy of slutty man music and will be the only band I’m listening to this year. -Jac Clayton

Listen to: Where Have You Been Fuck, No Lighter, and Disco Crawl / Keep up with them on Instagram and listen on Spotify.

Bachelor

Melina Duterte and Ellen Kempner on a double billing, Duterte as “Jay Som” and Kempner with her band Palehound. Finding themselves compatible as people and sounds, Bachelor marks their musical collaboration, as a band and a friendship. Their sound nods to breathy 90s pop, but with subject matter speaking to the increasingly heavy themes weighing on today’s youth, from queerness to climate change. Their debut EP Doomin Sun was inspired by the red skies from wildfires around them, and each song threatens to erupt from whispers to screams at any chorus. This music is not escapism, but an indication of how beautifully the pain of everything from pretending not to still love someone to the uncertainty of the planet’s life itself can be woven into the future of music. A testament to this innovation, the band’s first live concert will be a livestream concert in June called “Doomin’ Sun Fest”. -Lily-Rose Voelkel

Listen to: Stay in the Car, Sick of Spiraling, Anything at All / Keep up with them on Instagram and listen on Spotify.

Kingfisher

Kingfisher’s debut album Grip Your Fist, I’m Heaven Bound is exactly what you’d expect from the title. This ten-song album is 35 minutes and 55 seconds of what I’d describe as a spiritual experience. The first time I heard Snowing, all at once, I initially wasn’t paying attention to what was playing, but I’m pretty sure I said “oh shit” out loud as soon as I realized the genius emanating from my speaker. Kingfisher sets the bar high for the universal experience of saying “let’s start a band” to your friends, but of course we can’t all be jazz majors at UMich. The talent extends beyond the instrumental and into their production style, where tiny details add up to form a key component of this band's sound (shoutout Regulate, the sample of Aretha Franklin’s Day Dreaming made me want to cry tears of joy). This album is best experienced high off your ass, lying face up, with eyes closed on the floor (headphones recommended). -Lucia Betelu

Listen to: Regulate, Annie, and Snowing, all at once / Keep up with them on Instagram and listen on Spotify.

GIFT

Historically, psychedelic music has lacked strong sonic guidelines, usually just being chalked up to any sound that could be a fitting accoutrement to tripping balls, another layer of sensory to aid in one’s excursion to psychotropic-induced nirvana. Though GIFT’s music could be the soundtrack to your hallucinogenic odyssey, it’s just as good without impairment, which is more than I can say for most of the Kevin Parker-pilled blather that's come out of Brooklyn basements in the decade since Lonerism. 2022’s Momentary Presence is a commanding debut, boasting a strong effusion of Eastern spirituality, a healthy dose of velvety synths and wailing guitars, and a diverse lineup of inspirations, from Todd Rundgren to Travis Scott. With a packed calendar, including a tour of Europe slated for this Spring, GIFT’s momentary presence is destined to make a major impression. -Bella Savignano

Listen to: Lost for You, Gumball Garden, Pinkhouse Secret Rave / Keep up with them on Instagram and listen on Spotify.

Friko

In the beginning of 2022, a Chicago indie band under the name Friko released Whenever Forever, a five song EP. Niko Kapetan, Friko’s lead singer, knows exactly how to push boundaries in terms of emotion with his vocals. Every song sounds like the most tear jerking, heart wrenching piece of work put out right now — if someone knows how to create a true (and more importantly, real) love song, it’s Friko. Each song has this unique ability of switching between a sort of sweetness and a more sorrowful tone until the very end of each track. The whole EP really encompasses a batch of emotions that almost feel difficult to explain but you know when you’ve felt them. A final thought, something that convinced me this band is “one to watch” is the daringness of using string instruments. I wholeheartedly believe bands who are able to incorporate orchestral instruments are bound to be successful. -Kelly Woodyard

Listen to: Can I See U Again, Repeat Yourself, and Get Numb To It! / Keep up with them on Instagram and listen on Spotify.

Estyr

Lush vocals and ambient guitar blend together to create the esoteric and (self-described) alt-R&B sound of Estyr, a Finnish-Singaporean indie singer with a 2021 EP entitled All Tied Up. Her layered vocals create folk-like harmonies of heartbreak, her upbringing, and femininity. In the few singles and solo EP released, she has found the perfect level between melancholy and joy, indie and rock. She also co-founded the indie-experimental band Tiger Balme, though her solo stuff packs a punch all on its own. Her incredible vocals, detailed storytelling, and relatable topics make her 11 minute EP easily repeatable, especially knowing she pulled inspiration from another fav, Weyes Blood. She recently celebrated the Lunar New Year with an Instagram cover of the Mandarin song ​​”Gong Xi Gong Xi” done in the style of Canadian indie band Men I Trust. Truly, what can’t she do?  -Anna Forst

Listen to: Human Alchemy, Toll on Me, High on a Feeling / Keep up with them on Instagram and listen on Spotify.

Aman

Colin Levine, known musically as Aman, is a rapper, songwriter, and first year student at The New School. He is originally from Los Angeles, California, specifically the Leimert Park area, and has been making music for nearly six years. When asked what inspires his music, he explains, “I would say where I’m from definitely inspires my music and my feelings themselves. Like things I’ve gone through, and just where I want to be in life.” Aman has released two albums, leftovers and AMAQU, both of which were released in 2022. He created his most recent album, AMAQU, over the span of just two months in his dorm room studio, and says that “Back in Hell” is his favorite song. Keep a lookout for his upcoming show in February and an exciting new album. -Sophia Medley

Listen to: Morning Dew, lil something, and ocean / Listen on Spotify.

Knifeplay

Photo by Marcus Maddox

TJ Strohmer (vocal and guitarist) is the mastermind behind the detached emotional shoegaze the now-full band creates. Accompanied by Alex Stackhouse (bass), Max Black (piano & synth), Johnny Klein (lead guitar), Johanna Baumann (guitar & vocals), and John Sciortino (percussion), Knifeplay was born, focusing lyrically on themes of darkness in many aspects of life, with smooth and delicate vocals bringing lightness to eerie topics. Since 2017 they have developed a cult following similar to bands such as Have A Nice Life and Galaxie 500. The most recent release of their sophomore album Animal Drowning sends this Philadelphia band off on tour and beyond for 2023. -Ida Ward York

Listen to: Promise, Animal, and Lover / Keep up with them on Instagram and listen on Spotify.

The Mummy Cats

After finding a mummified cat in his friend’s basement, James Cox created The Mummy Cats, a band whose sound is pure rock and roll with a touch of evil. Their debut album No Thanks, I’m Just Looking, features twisting and powerfully electric solos that are reminiscent of Van Halen’s “Eruption.” The band perfected a nearly 50-minutes long, soul-ascending and hypnotic incantation through distorted vocals layered onto wailing guitars and heavy grave bass tones. With a personal preference of my rock to be dark and gritty, The Mummy Cats successfully play into the gimmick of their eerie founding history. With a discography that leans into sinister and grim sonic qualities, perhaps if you play their songs backwards, you’ll even uncover a secret message… -Katherine Hong

Listen to: Thunderfoot, Disco Volante, Eviloution / Keep up with them on Instagram and listen on Spotify.

OJ Mountain

My prediction is that rapper and saxophonist OJ Mountain will blow up this year. He has been in the Philly rap scene for years at this point, and has really put in the time to prove himself a talented performer. Rocking orange and blue jumpsuits, him and his band create a wacky jazz rap explosion that will have even skeptics tapping their feet. His 2021 album Sloppy Optimism features creative bars and groovy sax rhythms and I cannot wait to see what his next big project will be. -Jojo Thaler

Listen to: Don’t You Love Me Baby, Either Way, Moment in Spacetime / Keep up with them on Instagram and listen on Spotify.

Cowboyy

Stanley Powell, Reuben Yarnold, Kai Smith, and Rhys Teal seem like a group of misfits from a teen drama, but together as Cowboyy, they’ve got a big sound up their sleeves. Before they had even released anything, their live shows built a dedicated fan base - with The Clash chief among them. From its opening guitar riff, their song Gmaps settles your ears into a sense of security, emulating classic indie bangers à la Tame Impala or The Smiths. As you relax, the riff is layered into something more interesting, nodding to their roots while displaying Cowboyy’s own flavor. The song's tight backing contrasts playful but at-times-devastating lyrics, reminding that although “everything eventually dies”, Powell will “keep on walking” because “I know where I am, I have it on my phone”. The buzz that just their two released songs have generated predicts big things for their debut EP Epic The Movie coming in March of this year. -Lily-Rose Voelkel

Listen to: Gmaps, Tennis / Keep up with them on Instagram and listen on Spotify.

We put all our picks in a playlist so you don’t have to dig through the depths of Spotify to find them — lucky you! Listen below!