Delorean Gray
Up until now, Jacob Chisenhall made music as a vehicle for listeners (and himself) to escape reality. But this year, his extraterrestrial alter ego Delorean Gray will journey straight into the despair and loneliness that plagues his perpetually connected generation, even as the archaic gear on his vessel may send listeners three decades back to Devo or Gary Numan. At least he won’t fly solo this time—fellow co-pilots Freeman Leverett and Jason Bronson now join Chisenhall permanently in the cockpit, along with a rotating band of local guns for hire. Look out for their soul-searching adventures through virtual reality in February, when the group unveils their new LP, Otaku Punk. – Lee Adcock
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Bandcamp: graydelorean.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @graydelorean
Instagram: @delorean.gray
Diamant
Formerly known as 13casey, vocalist and songwriter Diamant breathes plenty of alluring midnight magic into her spellbinding compositions. Hers is a sensual, sumptuous aesthetic that isn’t afraid to lay bare her innermost desires and vulnerabilities. Although she’s collaborated with the likes of Ethereal and Jay Americana, Diamant’s most engrossing moments arrive when she jets off on her own excursions, exploring the margins between R&B and electronic music. Where she flies to next remains to be seen, but we’re hoping for even more lavish and evocative destinations in 2019. – GC
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SoundCloud: @viediamant
Dinner Time
They might have already released a few tracks, but Dinner Time are poised to make 2019 their year. The band’s hazy pop tracks are interspersed with clarion refrains, a lively combination which is evidence of their wealth of experience. Ian Buford (The Pellys, Elevator Chat), Bennett Kane (Pop Weirdos, Silent Sun), Alejandro Uribe (Elevator Chat), and Chad Miller (Antarcticats), are currently in the studio working on their debut LP, which they expect to drop later in the spring along with a music video—all book-ended with a summer tour. – RR
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Bandcamp: dinner-time.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @dinner.time.usa
Instagram: @dinnertime.usa
Twitter: @dinnertime_usa
Evan Stepp & the Piners
I’ll admit the words “classic country” don’t usually stir up a reaction from me, but listening to Evan Stepp’s commanding vocals and his band’s raucously loud and anthemic songwriting, and I’m more than willing to make an exception. For now, the group’s three-song debut is the only music available online; fortunately, it’s a generous, heart-on-sleeve offering that goes down like a smooth shot of bourbon on Friday night. In March, however, the group will work with Damon Moon at Standard Electric Recorders to record their first full length followed by a focus on touring. – AS
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Bandcamp: evansteppandthepiners.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @evansteppandthepiners
Instagram: @alldogsgo2evan
Feverest
When the three pals of post-punk outfit Feverest first devised their name back in 2017, they were thinking about fever dreams. Today, the gang’s wildly divergent styles have locked together into a prog-sized groove that only makes sense in their world—while Matt Deakin commands the kit with uncommon finesse, Jake Crimmins and Keron Robinson deconstruct the synths and guitar with deliberate naiveté. With a growing rep round town for their hypnotic live show, Feverest aim to sit down and dream up some new tunes after a brisk tour later this month. – LA
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Bandcamp: fvrst.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @fvrst
Instagram: @feverestatl
Credit: Jenny Alice Watts
Fun Isn’t Fair
Atlanta’s newest ragtag garage rock duo formed just a year ago, and already Fun Isn’t Fair have left a dent in the scene. Debut tape Past Lives only catches a snapshot of the pair’s repertoire, as anyone who’s witnessed their rapid-fire set knows—it’s easy to lose count, but 15 songs in 20 minutes is about average. After a small tour and even a one-night merge with fellow duo Post-Hunk, Isaac Bishop and Alex Tuisku are gearing up to press more shirts and plan the next big moves. – LA
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Bandcamp: funisntfair.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @funisntfair
Gwai Mak
It’s been two years since Gwai Mak first turned heads with “But, I Wanna,” a hypnotic 3 a.m. banger created in collaboration with Louie Duffelbags and Danger Incorporated. Since then, the mysterious masked vocalist has sporadically released a handful of deeply immersive R&B and hip-hop singles that managed to sound both vintage and modern. With no two songs sounding quite the same, Gwai Mak has emerged as something of a risk taker to those that follow him—a fresh, invigorating voice that appears ready to emerge from the shadows. – AS
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Instagram: @gwaimak
SoundCloud: @gwaimak
Twitter: @gwaimak
Hanzo
If you spent the majority of 2018 sleeping on Hanzo, join the club. Listening to the Atlanta rapper and producer’s back catalog, it’s clear he packs more bangers per square kilobyte than your average SoundCloud spitter. In fact, just about every single cut he released in 2018—about a dozen in total—came streaked with moments of genuine inspiration and ingenuity. The longer you immerse yourself in his world, the more you believe that it’s headed somewhere significant, and 2019 may just be the year Hanzo arrives. – AS
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Instagram: @holdmyhanzo
SoundCloud: @itsahanzo
Twitter: @hanzo
Improvement Movement
You’re probably better off thinking of Improvement Movement as less of a band and more of an organization. Zach Pyles and Anthony Aparo once churned out silky, infectious synth-pop with Culture Culture until their latest outfit took over in a hostile corporate-style takeover. Efficiency and effectiveness are now paramount as the pair plan to release 50 songs this year via varying albums, singles, and collections. Such an audacious undertaking would seem to leave the door open for all manner of experimentation and diversification, and a brief glimpse through their Bandcamp already shows a group willing to run roughshod over pop conventions. Look for the pair to start making good on their investment when they drop a two-song single via Chunklet on Feb. 13. – GC
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Bandcamp: improvementmovement.bandcamp.com
Kibi James
With just a two-song demo and a steady spate of live shows, Kibi James have made the most of their relatively short tenure on the scene. Demo James was a warm and intriguing introduction, full of unexpected twists and turns that never quite resolved the way you’d think. More than anything else, it showed off a promising young band with considerable room to grow and explore. Just what new vistas the group discovers will become clear when they unveil their debut LP this summer. – GC
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Bandcamp: kibijames.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @kibijamesband
Instagram: @kibijames