Welcome to AP&R, where we highlight rising artists who are on their way to becoming your new favorite. Below, we’ve rounded up a handful of names from around the world who either just dropped music or have new music on the way very soon. These are the October up-and-comers, artists picked for their standout sound, from Orange County shoegaze and wonky pop to spellbinding folk.
Read more: 25 best albums of 2023 so far
Chlothegod
On “Outta My Mind,” a song that bursts with mounting self-destruction, rising singer Chlothegod is a vexed, all-consuming presence. It makes sense, given that she fell in love with neo-soul luminaries like Erykah Badu and Jill Scott from her mother and inherited her father’s passion for punk and alternative music. “Outta My Mind” flaunts her fondness for the latter, as the explosive number was born out of stepping into the vocal booth, airing out her frustrations, and keeping the most vulnerable parts. It’s another step forward for Chlothegod, whose string of compelling and triumphant singles leading up to her new EP, Nearly Straight, prove she’s on her way up. —Neville Hardman
Promiseland
The first time I met Johann Rashid, aka Promiseland, he was hanging from the ceiling of the PUBLIC Hotel in New York, having scrambled up the stage’s soaring truss with a microphone and bottle of tequila in one hand. If that doesn’t make an artist multidisciplinary, it’s hard to say what does — but when it comes to Promiseland, acrobatics are the tip of the iceberg. From music to performance art to video, his work is powerfully punk, a thoughtful and refined approach to DIY art that the Strokes’ Julian Casablancas swiftly took note of, signing Rashid to his label and dubbing him “The Future Prince of Anarchy.” His new album will be released Oct. 20 via Casablancas’ Cult Records. —Anna Zanes
Rocket
Rocket, a burgeoning four-piece out of LA, only have a few singles to their name, but they’ve already opened for acts like Pretty Sick, bar italia, and Hello Mary. Part of their charm is the inherent chemistry that comes from growing up together in Los Angeles, soaking in the city’s vibrant DIY scene. On “Portrait Show” — the first taste of their debut EP, Versions of You, which arrives at the end of October — their smart, cutting lyrics shine as vocalist Alithea Tuttle flips between sinking into self-deprecation and clawing her way back. The harmonies glide, whereas the riffy, daydreamy guitars build to a glorious climax in the back half, reminiscent of Sonic Youth and Momma. —Neville Hardman
The Serfs
Cincinnati dance punk outfit the Serfs are proving to be a shining star in the underground scene, making a name for themselves with their twisted, foot-tapping melodies and eerie, electronic iteration of post-industrial rock. To solidify that fact, the Serfs are serving up a new slew of trippy, grimy tracks on their forthcoming album, Half Eaten By Dogs, out Oct. 27. Whether it’s brilliantly tongue-in-cheek, or just plain brilliant, the band’s sound swerves from luscious synth to wailing harmonica within seconds, a relieving indication that there is as much energy and innovation in the modern Midwest alt scene as ever. —Anna Zanes
ill peach
Pat Morrissey and Jess Corazza, the minds behind ill peach, make oddball songs that feel like magic. Their debut album, THIS IS NOT AN EXIT, which arrives Nov. 3 via Hardly Art, is an eclectic bag of alternative rock, electronica, and radio pop that soundtracks themes of panic and hope. Though the LA duo have been collaborators of SZA, Rico Nasty, and Weezer, the most profound aspect of their music is how it’s meant to mirror all the chaotic emotion that bounces around your head through a wonky, and often euphoric, pop lens. It’s only the start of their bizarre and colorful world. —Neville Hardman
HotWax
Barely out of school, HotWax have emerged onto the scene as a punk powerhouse to be reckoned with. While the band began when the HotWax trio was merely 12, the maturity in their sound, and the depths of their introspective lyricism, has never wavered. Harnessing the unbridled attitude and grunge sound of the English punks who came (long) before them, the three teens from Hastings have garnered an impressive audience of iconic musicians and collaborators who’ve shown them support — from Courtney Love to Karen O. And with their spunky, riff-heavy sophomore EP on the way, it’s certain more impressive fanfare is coming their way. —Anna Zanes
julie
They may not have a full length on the market yet, but julie are already making waves. In September, the Orange County shoegaze outfit celebrated sold-out European dates by releasing their first single of 2023, “catalogue,” a heady art rock track with infinite layers, a song that feels like unraveling a tangled necklace — a glittering puzzle to be solved, and then worn against bare skin like a private triumph. Their songs are about mastery, complexity, offering us a toothsome, satisfyingly labyrinthine take on the grunge-adjacent genres we thought we understood so well. And their unparalleled talent has not gone unnoticed. It’s a busy, buzzy time for them — by the time their single dropped, julie were already gearing up for a North American tour, which begins on Oct. 23, and culminates in a performance at Tyler, The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw. —Anna Zanes
Maria BC
Maria BC’s debut record, Hyaline, was a transfixing project that established the singer as a pro in experimental, hallucinatory folk. Now, the Oakland artist is back with their sophomore outing, and first album as part of Sacred Bones, Spike Field. With “Still,” a song that feels shrouded in a ghostly glow, BC returned to a piano part that they composed as a 16-year-old and unearths compassion for their younger self. As Maria BC moves toward a new realm, one thing remains the same: Their spellbinding, contemplative cuts are best appreciated when heard from start to finish in one sitting. —Neville Hardman
