Connecting to Music on and off Campus: Music Everyone Should Hear

Do you ever come home from a long, hard day and find the perfect song that describes how you’re feeling? How about a happy so high you could fly kind of day? Wasting hours on Spotify creating that perfect playlist? Music really has it all.

I believe that music makes a difference and is a vital part of our lives. I created this article to get insight into why local and indie artists have become so popular, talk about some of the up and coming artists, as well as talk about ways to get involved with this on campus.

Minneapolis has a strong music scene complete with famous artists who lived and performed here such as Bob Dylan and the late Prince, who not only played at First Avenue on a regular basis but filmed Purple Rain here as well. We also have many small venues where up and coming artists can showcase their talent and college students on a budget can enjoy.

We’re a hub for Indie, hip-hop and classical, so a wide variety of music types as well. It’s also easy for students to find their niche music spot and artist because our own City Pages is a music magazine dedicated to keeping everyone updated on the Twin Cities music events.

Walking around campus it is more common for me to see someone wearing headphones than not. I notice that people, myself included, play music whenever they possibly can: on the way to class, getting ready, doing homework, etc. Music is the soundtrack to our lives and there are multiple facets to the music world.

One phenomenon I have noticed recently is indie and local music. I myself take part in it, whether I’m trying to find cheap local concerts or looking for bands with far out names and unique music. Why is this phenomenon becoming so popular on college campuses? In my personal opinion it is because as college students, we are all a bit lost, and music is the perfect way to revel in that feeling.

My personal favorite aspect of music is how it brings me back to the time and place of things, or sends me traveling through my memories. Music created by people around our age, or who sing about the experiences we go through, is very powerful. It can help you feel like someone understands you, and it can describe your emotions when maybe you didn’t know how to describe your own emotions until you heard that song.

Indie, local, and EDM are becoming more and more popular, especially on college campuses because they really embrace the “wild and free” spirit of college students. That’s what college is, isn’t it?

Some artists/songs that I really enjoy listening to include:

Wrabel & A R I Z O N A – These two artists/bands create catchy songs but emanate chill vibes to listen to when you’re not feeling that upbeat EDM energy. Wrabel incorporates the piano and acoustic sounds as well.

Stranger by KingVodka and Jay Hayden — This song has a stable beat and describes romanticizing a beautiful stranger during a night out. This is something many college students can relate to.

RAC – They really embrace the young and free mentality with catchy upbeat songs. They have performed at festivals such as Coachella and Lollapalooza! They also tend to pair with other artists to create new and different dance and electronic remixes.

The Colourist – Enjoy British accents? This band may be for you.

FKA Twigs – Strong female voice with very different sounds and song arrangements.

Poliça – They are a local band I found through a friend, Eric Kramlinger, who is a local musician and has his own recording studio in Northeast Minneapolis. He loves their chill jams.

Thomas Jack – According to Spotify, Thomas Jack refers to his music as “Tropical House,” which is a way to sum up the live instruments and sunshine vibes he tries to produce in his dance tracks. “Tropical House” is a category of the deep house genre and his tracks have similar sounds to those of Matoma and Kygo.

Purity Ring & Verite – Indie bands/artists with ethereal sounds and clear female vocals.

Vancouver Sleep Clinic – An Australian male is behind this creative name, and starting to make a name for himself.

Sam Evian – I found this artist on the IndieCurrent. According to Spotify Sam Evian is an alias for Sam Griffin Owens, a New Yorker and “mellow” artist, as they described.

Oh Malo – According to their website, Oh Malo can be described as “Energetic indie rock showcasing a shape-shifting sound through dynamic arrangements as delicate vocals intertwine with ambient guitars and powerful, aggressive drums.”

Eric Kramlinger, a local musician residing in Northeast Minneapolis, comments about the Twin Cities music scene:

“It is a wonderful place to be a musician, because of the artist community who help one another out and so many venues accessible to emerging artists, whether it’s a group on tour or if it’s a local band. Some notable places are Turf Club, it’s amazing — a place that is a dive feel but run by First Ave and so there are shows with big artists who want a smaller setting or small emerging artists. There is 7^th street, and our very own University of Minnesota has “the Whole” and West Bank has Acadia. Cedar Cultural center gets amazing international artists, so we are complete with tons of options for any college student who wants to let music influence his or her life.”

Eric is a University of Minnesota alum and has played in bands around the Twin Cities throughout his college and after college life. He is starting his very own recording studio in Northeast Minneapolis, which is also a hub for music artists. In fact, this past weekend he went to several live outdoor shows in his neighborhood. One was a porch show and one was a backyard show. He says these shows lit his collaborative energies, as does living in Northeast. A great venue in Northeast with local bands is 331.  Eric’s three local favorites are: Hippo Campus, Mason Jennings and New Sound Underground, so check it out from our very own UMN local musician Eric Kramlinger. It is free to get in and great for students. Tune in for your musical desires in the Twin Cities, it’s a great place.

One of my favorite ways to listen to bands like these is to go to concerts. Eric covered this pretty well. First Avenue (and 7th Street Entry), Myth, and other places are all great venues to check out. Varsity Theater also offers various shows right on campus. You can also find good music in the openers for bands or even in the background of your favorite TV show. As I have mentioned before, Spotify is a great tool, one of my favorites. IndieCurrent is another of my favorite places to look. It is a website dedicated to the independent music scene and features many new artists. They include artist interviews, live videos, specially created playlists, and a behind the scenes look into the process of creating this music.

I hope this gives some insight into not only good places to find great music, but also why music is such a presence in our college lives. I also hope you like the selection of artists I chose. These are just a few examples and there are many more out there. Happy discovering!