12 top Milwaukee albums and songs for April 2024, from Zed Kenzo, Barely Civil, more

This month’s roundup of the best new Milwaukee music is an especially eclectic offering, including visceral and playful hyperpop, experimental cello-led compositions, ‘70s-inspired psychedelic pop, a romantic regional Mexican ballad, splashy hip-hop bangers, a topical emo album and more.

My 12 favorite albums, EPs and songs from Milwaukee artists to check out in April are listed in alphabetical order.

'Bat Hat,' Sbowe

Cellist and composer Rachel Icenogle is calling Acri, Italy, home these days, but on her debut album behind the stage name Sbowe, you can hear the influence of the boldly unpredictable experimentation that Icenogle offered as part of late Milwaukee baroque rock band John The Savage. Opener “P.S.” is an assured, cinematic opener made from sparse parts (cello, viola, violin, vocals, accordion), with Icenogle’s soundscapes expanding across 45 minutes to incorporate peculiar electronic percussion, tuba, clarinet and more — the music ebbing and flowing until the powerhouse, eye-opening penultimate track “Seed.”

'Clear the Decks: Demos From the First 100 Years (Long May They Reign),' Dogs in Ecstasy

Dogs in Ecstasy's synth-and-scuzzy-guitar-saturated albums are such a caffeinated blast that this collection of previously discarded demos and unreleased tracks from its (not quite century-long) run is still a wildly creative statement. It's also a reminder that Willy Dintenfass and company were doing this sort of sound-smashing, mind-blowing hyperpop long before 100 gecs became a critical, influential sensation.

'Enamora2,' Klan 414

Klan 414 continues to proudly wave the flag for the exciting new wave of regional Mexican music with this delightfully dreamy love song powered by tender croons and radiant acoustic guitar lines. We saw Summerfest recently take notice of the surging scene with greater headliner representation. They better give this incredibly talented Milwaukee crew a choice opening slot.

'I'd Say I'm Not Fine,' Barely Civil

Is there a better album title to encapsulate the internal anxieties so many of us are enduring in the 2020s than "I'd Say I'm Not Fine?" After listening to said album, you may be hard-pressed to think of a band better suited for this moment. The emo rockers contrast sounds and style — tender acoustic guitars against rollercoaster riffs, neck-vein-bulging choruses opposite whispered epiphanies — to encapsulate the lingering anxieties festering beneath the "back-to-normal" lifestyle that surrounds us but feels so far from our true reality. Time will tell whether "I'd Say I'm Not Fine" earns the kind of generational album reputation it deserves, but it's not too soon to proclaim it's one of the better albums of 2024, in Milwaukee and beyond.

'June :(,' *aya

The Palestinian-American singer-songwriter powers through her "seasonal depression," longing to return to a more carefree time. Naturally, escapism is hard to come by for the listeners, but there's an abundance of soulful solace.

'Just Getting Started,' Lonni Monae

The Milwaukee rapper is indeed just getting started, but this six-track, 13-minute EP (closing with an impressive freestyle) shows that she already has a tremendous sense of self with her head-turning flow and blunt, lyrical barbs.

'Maybe Hell Is a Better Place?,' Micah Emrich

Emrich may be in a dark place, but his vocals on this single are heavenly, the intimacy initially recalling Bon Iver’s “For Emma” epiphanies en route to an unexpected, psychedelic-rock-seasoned, grandiose finale.

'Neon,' Ryan Schmidt

Schmidt sings solemnly of “building walls” and cutting ties — but the tenderness he brings to his words, his glowing guitar strums, the towering climax, and the closing line (“Think I’ll wait for the sun to rise”) all add up to the musical equivalent of receiving a hug in a time of need.

'Sacred Heart 2 (+),' DC The Don

No doubt emboldened by being named last year to XXL’s prestigious Freshman List — an annual rundown of the most promising emerging rappers — DC The Don doubles down on his ambitious intentions, his emo-tinged flow riding atop boundary-pushing production that recall peak Travis Scott and Kanye West during a 62-minute project that never sags.

'The Greatest,' Zed Kenzo

One hundred and 20 seconds is all it takes for Zed Kenzo to live up to the aspirational title of her latest track that marries her elastic flow with an unstoppable whistle hook. And for those who care, her latest hip-hop banger is absent any expletives.

'True Love Corridor,' Sleepy Gaucho

Andy Goitia's first two Sleepy Gaucho albums were real eye-openers, psychedelic folk chillers reminiscent at times of Mac DeMarco. The dreamy grooves are still alive and well on his third LP "True Love Corridor," but charmers like "Strawberry Moon," "Best Drug" and "Sensible Woman" sound more like soft-rock jams and gems found in a studio vault that had been shuttered in the 1970s. It may be a retro homage, but it's warm to the touch.

'Vanity Metrics,' Vanity Metrics

Brett Newski is as DIY as they come, but his newest release makes his shaggy solo albums sound like multimillion-dollar productions by comparison. That's by design. His new project, Vanity Metrics, upholds two self-imposed rules: record on analog tape only and at someone's house, not a studio. The raw result in these first five songs offer a surprisingly intimate vibrancy, while Newski's songwriting chops, not surprisingly, shine through.

"Must-Hear Milwaukee Music" runs on or around the first of every month in the Journal Sentinel and at jsonline.com. If you have a new album, EP or song coming out, contact Piet Levy at plevy@journalsentinel.com for review consideration. Follow him on X at @pietlevy or Facebook at facebook.com/PietLevyMJS.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 12 top Milwaukee albums and songs to check out in April 2024