These are our 15 favorite Milwaukee songs of 2023
Years ago, someone asked me what the Milwaukee music scene sounds like.
The answer then was “anything and everything," and that’s never been truer than in 2023.
Milwaukee's hip-hop scene did get more national attention than ever before, but this city also fosters regional Mexican music, Middle Eastern-infused psychedelic rock, convention-defying electronic music and more.
I think my favorite 15 songs from Milwaukee artists this year make that point crystal clear.
More: These are our 15 favorite Milwaukee albums of 2023
More: The 20 best Milwaukee concerts of 2023 — and the most disappointing show of the year
15. 'Undercover,' Gold Steps
Between Liz Mauritz's sugar-sprinkled vocals, peppy drum pops and shimmering synth melodies, consider "Undercover" a coming out party for the punk band's pop personality. It's a sound that suits them well.
14. 'Know Better,' Abby Jeanne
You can practically see the dust floating off the "Sympathy for the Devil"-inspired congas in the opening seconds of "Better," with Jeanne's soulful pipes and some trippy guitar washes completing the trip back to 1968. Abby Jeanne has specialized in throwback rock for a while, but this might her most encompassing and engrossing homage.
13. 'Tu Relato,' Klan 414
The best music trend of 2023 was artists with a modern spin on regional Mexican music finding a major national audience, including Klan 414 from the south side of Milwaukee. “Tu Relato” perfectly encapsulates why this sound, and this band, is catching on. The thick vibration of acoustic bass, a swooning croon, romantic horns — you can feel the music pulsing through your veins.
12. 'Corduroy Road,' Long Mama
Trying times like these make a tune like “Corduroy Road” all the more vital. Kat Wodtke sings of the nourishing nature of “a fire, a sweet song, a warm place to sleep.” Consider the sweet song part covered here.
11. 'Z10N,' Thane
The enigmatic electronic artist titled his long-in-the-making sophomore album “The Algorithm Isn’t Working,” and with the second track, he boldly makes his argument, smashing together hip-hop record scratches, Moby “Play”-era soul samples, introspective synth waves and more. You won’t find this fitting snugly on some innocuous Spotify playlist — which is why it’s so awesome.
10. 'Mo Money, Mo Problems,' Huey V
Exhibit A for why we’re living in a golden age of hip-hop in Milwaukee: Multiple artists with drastically different styles are being signed to major record labels. Huey V sounds nothing like the two other Milwaukee-born rap breakouts on this list, but his poetic and thought-provoking verses on “Mo Money, Mo Problems” — and his ability to hold his own opposite veteran wordsmith Memphis Bleek — should fill the hearts of any local hip-hop head with pride.
9. 'The Machine Demands a Sacrifice,' Painted Caves
Played at live shows and appearing in YouTube videos some six years back, Painted Caves' "The Machine Demands a Sacrifice," officially released in 2023, still sounds like something from the future. A trippy psychedelic rock jam fused with folk instrumentation evocative of Ali Lubbad's Palestinian heritage, the singer has assembled a vibrant sonic tapestry around his yearning vocals, including Anthony Deutsch's funky clavinette, Ali Amir's dreamy qanun (an Arabic string instrument), Egyptian darabuka and riqq (played by percussionist Tim Moore), Dena Al Saffar on joza (an Iraqi bowed instrument), and more.
8. 'Half a Man,' Felix Ames
After teaming up with fellow top Milwaukee songmakers Immortal Girlfriend for a single that ended up on Netflix's hit show "Wednesday," the R&B artist made a bright debut on Def Jam Recordings with his simmering, soulful R&B album "Jena." And while songs like "Shoestring" and "7711" got the most traction on Spotify, I'd argue the album's best song was this one, where Ames, with "tears falling down my neck," honors his grandfather and vows to live by his noble example.
7. 'Trapper of the Year,' Certified Trapper
"Trapper of the Year"? More like "Year of the Trapper." 2023 was the year Milwaukee's lowend sound — where relentless beats are fused with out-there melodies and the occasional unexpected sample — generated millions of streams on TikTok, YouTube and Spotify, and got major press coverage from Pitchfork, Rolling Stone and more big outlets. And Columbia Records' Certified Trapper was the leader of the pack, with a prolific track record of DIY bangers. "Trapper of the Year," the title track of his second Columbia mixtape, was the standout; he performed it in front of a packed crowd of Sexxy Red fans at the Rave's Eagles Ballroom in November. Don't be surprised if Trapper plays for even bigger hometown crowds in 2024.
6. 'Moment,' Immortal Girlfriend
Brothers Kevin and William Bush, inspired by "the light that's on the other side," vow to take back control, to "keep fighting" on their latest cinematic synthpop single. Will they succeed? Their heaviest-sounding song to date doesn't bode well for our heroes, but that contrast of vocal determination with brooding, bleak melodies creates palpable, high-stakes drama.
5. 'Bloodsport,' You Win !!!
If Trent Reznor, Mitski and late, great Spaghetti Western composer Sergio Leone hung out in a recording studio together, they might have come up with something like "Bloodsport," the latest trip-hop banger from Amanda Huff and This Random Machine (aka William Gardiner). The duo are painstaking perfectionists, releasing just four songs in the past four years. But when the result is a stunner like "Bloodsport," I say, take all the time you need.
4. 'No Hesitation,' Lakeyah
When Lakeyah signed to powerhouse hip-hop label Quality Control in 2020, quantity seemed to be the plan of attack; the rapper released one mixtape after another and teamed up with City Girls, DJ Drama, Gucci Mane and other noted names. Quality was never an issue during those aggressive first years, but Lakeyah's output slowed drastically in 2023 — and the cold, take-no-prisoners defiance of "No Hesitation" showed just how cutting and commanding Lakeyah can be when she has the time to channel all of her talents into a two-minute knockout punch.
3. 'Work2Do,' Klassik
"Work2Do" isn't just the title of the closing track of Klassik's four-song "SummerSkool" EP. It's the mission statement for an artist with an unquenchable creative curiosity, obsessed with pushing his talents to new places. "Work2Do" does just that, with ethereal, echoing vocals and visceral, James Brown-esque squeals floating above dreamy keys and groovy guitar washes. It sounds like little else — which for Klassik equates to another day in the office.
2. 'Dream Girl,' Ellie Jackson
I'll level with you: If this list extended to 16 songs, Ellie Jackson would be on it twice, for the Aimee Mann-esque "Dinner With a Friend," and for this utterly cool, slow-burning power pop obliteration of male objectification. “Yeah, OK, alright, I’ve got some joie de vivre,” Jackson sings. “That doesn’t mean I’ve got to show you anything.” Empowering words — although Jackson doesn’t shy away from the sad reality that sexism is often unavoidable, even from a lover.
Our favorite Milwaukee song of 2023: "Slow Lane," Nora Collins
I heard way too many terrific Milwaukee songs that could have fit in my year-end list. But there was just one that, on first listen, gave me goosebumps. Nashville-based Collins has been grinding hard for "six years in a 10-year town," as she sings on "Slow Lane" — not a surprise, given the hustle she showcased as a teen singer-songwriter gigging all over the Milwaukee area. Singing with a powerhouse twang over a cinematic swell, Collins comes to an epiphany, embracing the beauty of now, the virtue of patience, as she pursues her dreams. If there's justice on Music Row, those dreams damn well better come true.
Contact Piet at (414) 223-5162 or plevy@journalsentinel.com. Follow him on X at @pietlevy or Facebook at facebook.com/PietLevyMJS.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: These are our 15 favorite Milwaukee songs of 2023
