It might seem like the Spokane scene is rather small at times, but there is an abundance of folks putting out new music all the time. From acts regularly seen on local stages to things by self-recorded bedroom artists who you can only find by deep-diving the "Spokane" tag on Bandcamp, there's a ton out there. It's quite frankly not possible to highlight every local album that came out in 2022 (we only have so much time and print space!), but if you're seeking the Spokane sound, here's a wide variety of what the year had to offer.
Avalon Kalin
Structures Portante Nos. 1 & 2
Akin to Claire Rousay, Kalin composes engulfing experimental ambient soundscapes that blend harmonic electronics, chimes and vibraphone with field recordings of things like children playing and flowing rivers to create curated sonic spaces that feel lived-in.
BaLonely
Thank You, I'm Sorry
Led by local scenemaker Norman Robbins, the indie rock group's latest shapeshifting record mixes mellow wailing guitars, low-key disco vibes, slacker hoedown picking and somber, downbeat singer-songwriter feels to reflect on relationships that grow distant.
Bernie Sherman
Simple Songs
There's a warmth to the self-stated simplicity of Sherman's acoustic emo-folk tunes that gives each short song on this EP an air of sincerity and approachability.
Blue Ribbon Tea Company
The Devil is Beating His Wife
The husband-and-wife folk duo continue to stand out with their artful traditionalist sense of the genre's frills-free storytelling lineage.
Crimson Hemisphere
Crimson Hemisphere
The harp and guitar/synth combo of Courtney Bell and Michael Pickett give Crimson Hemisphere a unique instrumental sound all their own. The duo's cosmic sonic explorations would make an ideal soundtrack to zone out to while staring at stars in the dark.
Chuck Vibes
Far Away
If you enjoy the spacey trip hop vibes of Kid Cudi, you should absolutely check out the similarly far out rap sounds of Chuck Vibes.
David Larsen
The Sextet Sessions
Get in the groove with saxophonist/composer David Larsen, as he leads a six-piece through a silky smooth cool jazz EP.
Dario Ré
Holy Moon
Heat Speak frontman Dario Ré shows off his folk-poetry songwriting with the help of restrained guitar and piano backing in tunes that feel like soft romantic odes drifting on the wind of starlit summer nights.
The Dragonfather
Tales from the Land of a Thousand Perils
Need some background music while reading Tolkien or starting your latest Dungeons & Dragons campaign? Look no further than this collection of finely-crafted instrumental fantasy folk music.
Delt
Aphekai
There are a ton of people in Spokane just out here making beats, but Aphekai by Delt stands out from the pack. The local producer's lo-fi hip-hop beats create a blissfully chill vibe listeners can float in like cool water on a perfect summer day.
Exzac Change & Iyzlow Matisse
Growth Spurt
The two MCs showcase a kinetic flow and chemistry that instantly feels effortlessly natural, which lifts both to new creative heights and elevates this LP to the top-end of local hip-hop albums.
Floating Crowbar
The Twisted Tree
The Celtic folk band delivers a jovial collection of traditional Irish tunes without any unnecessary pomp. At the very least, save this one for your St. Patrick's Day playlist.
Flynn
The Flynn Effect
The self-described "broke white rapper" brings a jagged edge and plenty of bravado to the table for a 14-song showcase of his musical vision.
Glenn Case
What's Soup with You?
An overly-prolific, power-pop oddball in the vein of They Might Be Giants or Jonathan Coulton, Glenn Case cooks up an album about soup. Literally. All 12 songs are humorously quirky ditties related to various types of soup — from chicken noodle to split pea to tortilla — and the life experiences around them.
Incoming Days
Off the Map
It's not easy to pigeonhole the metal aesthetic of Incoming Days. The traditional instrumental thrashing and thumping is there, but the group blends with deep guttural growls, punk singing, and even a dash of some rap-esque lyrical delivery to make ID stand out front the sometimes homogeneous metalcore pack.
Jinx Universe
Make It Look Good
The Spokane scene isn't known for being that funky, but swag king Jinx Universe makes up for the deficiency. The MC's blend of rapping and singing has the peppy flow to get the party started.
Kaleb J
Selling Happy
A stylistic chameleon, Kaleb J's Selling Happy EP mixes R&B, rap, and pop for a fresh sound that's the closest thing to Post Malone that you can find locally.
Lipsick
I Only Make Love
Simultaneously feeling like a car crash and moody brooding, this blast of punk rock aims to cause a ruckus and take no prisoners.
Matt Mitchell Music Co.
Captive of the Mind + Ramona
The former Trego frontman put out two engaging and varied albums in 2022. Captive of the Mind serves up an incredibly welcoming, stripped-back collection of warm, thoughtful folk songs. Ramona draws on Mitchell's experience living in a bus and traversing the West, boasting a twangy, full-band Americana desert rock sound.
Mall Daze
Mellon Border Collie
The indie dreamwave of Mall Daze pops with an inviting freshness that washes over one's eardrums with tranquil waves of warmth.
MAUP
High as a Georgia Pine
For the sports fans who like a good trip, MAUP creates vibrant hip-hop beats and samples quotes from Dock Ellis — the pitcher who famously pitched a no-hitter while high on LSD — to pay tribute to the man himself.
Odyssey
Venomous Rhetoric
The instrumental prog metal band continues to shred harder and heavier than pretty much anyone else around on this thumping collection of headbangers.
The Pink Socks
Still Waiting...
The melodic, power chord attack of The Pink Socks' pop punk feels scientifically engineered to get hoodie-adorned kids and elder punks pogoing at The Big Dipper.
Pit
At Home
Pit knows how to make ramshackle look good. The alt/punk quartet packs in the rabble-rousing noise on this short EP.
Reaping Fields
Be Not Afraid, The End is Near
The growling snarl of this this hardcore punk trio is unrelenting and apocalyptic in just the way you'd want when trashing around in a grimey mosh pit.
Sam Leyde Band
Big Small Town
The Coeur d'Alene country and Americana outfit's debut album displays a rocking edge, as singer/songwriter/guitarist Dillon Campbell sings about watching your hometown change and speeding across Montana to prevent someone from stealing your girl.
Scott Ryan Ingersoll
Black Hole Dispatch
The singer-songwriter shoots for expansive, synth-infused anthemic rock grandeur on this sprawling LP.
The Smokes
G.O.V.T. Graffiti
The latest from the punk duo certainly has a less full-throttle aggro vibe, but it still goes hard compared to most local acts. From melodic musings on mental health to fangs-out social commentary, G.O.V.T. Graffiti is the Smokes' most accessible album to date.
The Sweeplings
Debris
Spokanite Cami Bradley and her musical partner Whitney Dean cope with the emotional wreckage of loss via song in this folk record. Tender lyrics, beautiful melodies and a stripped-back production style help communicate that there's still musical beauty to be found in that profound sadness.
Touchy Feely Paradise
Nausea Waves
Nausea Waves lives up to its name, as psychedelic electronic artist Touchy Feely Paradise crafts a hyperkinetic rave set that feels like that GIF meme of a wide-eyed, blue-faced little girl going sugar-fueled bonkers after scarfing cotton candy at a Mariners game.
Truehoods
1-6
Fans of old school hip-hop need to cop this EP. Think of it as a sampler for the new group, with none of the six songs coming in at over two minutes while still fully showcasing Rosethrow and Manny the Third's smooth lyric-forward flows.
Twin Void
Free from Hardtimes
Twin Void's massive heavy riffs feel like an exercise in pummeling away the pandemic angst (it was recorded during the hard times of 2020). The acid hard rock band is more than happy to get down and dirty. ♦
