*photo by Stanton J. Stephens

They may not be sisters or even siblings for that matter, but SISTERS have that type of likeminded connection that makes for great, danceable pop music. Much like the indie club bangers of the mid 2000's, SISTERS know the exact formula to make people move.

On their latest release, titled Wait Don't Wait, the duo employ synths, baritone sax and flute on top of the usual guitar and drum combo in creating their joyous tunes. Some lean heavily on jazz chords while others have grubby basslines that make your shoulders bounce. Whenever everything is combined, there's an album full of melodious bangers that can up any mood and get any party started.

If you're looking to dance while at SXSW, take every chance you get to see SISTERS.

Ambient folk dads Justin Wilcox and Jeffrey Silverstein, aka Nassau, make some pretty sweet, evocative tunes. Their debut record, Heron, arrived last September to eager listeners on Bandcamp. Their songs are stripped down to twangy guitar, reverb-heavy vocals, and a little bit of drum machine, highlighting the duo's great, old school songwriting chops. Nassau are headed to SXSW Music Festival in Austin, playing 3/16 at 18th Over Austin. -Geena Kloeppel

 In his own ways, Kyle Craft is a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll. The Louisiana-born, Portland based singer/songwriter has a defined understanding of how to mix the two, along with folk and blues elements to produce songs that are rich with the journey through emotions and life. 

And all of this from a kid that wasn't even sure he wanted a career in music.

“The whole music thing has been a really strange cinematic sort of journey for me,” Craft says. “None of it really makes sense on paper.” It may not make sense to him on paper, but it makes sense to every last one of his fans. It made sense to Sub Pop Records, too, as they signed Craft without any question or hesitation. Not too shabby for a Southern boy with bluegrass roots. Whether he's playing his solo acoustic sets or backed by his talented band of friends, Craft older sounding tunes for a younger generation of kids. We couldn't be more pleased with that.

 In his own ways, Kyle Craft is a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll. The Louisiana-born, Portland based singer/songwriter has a defined understanding of how to mix the two, along with folk and blues elements to produce songs that are rich with the journey through emotions and life. 

And all of this from a kid that wasn't even sure he wanted a career in music.

“The whole music thing has been a really strange cinematic sort of journey for me,” Craft says. “None of it really makes sense on paper.” It may not make sense to him on paper, but it makes sense to every last one of his fans. It made sense to Sub Pop Records, too, as they signed Craft without any question or hesitation. Not too shabby for a Southern boy with bluegrass roots. Whether he's playing his solo acoustic sets or backed by his talented band of friends, Craft older sounding tunes for a younger generation of kids. We couldn't be more pleased with that.

*photo by Allyce Andrew

Most people think of music as a means of release or expression, and both of those are very much so true. But for songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Johanna Warren, music is something even more - it's like a natural energy. “Music is vibration; it's a direct way to affect matter," says Warren. "A song is a way to journey into places of discord and then resolve back into harmony.” Warren's articulation of this is crystal clear through her delicate folk compositions, each taking some sort of dark and haunting turn in a way that plays off her understanding of mysticism, occultism and human existence.

These themes run deep in her songs, but also in how she visually represents them. Her music videos often carry the same motifs, often showcased through physical movement. Warren has even translated this into the basis of a label, founding Spirit House Records in 2016. The label is home to many radical and fluid minds who find themselves identifying in some way or another as witches, healers and free spirits. One of the first Spirit House releases happened to be the first of her Gemini albums with the second, Gemini II, coming out just a couple days ago. Both find themselves rooted in personal mythology and occult symbolism, pushed through moody melodies and tones. 

Johanna Warren's songs are introspective and compound, making for an entrancing live production.