Our favorite Detroit music of 2023

Honorable mentions: Andrés ANDR​É​S V, Bonny Doon Let There Be Music, Gulley Gesicht, Ladymonix Welcome 2 My House EP, Milfie Very Pretty EP, The Stools R U Saved?, Tyvek  Overground, XV On the Creekbeds On The Thrones, Zilched Earthly Delights.

Charles Trees: Capturing Animals

(Portage Garage Sounds)
For the past six years now, Portage Garage Sounds (founded by DJs/producers/brothers Shigeto and Kenjiro) has been pumping out singles, EPs and compilations of some of the deepest, most forward-thinking electronic music in the current Detroit scene. This year, the first LP to ever grace the label is the gorgeous, textured, kaleidoscopic Capturing Animals by Charles Trees (under the simple moniker Trees). The album gurgles, stabs, ascends, crashes, sings and lifts the listener up to the heavenly hellscape that Charles creates for us. A long-time player in the late-night/after-party spots that have ebbed and flowed through the city, Trees comes up for air on Capturing Animals and shares just a sliver of the avant-pop brilliance that he is brimming with. —Joe

Phased Out: Got It EP

(Forge Again)
Careening in at the end of the year is a four-track scorcher from Phased Out. They’re a band that I’ve been lucky enough to catch live on multiple occasions, playing many local bills and offering support to touring acts that roll through the dive bar venues. Phased Out recording their new tape Got It is like making a pie or a cocktail: the ingredients are simple, but when you use that good stuff, you can really taste the difference. The guitar, bass, and drums all mesh together seamlessly, for a noisy, potent wake up call. Dina Bankole lends her vocals on top of it all, recalling her days in Casual Sweetheart (definitely one of the best Detroit bands from the last decade). Grip a cassette while you can, and grab another so you’re prepared when your first copy wears out. —Joe

Sheefy McFly: P.E.R.M. EP

(WRKSHP)
Sheefy McFly is everywhere these days; with such a diverse range of creative output, it’s easy for some to forget that one of his primary mediums is music, and his recent rap EP P.E.R.M. (which stands for (“Painting Encourages Real MF’s”) is a potent reminder. With production by Chuck Inglish of the Cool Kids and Soulection’s very own Sango, as well as a verse from Detroit heavyweight Boldy James, the project deserves recognition for the collaborations alone. On top of that, Sheefy’s vocals effortlessly dance over a wide stylistic range in production, all while maintaining his signature recipe of casual braggadocio and smooth, clever wordplay. It’s not easy for an artist to assert themselves as both an up-and-comer and a burgeoning OG, paying tribute to the past while paving the way for their future all in one brush stroke, but Sheefy McFly has found a way to do just that. —Broccoli

Day Residue: Deadly Walk EP

(self-released)
Detroit punk has had a pretty solid year in 2023, and Day Residue has been no small part of that momentum. They’ve only been together for a few years, but they’ve put together an impressive run of performances in that time, including opening for Protomartyr last year at the Magic Stick (lead singer Joe Casey also shouted them out in a Loud and Quiet interview earlier this year). Their latest EP Deadly Walk, released in November of this year, starts off with a bang; the title track swells with a siren-like sound before the band launches into a wall of noisy guitars and pounding drums, joined shortly thereafter by distorted vocals courtesy of lead-singer Aleahia. The EP has an interesting range in terms of structure and sound, particularly in the last two tracks with the all-out thrash of “Piss Paradise” juxtaposing nicely with the punchiness of “Insults for Sale.” This is a band to watch in 2024, so go grab the EP and catch a show sometime soon if you dare! —Broccoli