KEXP Suggests: EMP’s Sound Off! Finals at the EMP Museum 3/5

Every year, EMP's Sound Off! competition showcases emerging stars in the all-ages music scene. Previous winners have included The Lonely Forest, Dyme Def, Sol, Kithkin, Brothers from Another, Manatee Commune, Fauna Shade, Schoolyard Heroes, Tomten, and Brite Futures, just to name a few.

Throughout February, the following bands have risen victorious: COSMOS, Paris Alexa, and last week, Dre’zy and Too Smoove took top honors. Animal Camera will compete this weekend as the Wild Card Winner, selected by the EMP Youth Advisory Board. And as a special treat, Sound Off! alumni band, Tomten, will perform.

[ Photos by Brady Harvey, courtesy of EMP Museum ]

Burien-based psych-pop band Animal Camera evoke both the dreamy, psych sound of Ariel Pink and the campy, garage rock of The Cramps. Check out a brand new track from the band, just launched this week:

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Led by hip-hop vocalist Campana, COSMOS combines jazzy elements with electronic beats, citing Thundercat, Kendrick Lamar, and Chance the Rapper as influences. Check out some footage from a recent Vera Project performance below:

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Renton collective Dre’zy and Too Smoove cite influences from A Tribe Called Quest to Snarky Puppy, bringing a soulful hip-hop to their beat-driven sound.

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Redmond R&B artist Paris Alexa brings a playful doo-wop style to the stage. Many of her songs are done using no instruments, showcasing her intricate vocal arrangements.

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Who amongst these young talents will you be hearing next on Audioasis on KEXP? Come support all these young artists, showcasing their work in a range of genres. It's cliché, but c'mon, they're all winners. You can hear all the finalists in our Music That Matters podcast, hosted by DJ Sharlese.

Tickets to Saturday's show are $14 for general public, and $10 for EMP members, youth ages 5-17, and students with ID. (Online tickets available here.) Doors are at 7:00 PM with the show starting at 8:00 PM.