Producer Spectacular Diagnostics recently released his latest album Raw Studies which features contributions from up and coming emcees from across the country include Chicago’s own Chris Crack (above) of the New Deal Crew.

Devin Wessels of Jam City Collective has released a very funky Christmas album called A Very Funkdapus Christmas. He takes on classics like “Jingle Bells”, “Christmas Time Is Here”, and “Drummer Boy”, but really creates something magical on “Santa Claus Sure Got Soul”.

Joyful Noise has released annual Holiday album, Holiday Party, Vol. 2, and this year’s album features our very own Ohmme. The duo appears on the album’s lead single “ Carol of the Tubular Bells” with Thor Harris & Dumb Numbers, and they contribute their own original “Jing-a-Ling, Jing-a-Ling”.

You can buy the album digitally below or you can order one of the limit 7” singles the label has printed.

You can catch Ohmme at The Empty Bottle on December 28th with Ryley Walker and Ben Lemar Gay.

Dassit blends Funk, Hip Hop, and Jazz and they recently released their debut album called “What A Year”. This is the work of Keith Harris (vocals), Simon Dufour (sax, flute), Hayden Ashley (piano, keys), Jae Gentile (bass), and Reuben Garza (drums).

The album also feature contributions from Malcolm London, LEGIT, Meagan McNeil, and Dill Costa. Over the summer the band releases a video of them recording the track, “Voltar Pra Ti”, which features the talented Dill Costa.

You can catch Dassit at Martyrs’ on December 14th.

The Cory Hotline is the new project from Cory Hance of Marina and The Intimate Machines. Last week he released his debut single and it is Christmas themed! If you have been struggling to get into the Christmas spirit you should take some tips from Cory and check out his single, “I Got High With Santa Claus”, below.

Frances Luke Accord has released a second single, and the title track of their forthcoming EP, “Silver & Gold”. The EP is set to be released on January 29th.

This is the lush and beautifully harmonic folk sounds of Brian Powers and Nicholas Gunty.

You can catch Frances Luke Accord on February 14th at Schubas with Liz & The Lovelies. 

Paul Cherry has had an amazing year, with the release of his album Flavour to rave reviews, to performing at Pitchfork Music Festival, to constantly promoting and performing with likeminded musicians. 2018 has been the year of Cherry!

The most recent single for the Flavour is called “Changing Times” and was released a couple of months ago. The video was directed and animated by Jake Armstrong and may be our favorite videos of the year.

You can catch Paul Cherry at Metro on December 15th with Divino Nino and Post Animal.

Singer/Songwriter Jessica Mindrum recently released a new single “Better Now” b/w “River”. This comes on the heels of her debut EP, “Flickering”, which was released back in August.

You can catch Jessica Mindrum at Tonic room on January 9th with Poor Calvin.

Monte Carload (aka Tyler White) recently released his self-titled debut album. The album, his first new music since 2016, is a concept album that follows a drunken werewolf from curse to rehabilitation.

Tyler’s sound is laidback rock with a splash of jangle pop, but it is the storytelling that really shines on this album.

Mark Solotroff, of Anatomy of Habit and BLOODYMINDED, has released a new 60 minutes, two track, album of solo synth music called Symmetrical Spaces Of Communication via BloodLust!. This is his second solo album of 2018, and it is filled with a wide array of unsettling and imaginative Synth soundscapes.

Chicago-born, LA-based Hip Hop artist Julian Xtra has dropped his latest single, “Lil Intro Vert”. This follow-up his hit single, “Everybody Eatin’”, which was released right at the end of the summer.

Julian left Chicago for the LA last year, and seems to have really hit his stride. Below is the Alexander Perfilyev animated video for “Lil Intro Vert”.

Tenor Saxophonist Gerrit Hatcher released his latest album, Parables For The Tenor, via Astral Spirits today, December 7th. This album, his second solo album, is just Hatcher and his sax over 6 tracks amplifying the amazing array of sounds both can produce.

You can catch Gerrit Hatcher with Angel Dat David, Julian Kirshner, and Peter Maunu at The Beat Kitchen on December 12th, and at Elastic Arts on January 10th as part of the trio Devouring the Guilt.