Courtesy of CBS Denver.

Normally when talking about Denver, one does not immediately think of the city’s blooming music scene. When thinking of Colorado‰’s capital, normally the things that come to one’s mind are mountains, marijuana and skiing (which, I admit, may be slightly accurate) while local musicians often go unappreciated and unnoticed. This could be because it’s overshadowed by nearby Boulder, which has historically held a stronger music community, or because it’s only just recently that musicians began to forge a local scene within the city. In the past, Denver‰’s biggest music success has been 3OH!3 making references to Helen Keller, but I digress.

Denver‰’s musical history may not be filled with extravagant success stories of rock bands through the ages, but with local bands playing indie venues like Hi-Dive and bigger acts coming to the beautiful if not legendary Red Rocks Theatre, Denver‰’s music scene is slowly making a name for itself as new artists begin springing up throughout the city and showing why you should be talking about more than just Colorado‰’s legalization laws.

Tennis
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Courtesy of Fat Possum Records.

Formed by a husband and wife duo, Tennis has swept across the nation as a beloved indie pop act. Signed in the past to Fat Possum Records and having their second album produced by Patrick Carney of The Black Keys, Tennis embraces their 60s pop style and combines them with lo-fi aspects in order to establish themselves as a solid, surf pop act. Having kicked off in Denver, they are currently on tour across the U.S. and are surely an act to be on the watch for.

Snake Rattle Rattle Snake
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Courtesy of Westword.

With ghostly vocals echoing over sweeping guitar melodies and a simple yet effective underlying rhythm section, Snake Rattle Rattle Snake shook up the Denver scene with their debut performance in 2008 and has garnered local acclaim, winning “Band of the Year‰” ( 303 Magazine and The Denver Post) and “Best Indie Rock Band‰” three years in a row (Westword). They have also made several SXSW appearances and have played the Red Rocks Theater. Snake Rattle Rattle Snake combines aspects of dark wave and surf rock to create a series of haunted, introspective songs that resonate well in anyone‰’s head, leaving you wanting to curl up in your bed and listen to them on repeat.

The Centennial
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Courtesy of Paste Magazine.

Formed by siblings Patrick, Tiffany and Nathan Meese in 2010, The Centennial released their first full-length album  Nervous System in January 2013. Comprised of mellow drumbeats, meandering guitars and harmonious vocals between Tiffany and Patrick, The Centennial‰’s music comes off as equal parts psychedelic and indie rock. The Centennial released a new single, “Pull From The Feeder,‰” this past summer; while maintaining that consistent, laid-back vibe, also combines with fuzzy guitars to make for a powerful single, and shows that as time goes on, The Centennial will only continue to improve and impress with later releases.

Inner Oceans
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Courtesy of the band’s Facebook page.

With a release as recent as two weeks ago, Inner Oceans have managed to build themselves an impressive fan base despite their formation in 2013 and first demo being released this past summer. Using ethereal vocals and drums that sound like they were recorded by an iPhone, the band layers their songs with textured synthesizers and electronically distorted vocals to form songs that sound complex when they are actually quite simple. Their most recent release, “8 Cousins//Everything‰’s All Right,‰” reveals just how powerful their music can be while also maintaining a sound that makes you feel like you‰’ve heard their music in a dream.

Land Lines
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Courtesy of the band’s Facebook page.

Call them soft dance or indie rock or whatever you may, Land Lines has mastered a sound that allows them to explore various genres and creatively expand into whatever sounds they see fit. Formed by close friends who have played music together for 10+ years, Land Lines simply use a cello, keyboard and drums to create their seemingly complex music, yet manage to also keep their chilled but danceable rhythms intact.

Strawberry Runners
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Courtesy of the band’s Bandcamp.

Having released two demos and a full-length this past summer, Strawberry Runners are definitely on the upswing. As a lo-fi folk rock band, Strawberry Runners sound like they could have fit in perfectly on the Juno soundtrack, using telephone-like vocals and odd instrumentation like an accordion in their full-length. However, they still manage to maintain catchy pop-sounding choruses, making them an instant hit among both public radio and college fans alike.

Hope Dealers
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Courtesy of the band’s Bandcamp.

An unusual mix of electronic drums, synthesizers and grunge riffs, the Hope Dealers are a very new Denver band whose droning guitars and lo-fi vocals somehow mix perfectly with the electronic clamor of the drum machine to create a genre that almost sounds like surf-grunge. While they only have one demo out on Bandcamp, the recordings still come across as catchy, showing that the Hope Dealers have potential as more than just a lo-fi punk band (but still also have potential as just a lo-fi punk band).

Honorable Mentions:
The Photo Atlas//Pale Sun//Doves & Wolves //Plume Varia//Paper Bird//Flashbulb Fires//Kalmia

And here’s the Spotify playlist of these artists!