That dazzling photo above features local folk/world musician, dancer and choreographer, Samuel Nalangira. Deep into this week’s MI Local, you’ll hear a live recording of one of his transcendent songs, “Zagyenda.” While Nalangira’s track doesn’t kick off the show, I’m mentioning it first and foremost because he’s performing in WDET’s Sounds Like Detroit showcase on Aug. 14 at Batch Brewing Company!

Nalangira will be one of four featured performers at that event, along with R&B artist Beth, indie-folk-pop singer/songwriter Corazon Szell, and neo-soul group Tariq Gardner & Evening Star. You can find more information about Sounds Like Detroit and get your tickets at wdet.org/events. 

Grabbing a ticket for Sounds Like Detroit is just one way to show your support for WDET. Some local musicians are showing their support in other ways too, like Hamtramck-based singer/songwriter John Salvage, who is donating all proceeds from purchased downloads of his new single to NPR! Here on MI Local, we premiered Salvage’s brand new single, “Break The Wall.” You can see Salvage perform live on Sunday, Aug. 3, at the Polka Dot Bar. 

As a solo artist, Salvage’s music resides within the folk and indie-Americana genres, which is also the stylistic domain of Ypsilanti-based post-folk five-piece outfit Little Traps, who have a new album out this week titled Regular Love. We heard the title track from that record, which has its release party on Friday, Aug. 1 in Dexter. 

Meanwhile, we kicked off the show with some potent psychedelic-witchy rock from WICCANS, which transitioned nicely into a spooky and groovily-sludgy track from Ypsilanti-based rock group The Velvet Snakes. Both have just recently released new albums, the latter of which has a release party this Thursday night at Ziggy’s.

See the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

MI Local Playlist for July 22, 2025

• “Possessed” – WICCANS
• “Shake Your Bones” – The Velvet Snakes
• “Regular Love” – Little Traps
• “Tiny Galaxies” – Tanager
• “Temptation Rag” – Aaron Jonah Lewis
• “Break The Wall” – John Salvage
• “Loving Strangers” – Mike Leslie
• “What Was The Question?” – Eddie Logix
• “Hastings Street (live)” – Allen Dennard
• “Zagyenda” – Samuel Nalangira
• “Too Fast (feat. The Accidentals)” – Mark Jewett
• “I Need A Ghost” – Tom Alter
• “Left Behind” – Conor Lynch
• “I Can’t Let Go” – The Blueflowers

We’re residing in that swooning and wistful nexus of emotions that a certain strain of electro-pop can conjure on this week’s MI Local; something tender and beautiful that breaks our heart!

That’s because we were joined by special in-studio guest Jessie Berkshires to discuss her new album, “Sad Girl Sunday,” which doesn’t shy away from the heavy hits of passion, pain, emotional resiliency and museful melancholy, all exquisitely splashed across a synthy-mosaic of electro-pop, and new-wave revivalism that serves to augment her powerful and dulcet singing voice!

Yes! “Sad Girl Summer” is out this Friday, and you can hear the latest single from it, “Walk Alone,” on this week’s MI Local! I’ve been following Berkshires for a couple years now, having previously played tracks from the versatile pop-ensemble Moon Date that she started with her husband, musician and producer Nat Plane. This is probably a good time to mention that Nat also joined us in-studio, particularly since he’s Berkshire’s main collaborator on her solo-project. Last night was actually their wedding anniversary, too!

Berkshires is a singer, songwriter, and visual artist, with a diverse background that includes stints in software design and a past career as a therapist. We spoke about her renewed creative drive and revitalizing her songwriting over the last five years, along with the story behind writing and recording her new album, “Sad Girl Summer,” and the overall worthwhile travails of the DIY artist, laying down tracks in attics and garages.

You can see Jessie Berkshires and Nat Plane performing live during the Pleasant Ridge Porch Sessions on Aug. 23.

Listeners voted and now we have a lineup for our Sounds Like Detroit Musical Showcase happening on Aug. 14 at Batch Brewing!

Four metro Detroit-based artists will take the stage: three were pre-selected by WDET music hosts, including myself, along with Liz Warner (Alternate Take) and Chris Campbell (The Progressive Underground). WDET listeners selected the fourth artist in a recent poll; so without further ado, here’s our full lineup!

• Tariq Gardner & the Evening Star (Listener Selection)
  
• Corazon Szell & the North Ingalls Band (MI Local Selection)
  
• Beth (Progressive Underground Selection)
  
• Samuel Nalangira (Alternate Take Selection)

Thank you to everyone who voted! Now it’s time to get your tickets! Mark your calendars, tell your friends, and secure your spot for this impressive lineup!

• “The Beginning” – Marawana
• “It Takes 2” – Motorcity Era & Maraj Virtuoso
• “Garden Dweller” – Tariq Gardner & Evening Star
• “Island Paradise” – Corazon Szell
• “weatherman” – bonnie hook
• “Heavy Weight” – Carbon Decoy
• “109°” – Blasty’s Backroad
• “Panopticon” – Mac Kish
• “Me Gusta” – CHECKER
• “Persona” – Maryiam Kiani
• “Misbehaving” – Ethan Marc Band
• “California” – Ethan Marc Band, live in WDET Studios
• “Short Fuse” – Ethan Marc Band

The year is flying by! This week, I’m featuring some of my favorite songs of the year released by metro area artists so far, as well as artists based all around the state — including Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo!

You’ll also get a chance to hear songs by artists who are currently on the ballot for 2025’s Sounds Like Detroit Musical Showcase, including Imani Bloom and Angela Davis!

There’s always so much new music being released by local artists, though, so don’t anticipate a full-on flashback-styled clip show: I also featured new and recently-released tracks by singer-songwriters like Ohly and Mark Whalen, along with new electronic sounds from the project known as Dirt Room.

Looking back at 2025 “so far,” I picked tracks from singer/songwriters like Danny VanZandt, Ryan Allen, and Taylor DeRousse, each of whom joined me in-studio earlier in the year for exclusive live interviews and song premieres. We’re also listening back to tracks from Grand Rapids-based indie-pop band Phabies who, yes, also joined me in-studio earlier this year!

Meanwhile, a reminder that you, dear listener, can vote now for our Sounds Like Detroit Musical Showcase, where you can help us select an artist for our upcoming concert at Batch Brewing on Aug. 14! Liz Warner (Alternate Take), Chris Campbell (The Progress Underground) and myself, host of MI Local, have each selected artists who are already set to perform at this event, but who else makes it to the stage is entirely up to YOU! Voting ends July 3. Click here for more info!

See the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

MI Local Playlist for June 24, 2025

• “Jesse” – Danny VanZandt
• “If I Go” – Ohly
• “Voyeur” – Dirt Room
• “UR WORLD” – LOCAL ORGANIC
• “Long Dirt Driveway” – Dick Texas
• “The Bloodletting” – Phabies
• “Collecting” – Spencer LaJoye
• “Drinking Again” – Angela Davis
• “Fader” – Imani Bloom
• “Garden Dweller” – Tariq Gardner
• “Lost In A Daze” – Ryan Allen
• “Don’t Take Me” – bRADFORd
• “On The Mend” – Mark Whalen
• “July Love” – Pretty Island
• “Chaos” – Taylor DeRousse