I’m gonna come out swinging on this edition of Future Picks with what I consider one of the most criminally underrated indie projects in the world today. Arto Vaun recently released his debut studio album, Stuck Inside a Map, in June of this year to little fanfare.

A musician from Boston, he played with artists like Rufus Wainwright, Kimya Dawson, and War on Drugs in his early days before leaving America and heading abroad to write a book of poems, finish a PhD in Creative Writing, and become an English lit professor. His project stems from 6 years of reclusive songwriting while he was overseas and grappling with loss, grief, anger, and rebirth.

The title track in particular is dusty, melancholic, mid tempo rock with tremolo-filled guitars and a chorusy sparkle that makes the sound shimmer while keeping things earthy – like a mirage over asphalt in the summer heat. It feels very Death Cab, but with more twang and angst on the vocals. It’s also kind of Band of Horses, kind of not. This song’s layers all mesh so perfectly. Little production choices like the verbed-out tom accents in the second verse took this to the next level for me. The rest of the album is just as good. Highly recommended.

Sophia's voice is an absolute breath of fresh air, and I’m hooked. This track from her 2024 debut LP STARDUST features a killer drop into the pre-chorus that’s pure neo-80s gold. The pre-chorus itself feels like a mini-chorus. It would stand on its own well enough, but Sophia kicks things up a notch, refusing to settle and leading instead into a massive anthem with lush vocal harmony stacks and a captivating call-and-response melody.

Sophia Sheth is a young, rising indie pop artist from Chicago. She’s hands-on with every aspect of her music. She writes and co-produces her tracks, and it shows—her indie pop is sleek, melodic, and expertly crafted. This girl is definitely one to watch.

icyslug is Queens-native Jacob Marmott. This rowdy blend of dance and rap music feels like it would go hard at a college party. I don’t know the guy personally, so don’t take this as gospel, but him being a top recruit for football and hockey lends credibility to the collegiate chaos assumption. This track feels authentic in a well-packaged, catchy, and grimy way.

Not sure what it is about his vocal delivery, but man, I’m HOOKED. It's got such confident bro vibes. Gently slurred, naturally delivered, with well-placed doubles and subtle adlibs, the relentless flow has a deceptively intricate rhythm that plays really nicely with the detuned synths and the house music. It's a cool fusion of styles.

This male/female duo channels the rustic charm of The Civil Wars with a modern twist and vocals that lend a little more country twang to their timbre. Their track “Geronimo Minor” is pure magic—a slow burn that captures you from the first beat. The auxiliary percussion shines with punchy kick drums, resonant bass, and orchestral cymbals, all complemented by what sounds like a rhythmic touch of chapchas on 2 and 4.

The subtle banjo and deep, well-engineered piano notes add just the right amount of nuance, while the strings weave a rich, captivating backdrop. The song masterfully ebbs and flows, building to an almost unbearable intensity. And the vocal performance? Absolutely stellar. I can’t praise it enough. You have to experience it for yourself.

This brooding gem was produced by Nick Bullock and mastered by Grammy Award-winner Kim Rosen.

Souleye is a genre-bending hip-hop artist that fuses cosmic introspection with the gritty realities of everyday life. Growing up in New England in the 90s, his early obsession with hip-hop quickly evolved into a talent for writing and freestyling by his mid-teens.

At 20, Souleye received his stage name during a shamanic meditation, a spiritual moment that left a lasting impact on his musical journey. Following his stint with Transcendental Alliance, he dropped his debut solo album, Soul Sessions. Since then, he's unleashed nearly a dozen albums over the years, including Flexible Morality and Universal Alchemy.

His recent single, "Float Away," is a standout, boasting vintage beats and unexpected drum stutters. The chorus features lush instrumentation and a stirring melody with surprisingly soulful vocals. Souleye is as capable of a vocalist as he is a rapper, and he knows how to write for his voice well.