Maybe it's the deadlines and late nights getting us loopy, but like that deathless Charlie Day meme, we've detected an imaginary through-line of loud and uncompromising experimental, electronic and metal-oriented musicians discovering that, hey, quiet can be the new loud. So whether it's Derek Dunn of Storage Music Unit going all John Fahey, Jonas Van den Bossche trying on Tim Buckley vulnerability, members of Fond becoming the Nick Drake/Smog-esque Vestis, Bryan Raymond of Junior Bruce channeling wee-hours dark-folk or John Rousseau of Mother Juno paying heartfelt homage to Coney Island Baby-era Lou Reed with Tiger Beat, we (and what little remains of our hearing and sanity) are just fine with it.
Best of Orlando 2023: Local Music
2nd: Jeremy Birdsall, jeremybirdsall.com
3rd: Thomas Milovac, thomasmilovacmusic.com
2nd: Hard Rock Live, hardrock.com/live/locations/orlando
3rd: The Plaza Live, plazaliveorlando.org
1st: Montgomery Drive, montgomerydrive.com
2nd: Jessica Pawli, facebook.com/jessicapawli
3rd: 407 Booking, instagram.com/407booking
1st: Sanford Porchfest, sanfordporchfest.org
2nd: Electric Daisy Carnival, orlando.electricdaisycarnival.com
3rd: WJRR Earthday Birthday, wjrr.iheart.com/featured/earthday-birthday
1st: Smartpunk Records, smartpunk.com
2nd: Swamp Cabbage Records, swampcabbagerecords.storenvy.com
3rd: Popnihil, facebook.com/popnihilpress
1st: Red Lion Recording Studio, redlionrecordingstudio.com
2nd: Studio 1509, studio1509music.com
3rd: Phat Planet Studios, phatplanetstudios.com
1st: Austin's Coffee, austinscoffee.com
2nd: The Alley, facebook.com/thealleylive
3rd: Renaissance Theatre Co., rentheatre.com
1st: Orlando Sings Solaria Singers, orlandosings.org/choirs
2nd: Violectric, violectric.net
3rd: Anthology String Quartet, anthologyquartet.com
1st: Angel of Boom, instagram.com/itsoffcialangel
2nd: DJ Edil Hernandez, djedilhernandez.com
3rd: DJ Richie Rich, facebook.com/iamdjrichierich