As exciting and fun the Milwaukee slap sound that’s taking over the nation right now is, the Milwaukee music scene goes way beyond that style of Hip Hop. There are so many artists in this city making such unique and dynamic music that seems to draw inspiration from such a wide variety of elements and places. Milwaukee has always felt like a melting pot of diversity to me, and the art that is made here certainly reflects this. One Milwaukee musician who encapsulates the individualistic energy of the city super well is Micah Emrich, whom I actually recently covered. Micah Emrich is an Indie/Alternative Pop artist who has a very eclectic sound that feels influenced by a wide range of music; you can hear elements of various styles of Alternative Rock, Folk, Hip Hop, Pop, and even R&B in the songs that he makes. Micah Emrich has been putting out music for quite a while, but he has really come into his own over the last couple of years. His 2021 EP Closure put him on the map as one to watch in Alternative music circles online, and he has been improving and growing ever since. After putting out a second EP in 2021 called BASEMENT and dropping another very good project called COMPLACENT in 2022, Micah Emrich put out two projects last year; he started the summer of 2023 with an EP called SAMPLE-RETURN MISSION, and he followed it up with Du What You Mike, a joint EP with Duwayne. Micah Emrich has already released several singles this year; two of these singles ‘maybe hell is a better place?’ and ‘Secrets’ are the tracks that I recently did a write-up on Micah Emrich for(please go read that piece after reading this one if you get a chance). He recently released his fourth single of the year, titled ‘Nowhere,’ which I wanted to briefly talk about below. Please let me know in the comments what you think of this new track from Micah Emrich, and also comment the names of any other Indie or Alternative artists you think I should check out!

When I said it feels like Micah Emrich draws from a wide range of genres and styles of music, I truly meant it. This is so evident in ‘Nowhere,’ as this song feels like an amalgamation of sounds. I get elements of Funk, R&B, Hip Hop, and Pop-Rock on this one. The instrumental is so eclectic and unique; its intricacy really makes the track pop. The guitar riff that drives this melody has a groovy tone that feels bright and gloomy at the same time. There is something sweet about this guitar riff, but also something a bit melancholy, making it so interesting. I like how the mix of the melody is constantly switching. At times, the melody hits kind of hard, and at other times, it is very soft; this makes ‘Nowhere’ such a zestful track. The beat for ‘Nowhere’ has a bit of an old-school Hip Hop and R&B feeling; this beat gives the song a component that makes the track reminiscent of the late 1990s. As cool as the instrumental is. Micah Emrich’s vocals are what take this track over the top. Everything about his vocals on the ‘Nowhere’ rule. From the sweet tone he sings with to the little rap verse he puts in towards the end of the track, Micah Emrich shows how multifaceted of a vocalist he is on this one which makes the song so fun to listen to. ‘Nowhere’ is yet another example of why Micah Emrich is so distinctive, and it makes me very intrigued to hear his album coming out later this summer.