With the holidays fast approaching, Local Spins digs into four recent album and EP releases by Michigan artists. Check out our takes on these recordings and listen to tracks from all of them.
A Heartfelt Tribute and More: 84 Tigers have unfurled a rock masterwork. (Courtesy Photo)
As December winds its way into the holidays, Local Spins takes a peek at four more recent releases by Michigan artists.
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Today’s roundup ranges from rock to hip hop to rock-fueled alt-country unfurled by artists from Holland, Grand Rapids, Marshall and Pottersville.
Check out more reviews of Michigan albums online here — a perfect starting point for your holiday shopping with music lovers in mind.
84 Tigers
“The Crush of It All”
What Stands Out: Welcome to one of 2025’s best rock albums by a Michigan band. Brothers Mike and Ben Reed of Marshall’s Small Brown Bike and Jono Diener of Flint’s The Swellers come together as 84 Tigers to deftly straddle alt-rock, post-hardcore, punk and more to create a milieu that pairs melodic charm with fervent guitar-driven turbulence. “Two Rivers,” which features guest Rocky Votolato, perfectly marries the desperation and sorrow of life and death with equal amounts of muscle and poignancy to pay heartfelt homage to the late Travis Dopp of Small Brown Bike. As they point out in a description of this release, the album was “forged through grief and grounded in brotherhood.”
Digging Deeper: The band’s sophomore release on Spartan Records was recorded with producer Marc Jacob Hudson, who masterfully brings out 84 Tigers’ emotional vigor and restless firepower. From “Only Light” to “Everything You Love,” the balance between tenderness and explosiveness keeps listeners on edge in an alluring way.
Perfect For: Any rock fan who appreciates the pull and push between darkness and light. – By John Sinkevics
Website: https://84tigersband.com/
Listen: “Two Rivers”
G-Hollow
“Welcome To Michigan”
What Stands Out: On ‘Welcome to Michigan,’ G-Hollow steps forward as both a Pottersville lyricist and a connector inside the state’s underground rap music scene. The EP plays like a tight introduction to his world, built on collaboration and regional pride. From the jump, “The Lost Cypher” brings together Wavie P, Tk North and Hollow himself for a raw showcase of Michigan lyricism. Each track highlights a different side of the local scene whether it’s the darker edge of “Losing Direction” with SinnDexx and MAUIGREEN, or the punch of “3:16” with Superstardarius. What stands out most is how Hollow acts less like a lone artist and more like a curator, stitching together voices from around the state and giving listeners a quick, but thorough look at the energy growing within the underground. The EP highlights both G-Hollow and collaborator Supreme Ape on “Red Zone,” a song where both artists showcase their lyrics while utilizing the classic Flint flow to give it a similar punch as “3:16.”
Digging Deeper: The production keeps things gritty, matching the street knowledge, hilarity and storytelling embedded into the Michigan rap scene. It feels like G-Hollow is capturing the present moment of the region: rising artists sharpening their craft, feeding off each other, and pushing that signature cadence that has helped artists like Rio da Yung OG gain mainstream success in the rap game. That emulated style is indicative that this project is a snapshot of a scene that’s hungry, collaborative and confident in its identity.
Perfect For: Fans of punchline-heavy rap filled with witty one-liners, street knowledge, and braggadocious bars. Also great for anyone looking to get a peek into the underground rap scene. – By Brayden Flodin
Website: https://www.facebook.com/GHollow517
Listen: “Losing Direction”
Silverstiles
“4”
What Stands Out: Guitarist John Bruni and bassist Keith Jaissle, known for their project Silverstiles, return with an album tracked at Goon Lagoon with Tommy Schichtel and honed through collaborations with Michael Houseman, Brian Oberlin, Jeffrey Niemeier, Justin Wierenga, Emily Schichtel, Dale Wicks and Christopher Schichtel. The album cover captures a “moment that we’ve all had when we recognize that every moment of beauty will never come again,” which pairs wonderfully with these sonic vignettes. The album rolls out snapshots of moments on the road, memories of growing up in a small town, and observations about the world dotted with its many eccentricities, painted within plainspoken lyricism.
Digging Deeper: This record places the perspective directly behind the eyes of Silverstiles as they process loss: glaciers melting, drifting away from a small town, friends traveling away, yearning for “the good old days.” And yet, there is solace in the shared experience of the artists involved in the studio process, because it is deeply human to yearn for memories we could bottle up and drink deep from when things get rough. This record gives audiences a chance to sit and reflect, knowing each story told on the record is reflected in their own personal experiences.
Perfect For: A porch hang with old friends where nostalgia meets the night sky. – By Dutcher Snedeker (Disclaimer: I recorded keys on this record on “70’s Love Song, “Icebergs,” “Blood on the Page,” and “Miles are Free.”)
Website: https://www.silverstiles.com/
Listen: “Icebergs”
Lost Magic
“Dark Academia”
What Stands Out: Holland rock band Lost Magic fully leans into moodiness and storytelling on “Dark Academia,” crafting an album that doesn’t just borrow its title from this aesthetic, it creates an atmosphere around it. In their album announcement, the band describes the album as an aesthetic rooted in classicism, intellectual curiosity, vintage fashion, Gothic architecture and that moody, candlelit study energy you’d find in old European universities. They take all of that imagery and fuse it with their emotionally heavy rock sound. The opener “Beware!” sets the tone with theatrical suspense, and tracks like “Journey Down a Long Winding Road” and “Cycle of Despair” pull listeners even deeper into that world. Lost Magic builds an atmosphere to get lost in, giving the whole project the feeling of walking into a dim library where every shadow has a story attached.
Digging Deeper: Lost Magic commits to the aesthetic beyond vibes alone. The band leans into the subculture’s darker themes and blends them with grunge-influenced guitars and layered vocals. Their description of the aesthetic mentions mystery, morbid intrigue and secret-club energy, and all of that shows up in how the album transitions from song to song. The uniform tone of this album strengthens the overall world-building aspect, with a theme that a listener can follow and feel connected to when listening. They are able to use this overarching theme as a storytelling tool, shaping an album that feels immersive.
Perfect For: People who like albums that feel like a story, or fans of grungy rock music that is moody but also feels cinematic. – By Brayden Flodin
Website: https://lostmagicofficial.com/
Listen: “Hoping for Mistakes”
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