132 MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2025 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC & VENUES | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SPORTS & RECREATION | SHOPPING & SERVICES | CONTENTS | dox that an album with fi fteen collaborators is titled Are u alone?. The Denver musician who goes by ego is anything but alone on the nineteen-track record, which was released in June 2024. With such familiar music-scene names as Lady Los, DNA Picasso, ReSrface and Keenan TreVon all making appearances, each song takes you on a different journey infl uenced by its unique collaborator. The album is also extremely polished, the result of ego n friends’ masterful production skills, which few local artists can match. Best Indie Dream Pop Sunstoney instagram.com/sunstoney Sunstoney only moved to Denver in 2023, but the indie-pop singer is already a name to know in the music scene. With strong vocals and relatable lyrics, she’s a standout with her stage presence (she’ll get the audi- ence laughing with stories between songs) and a talented backing band that includes bassist Kathryn Fernandez and drummer Susan Lucia. Her latest album, The Mir- ror Is Calling, released in April 2024, rests listeners on a cloud of dreamy indie pop, with luxurious beats fl oating under lyrics about uncovering self-love that motivate listeners to do the same. There’s something about Sunstoney that inspires, and you’ll always leave her shows with a wide smile, completely uplifted by her magic. Best Sparkly Dark Ritual Pop Album Midheaven Kayla Marque kaylamarque.com Kayla Marque calls her music “sparkly dark ritual pop,” and yes, that’s as magical as it sounds. The longtime Denver musician has cast yet another spell with her fi rst album in several years, Midheaven, which dropped in August 2024, and we are fully entranced. While the record maintains Marque’s in- toxicating, shimmering sound, lyrically it’s a departure from her more brooding past work, which she attributes to fi nding her stride in her personal growth. That extends to listeners, too, who will fi nd comfort and strength throughout Midheaven, which resonates with the positivity and bliss the singer intended. Best Indefi nable Musical Wizardry Mr. Knobs mrknobsmusic.com Mr. Knobs is impossible to categorize: It’s a swirling amalgamation of indie prog- pop and electronica sounds that break the boundaries of genre. On stage, the four-piece is completely captivating, taking audiences on a sonic adventure that is both ethereal and heavy. Bursts of energy emerge from Sarah Hubbard’s violin, which soars along- side Mr. Knobs founder Vidushi Goyal’s enigmatic vocals. Even when you’re dancing your ass off, you can’t pull your eyes from the stage, where the fi ve-piece, which includes Isaac Vance (bass), Steve Lamos (drums/ trumpet) and John Baldwin (drums), casts a spell of musical wizardry that still has our minds spinning…and coming back for more. Best Bilingual Pop Neoma neomamusic.com With dreamy, emotional lyrics, Neoma blends English and Spanish seamlessly in her distinct style of electro-pop, perfect for people who enjoy America’s mainstream pop but miss the romance and cariño of Latin styles, especially modern reggaetón. Now well established in Denver’s music scene since moving from Ecuador in 2018 at the age of eighteen, Neoma marked off several accomplishments last year, performing at the Underground Music Showcase, touring with Kiltro and play- ing at Electric Forest. Her music has an electric feel and a strong dance club vibe, but she stays true to tender-hearted, loving and seductive themes in her lyrics, the way Bad Bunny and Karol G have during their own rise. And Neoma? Her star is rising. Best Album for Blasting Off Into Outer Space Loki Moon Loki Moon lokimoon.com Loki Moon is an ethereal duo comprising multi-instrumentalist Davis Jones and vo- calist Ashley Edwards, who describes their sound as “if James Blake had a baby with André 3000’s fl ute album, and that baby fl ew off to another galaxy with Sufjan Ste- vens and Frank Ocean in the CD player.” Loki Moon fulfi lls that description on its self-titled debut Music & Venues continued from page 130 continued on page 134
