r/indianamusic

Brandon Meeks is an acclaimed Indianapolis-based jazz bassist, bandleader, and hip-hop producer. Originally from Gary, Indiana, he moved to Indianapolis in 2004 and has since become a cornerstone of the city's contemporary jazz scene.

Career & Musical Style

• Genre Fusion: He masterfully blends traditional straight-ahead jazz with modern hip-hop beats and soulful rhythms.
• Native Sun: He co-founded this prominent hip-hop jazz trio alongside drummer Richard "Sleepy" Floyd, known for combining live jazz improvisation with hip-hop instrumentation.
• Collaborations: He frequently performs and records with local heavyweights, including saxophonist Rob Dixon and the Brandon Meeks Trio featuring William Menefield and Cassius Goens.
• Session Work: He is an active session musician with credits on over 1,000 independent recordings.
• On-Screen Role: He portrayed the legendary jazz bassist Ron Carter in the 2015 Miles Davis biopic Miles Ahead, starring Don Cheadle.

Recent Projects & Accolades

• "Unsung Giants" Project: In early 2026, Meeks was awarded a prestigious $10,000 Creative Capital State of the Art Prize. The grant funds an oral history and composition project designed to honor and preserve the legacies of overlooked Black Midwest jazz elders in Indiana (such as Kenny Phelps, Clifford Ratliff, and Billy Foster).
• Jazz Hero Award: He was named a 2026 Jazz Hero by the Jazz Journalists Association.
• Live Albums: He recently released the EP Live at The Center, recorded at The Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, Indiana.
• Community Concerts: He is the creator of the 3rd Sunday Jazz Concert series, a free outdoor community concert program that runs through the summer months.

Izzaldin is an independent musical artist based in New York and Paris (by way of Indianapolis) who releases music under the label Holistic Records. His sound blends alternative elements, hip-hop, electronic vibes, and retro-futuristic production.

Key Albums & EP Releases

• ExPats Club
• WIZY 1120 AM (2025)
• Futura in Retrograde (2023) [1]

🎵 Popular Singles & Collaboration Tracks

• "Hoosiers" (feat. DJ GNO)
• "Bloodhounds"
• "8 Bit Love" (feat. Evaanz)
• "B2NY" (feat. DJ GNO)
• "Box of Chocolates"
• "SPIKE"

The Figbeats are a garage punk and power-pop band based out of Valparaiso, Indiana. Known for their fizzy, energetic performances in the northwest Indiana and Chicago regions, their sound blends punk, garage rock, and fortune telling/financial advisory aesthetics.

Key Members

• Brad Skafish – Vocals, Guitar
• Jim Senderhauf – Bass, Backing Vocals
• Felix Baeza – Guitar, Backing Vocals
• Dan Shiplov – Drums (Adam Hazlett has also performed on drums with the group)

The band regularly releases music on The Figbeats Bandcamp page and streaming platforms. Their notable releases include:

• We May Bite (EP): Released in October 2025, featuring tracks like "AWOL (September)," "What They Want," "Apples & Coffee," "All My Dreams Are Nightmares," and "Temporary."
• Circle the Drain: A limited-edition CD and streaming project.
• Bootstrap Paradox (Single): A fan-favorite track from their EP A.
• Popular Live Tracks: Their setlists frequently rip through original anthems like "Ultraviolet," "Your Ghost," "Radio Killed Radio," and "Phillip's Lament," alongside energetic classic covers like The Kinks' "Apeman."

The Rutabega is an indie rock power duo based in South Bend, Indiana.

Band Overview

• Formed: 2002 by singer-songwriter and guitarist Joshua Wayne Hensley.
• Current Lineup: Joshua Wayne Hensley alongside drummer Garth Mason, who joined in 2011.
• Genre Style: Pop-infused heartland indie rock. Their sound relies on anthemic guitars and deeply intimate lyrics.
• Record Labels: They release music via Comedy Minus One and have also worked with Triple Eye Industries.

Key Releases

• Albums: Notable records include brother the lights don't work (2013) and leading up to (2022).
• Collaborations: They released a widely recognized split EP with Mike Kinsella's solo project, Owen. You can explore and stream their discography directly on The Rutabega Bandcamp.

Six Foot Blonde is an emerging six-piece indie pop and rock band originally formed in 2020 at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Now based in Chicago, the group is fronted by lead vocalist Julia Rusyniak and delivers a dynamic, energetic sound that seamlessly blends soulful powerhouse vocals with rich indie-rock instrumentation.

Band Members

• Julia Rusyniak – Lead Vocals
• John Alex Rusyniak – Keyboards / Saxophone (Julia's brother)
• Zach Patrick – Guitar
• Elliott Obermaier – Guitar
• Dom Heyob – Bass / Vocals
• Brian Healey – Drums

Musical Style & Notable Releases

The band's genre-bending sonic identity pulls inspiration from alternative rock, pop, soul, jazz, and blues. Their music captures everything from Amy Winehouse-esque vocal runs to ambient slide guitars and synth harmonies.

• Ask Me How I Am: Their highly anticipated debut studio album.
• Tino's Place: Their breakthrough 2023 original EP.
• Six Foot Blonde on Audiotree Live: A live EP recorded in Chicago showcasing their theatrical and high-energy live presence.
• Popular Tracks: Notable songs include "Landgirl", "Callin' To Karma", "Crazy Eyes", and "Blackout".

What It Was

Before closing, this highly eccentric, one-room cabinet of curiosities was hidden away on the second floor of the Murphy Arts Center in the Fountain Square neighborhood. Co-founded by Michael Kaufmann and artist Kipp Normand, the word "psychphonics" was completely made up to mean "sounds of the spirit". Visitors accessed the tiny 11-by-10-foot space by passing through a heavy red curtain hidden inside a local record store.

The Unique Exhibits

The museum purposefully lacked long, academic explanation panels, opting instead to let visitors form their own interpretations. It focused heavily on underground American music culture, Afrofuturism, and esoteric Indiana history. Some of its most famous, bizarre artifacts included:

• The Parliament-Funkadelic "Baby Mothership": A 1970s flying stage prop built by Indianapolis native Tom Battista.
• An Elvis Burger King Ashtray: Supposedly sourced from the fast-food joint where Elvis Presley was famously "spotted" after his death.
• Sacred Dirt Samples: Vials of soil collected from religious pilgrimage sites, known UFO landing zones, and the arena of Elvis’s final concert.
• Fallen Empire Currencies: Money from dissolved regimes, such as the Soviet Union.

PILLARS is an American four-piece, primarily instrumental post-rock band from Indianapolis, Indiana. Formed in 2015, the group blends elements of indie-rock and post-rock to build heavy, atmospheric soundscapes characterized by intricate, cinematic peaks and plunges.

Band Members

The quartet consists of:

• Marc Ertel – Guitar
• Justin Williams – Guitar
• Nason Frizzell – Bass
• Zach Frizzell – Drums

PILLARS' music is available across streaming platforms, including their official PILLARS Bandcamp Profile and PILLARS SoundCloud page. Their core releases include: [1, 2, 3, 4]

• EP1 (2015) – The band's debut introductory extended play.
• The Great Divide (2017) – A two-song opus tackling heavy societal themes.
• Of Salt and Sea (2017) – Their first full-length, entirely instrumental album.
• Cavum (2019) – A darker, heavier sophomore album exploring structural human isolation in a hyper-connected world.
• Cavum Reimagined (2020) – A collaborative remix and reimagined version of their

Apostle of Solitude is an active American doom metal band formed in 2004 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Profile Overview

• Origin: Indianapolis, Indiana
• Formed: 2004
• Genre: Doom Metal
• Themes: Pain, sorrow, and isolation
• Label: Cruz del Sur Music

Current Lineup

• Chuck Brown – Vocals, Guitar
• Steve Janiak – Vocals, Guitar
• Corey Webb – Drums
• Mike Naish – Bass

Studio Discography

1. Sincerest Misery (2008)
2. Last Sunrise (2010)
3. Of Woe and Wounds (2014)
4. From Gold to Ash (2018)
5. Until the Darkness Goes (2021)