Local Radar highlights bands that the local team at The Current is spinning heavily at their desks. You’ll be able to preview a track from each as well as hear them on The Local Show and Local Current.

Greg Grease

At the end of 2012, Greg Grease released Cornbread, Pearl and G which made just about every local critic’s end-of-year list. Experimental hip-hop at its finest, Greg’s style has signaled a transition in Twin Cities hip-hop. There’s a lot more chances being taken, and the local team here at The Current believes that this guy should (and hopefully will) be gathering more accolades outside the region in the coming months. He played a blistering set at Local Current Live at the Amsterdam in February which confirmed his talent for anyone who felt on-the-fence.

That debut was a challenging record for some, especially the casual hip-hop listener. His new EP pushes stylistic boundaries even further. It’s a gorgeous release and has some stunning artwork that looks like it could be a part of the Moon Glyph roster. All at once, Greg Grease’s new music feels hypnotic, trippy and dubby with real soul anchoring the tracks. Lead single and title cut “Black King Cole” (available April 25

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) is a bass-thumping slow burner with major atmospheric interference and chopped vocals providing harmony. He’ll play at Soundset this year on May 26th and release the EP on vinyl and digitally the same day.

Regal Treats

Last week, Regal Treats released a great limited edition cassette through Cat People Records recorded by Ali Jafaar (Hollow Boys). If you haven’t figured it out by now by reading the Local Radar, this is music I really appreciate. It all goes back to my days – that weren’t too far ago – in college radio. I was trained under music directors at Radio K who leaned heavily on lo-fi garage rock, and some of us had a particular affinity for that reverby, sunshine sound that hearkened back to the ‘60s. Regal Treats follows suit, so I can say that I had a lot of fun listening to Gimme, especially with opening cut “Happy Everyday.”

It isn’t terribly complex, but that beginning guitar riff makes my ears perk up. It’s instantly recognizable and sounds like it could have come from the L.A. or Bay areas, whether that be past or present. It helps when you are drawing influences (and members) from Teenage Moods, Cadette and The Miami Dolphins, still three of the Twin Cities’ most underrated bands.

Here’s what I hope: this better not be a side project that fizzles out. There’s great potential here that shouldn't get lost in the mix.

The Further Adjustments

We played The Further Adjustments’ debut album Foxfire quite a bit last year, impressed with their Moondoggies-esque sound and ease of playing for such young college students. Then they went mysteriously quiet, playing shows here and there, but "missing" enough for me to be totally surprised when I received an e-mail from them a few days back. A new record is on the way called Down In A Dream, out digitally next Tuesday. Sometimes you hear a debut and think: there’s potential here. It’s not fully realized yet, but they’ll get there. Then a lot of those bands don’t put out anything else. The Further Adjustments have expanded on that potential, and this sophomore release could be a breakthrough for them.

Our first taste of Down In A Dream are two songs you can stream for free on their Bandcamp. The standout for me is “My Mind On You,” which sounds like it could have been the new Jaill record. Reilly Partridge’s voice comes across like a rougher version of Vincent Kircher’s, but the structure of the two bands is much the same: loose, bluesy garage rock. And loud. Don’t forget the volume. They break it down 20 seconds before the end, and it just makes the song.