Duluth-based Sadkin is an art-pop quintet that crafts a unique blend of harmonious sounds, earning the moniker “post-futurist romantics.” The band’s immersive performances feature rich, layered sound combining live vocals and instrumentation of drums, electric guitars and basses with synthesizers, samples, loops and textures. All this is enhanced by choreographed lighting and a moody, theatrical atmosphere. The band comprises Max Mileski, Nicholas Hanson, Chris LeBlanc, Anton Jimenez-Kloeckl and Alex Piazza, who together have self-produced two albums and are currently working on a third. Sadkin is also the subject of an independent documentary set to capture the band’s upcoming performance at Homegrown.

Troy Rogers is a composer, sound artist and occasional cult leader. His Robot Rickshaw was a human-driven cart full of musical robots that was destroyed during Homegrown 2022. The name carries on, however, as Rogers’ performance persona. At Homegrown 2023, Rogers turned his Robot Rickshaw performance slot into a futurist mass at Sacred Heart Music Center. Two months later, he was selected as a McKnight Composer Fellow. What’s next? “The automated pocket trumpet and sousaphone may make their Homegrown debuts this year,” Rogers warns.

Emerging EDM artist Nolan Ripp, who had dropped dozens of tracks on Soundcloud as Mr. LeG, has rebranded and is now performing as Riptide. Ripp said his musical journey began with a passion for the underground sounds of dubstep. But Riptide has evolved with a versatile style that weaves in elements of deep dub, drum and bass, riddim and future bass. Soundcloud tracks feature diverse influences like Charli XCX, The Who and Disco Lines. It’s all designed to keep the crowd moving from start to finish.

The Rhizomes is a neighborhood band that formed in 2019 after a conversation in a Chester Park alley. Led by singer-songwriter and guitar player Emily Gaarder, the trio performs American folk rock with a sharp feminist groove. The songs examine awkward high-school sex education classes, parenting difficulties, poorly planned wilderness trips, forgiveness and learning to love mistakes. A seven-track demo posted on Soundcloud includes the song “John Hughes,” a bittersweet look back at small-town teen romance. Gaarder is backed by Chris Handsone on bass and Dave Clark on drums.