Check out some of the musicians headed to Columbia

The soundtrack for True/False 2025 is in place.

Each year, the homegrown, internationally-revered nonfiction film festival goes beyond the big screen, scheduling concert showcases and busker sets to honor music that’s as varied and daring as its movies.

With this year’s festival on approach, set for Feb. 27-March 2, this week True/False announced the 40 artists that will make up its upcoming musical program. Here are just a few of the talents worth knowing:

Cavalier (New Orleans by way of Brooklyn)

On last year’s superlative “Different Type Time,” the artful rapper exhibits “clear reverence for (’90s hip-hop) without overtly trying to recreate it,” Pitchfork’s Dash Lewis wrote.

Elucid (New York)

One of hip-hop’s true powerhouses, Elucid makes his presence felt within the likes of Armand Hammer, the righteous duo he forms with Billy Woods, or on remarkable records like last year’s “Revelator.”

Josh Johnson (Los Angeles by way of Chicago)

A truly manifold musician, Johnson makes sound under his own name and has collaborated with everyone from Leon Bridges and Miley Cyrus to Meshell Ndegeocello and Jeff Parker. Johnson’s work dips and dodges wonderfully between jazz, pop, hip-hop and some sort of 21st-century classical music.

Sachiko Kanenobu (California by way of Japan)

Some 53 years ago, this singer-songwriter released “Misora,” which would grow into its place as a favorite of cratediggers and establish Kanenobu as “a cult figure in Japan’s vast psych-folk underground, in large part because she disappeared from the country on the eve of her debut’s release,” according to AllMusic’s Jesse Jarnow. Reissues and other musical endeavors have kept the artist in focus.

Kids (St. Louis)

This Missouri band knows itself, living up to its own self-aware billing: “dual fronted post punk from the depths of south city.”

Takuya Nakamura (New York by way of Tokyo)

The Japanese-born Nakamura has collaborated with and appeared alongside a remarkable ledger of jazz and avant-garde artists, including John Cage, Laurie Anderson and John Zorn. Nakamura’s original creations blend acoustic and electronic sound, DJ work and live instrumentation.

David Nance and Mowed Sound (Omaha)

The Nebraska-based guitarist and songwriter “has become a cult hero for his passionate recordings that merge psychedelia, blues, hard rock, and inspired noise into a satisfyingly volatile brew all his own,” AllMusic’s Mark Deming notes.

Resavoir (Chicago)

Working on the ever-excellent International Anthem label, Resavoir (aka Will Miller) unites what the artist’s bio calls “modern-day soul-jazz with bedroom beats, synth serenades and twilight sonatas” while drawing on a who’s-who of Chicago collaborators, including fellow True/False musicians.

Hold up — don’t forget the locals

True/False music programmers consistently do a great job showing off Columbia talent, past and present.

This year’s festival includes the likes of Columbia-formed/now-reformed BC69, Devin Frank Trio — led by a onetime local, evolving sibling band Drona, former Loose Loose rhythmic driver drummerscales, sister pairing HYO-SIS, terrific homegrown songwriter Kyren Penrose, stalwart Max Garcia-Rubio aka Maxubishi and trailblazing local rockers Tri-County Liquidators.

Check out this year’s full music program at https://truefalse.org/program/music/.

Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com. He’s on Twitter/X @aarikdanielsen.

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