The highly anticipated return of Lady Gaga, the unexpected collaborative drop between Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist, the sensual R&B crooner Ro James returning for his sophomore go-round: These are but a handful of big-time releases that will consume the masses today.

With an overwhelming amount of new music presented each Friday, it's important to shine a light on the hard-working underdogs, the artists who are putting out captivating tracks without mainstream recognition. Below are a handful of independent acts that also released new projects today. From the silky bravado of Keffa to the idiosyncrasies of Deem Spencer, here are underground releases that need to be on your radar.