The ball started rolling on Jan. 28, when, out of nowhere, Kanye West filed a blog post titled: “SOME DOPE S--- FOR MY APARTMENT!!”

The post showcased the artwork and music of Blind Man’s Colour, a group of high school friends from St. Petersburg who were so unknown, they had only played one informal live show before going off to separate colleges.

After that, more and more bloggers took notice of the swirling, ambient sounds of BMC’s homemade album Season Dreaming, with Animal Collective serving as a frequent comparison (the two bands crossed paths when Animal Collective played the State Theatre in June). Grizzly Bear’s Ed Droste chimed in with a thumbs-up, and little-known BMC signed to Brooklyn’s Kanine Records — all before playing their first proper local show, in July.

Pitchfork chimed in on Season Dreaming, and so did Spin magazine -- the band's photo even appeared in Spin's pages. Since then, they’ve played at more and more local events, gaining footing for a possible run at the big time. We wouldn't be surprised to see them at some festivals next summer.

In the meantime, co-frontman Kyle Wyss’ slightly poppier side project, Chromatic Flights, has been receiving a little bit of hype, too. If Blind Man’s Colour is the next Animal Collective, is Chromatic Flights the next Blind Man’s Colour? Our heads hurt.

Thankfully, we’ve got Season Dreaming to calm us back down.

PREVIOUSLY ON 'THE TOP 10 LOCAL MUSIC STORIES OF 2009':

No. 10: Woodstock fever hits Tampa

No. 9: It's Britney, bitch!

No. 8: Damon Fowler's 'Sugar Shack'

No. 7: The metalhead mama goes viral

-- Jay Cridlin, tbt*.