Category: Pop

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Pony – WebMD

I found it hilarious that Sam Bielanski, the lead singer and mastermind behind Toronto-based band Pony, tweeted –when the band released their latest single– that she had written a song about her favorite website, WebMD. She obviously can make fun of herself and that’s a good quality to have. The song is a great alternative rock jam with an infectious melody and, despite its title, a good message about being independent and not wanting to depend on anyone else in order to feel complete.

According to Pony‘s website, the band’s style is grunge pop, which in a way makes perfect sense. Whatever it is, we need more bands like Pony. Luckily, they recently announced the signing of a deal with an indie label and will release a debut full-length album soon. That being said, the band had been publishing songs and EPs regularly since 2015, so they got plenty of material out already.

Sam even starred, directed, choreographed , shot, and edited the music video for WebMD (the link is below but you might have to go to Youtube in order to watch it due to restrictions from the music label). Or you can also enjoy this tune on the mixtapes below. Whatever you choose, have fun!

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative
  • Pop

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London Grammar – Baby It’s You

Out of the blue and without any indication of a new album coming out soon, London Grammar simply dropped a new single yesterday, Baby It’s You, after posting a tease on Instagram on Monday. The young band from Nottingham, UK, had last released an album, their sophomore record, in 2017. Both of the band’s studio albums were massive successes in the UK and if this new track is an indication of what’s coming next, their third full-length will hit the jackpot too, and deservedly so.

As it was the case with all of London Grammar‘s previous songs, Baby It’s You is driven by the stunning and powerful vocals of Hannah Reid. In a way, it’s fitting that this entry comes right after the one about Mazzy Star, because not unlike Hope Sandoval, Hannah is an introvert who suffers from stage fright. And just like Hope. she got an angelic voice capable of leaving any audience absolutely mesmerised.

On this new track, the ethereal vocals are surrounded by the band’s trademark atmospheric sounds. What is new this time around is a certain balearic vibe: just the right amount to make things interesting without overpowering the tune. All in all, Baby It’s You is a nice new song from London Grammar and you can enjoy it in the mixtapes below.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Folk/Indie
  • Pop

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Teen Idle – In The Morning

Teen Idle

Sara Abdelbarry is a 23 year-old music artist of Egyptian heritage who greg up in the suburbs of New Jersey. The boredom of suburban life and everything she went through growing up led her to start writing songs in 2018 as a mean to emotional catharsis, giving birth eventually to Teen Idle, her musical project.

Back in June, Teen Idle released her first EP, Insomniac Dreams, which consists of 6 tracks of what could be categorised as indie/dream-pop, with my favourite one being In The Morning. What I like about this song is that Sara’s ethereal vocals and pop flavour get infused with hints of alternative rock from the 90’s. I think Sara will inevitably get compared to Hope Sandoval/Mazzy Star and I can certainly see why, but I also think that she injects enough of her own identity to Teen Idle’s music to be able to stand on her own.

Listen to this rising star below and let me know if you disagree.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative
  • Folk/Indie

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Shy Martin – Are You Happy?

Sara Hjellström, aka Shy Martin, is a young artist who looks even younger. That could mislead you into thinking she’s new to the music industry when, in fact, she’s an established songwriter. She’s written or co-written successful tracks for the likes of Kygo (featuring Ellie Goulding), Bebe Rexha and Jess Glynne. And if all that wasn’t enough, she can sing too. This Swedish singer/songwriter even signed a record deal with EMI when she was 17 but ultimately decided to go the independent route, which eventually brought her here, to the release of her sophomore EP, Sad Songs, which consists of five very nice indie pop tracks, including today’s entry to The Alternative Mixtapes.

Are You Happy? is a delicate but catchy song with a melancholic theme: appreciating failed past relationships. The gorgeous melody goes hand in hand with Shy’s vocals, resulting in this nice tune that got all the elements to get a lot of airplay and streams. Pairing it with a lovely music video, which you can watch below, helps too. Could this song become your next musical crush?

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Pop

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Evaride – What’s It All For?

I feel like I should have known about American band Evaride for a while now. Formed by the former guitar player on Glee and one of the stars in Billy Joe Armstrong’s Broadway musical “American Idiot”, their debut single got over 4 million streams on Spotify and then the band got songs featured in video games and some tv shows. Their debut EP Vol. 1 got several heavyweight producers and sound-mixers involved such as Chris Lord-Alge. I mean, there was certainly some buzz about them. That being said, I only know about Evaride because they liked one of my posts on Instagram and it caught my attention because they had the verified badge.

What’s It All For? was the first song from Evaride that I played and it blew me away how well it sounded. The top-notch production made sense once I saw who had been involved, but besides that, it was a high-energy, catchy and fun pop-rock song like those from yesteryear that are not common anymore. Even better, the lyrics had a deeper meaning than what you would expect from such a fun song (and music video, see below), basically talking about all those little stupid things we tend to do or give importance to that are essentially meaningless, like people doing whatever it takes to get more likes on social media. What could be better than songs with great melodies and good lyrics?

It will be interesting to see how far Evaride will go in the next few years.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative
  • Pop

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The Mynabirds – Shake Your Head Yes

I’m almost cheating with this week’s Throwback Thursday. Yes, this song is certainly not new (2015), but I just discovered it (well, my lovely wife did) this year. What matters, anyway, is that it is a really good song and deserves to be on the mixtapes.

The Mynabirds, is the moniker under which American singer-songwriter Laura Burhenn has been working since 2010, who had also been part of different indie bands in the past. Her music as The Mynabirds can be catalogued as indie pop or altpop and Shake Your Head Yes is no exception to that. This earworm is a simple song consisting basically of a drums machine, a synth and Laura’s hypnotic vocals, but that’s enough to make you listen it on repeat for a good while, as the musical crush this tune is. You can find it in the Pop Mixtape below.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Pop

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Picture This – Unconditional

Picture This - Unconditional

I discovered Picture This over a year ago on Youtube, where their video for the highly recommended track, “Modern Love” appeared in my feed. Since then, I have closely followed this Irish band known for their catchy alternative pop-rock songs. They have been incredibly prolific, releasing 1 EP, 2 studio albums, and over 20 singles since their debut in 2015. Recently, Picture This unveiled their latest single, “Unconditional,” a romantic altpop song filled with infectious hooks and heartfelt lyrics that strike the perfect balance.

If you like radio-friendly songs, then you will surely enjoy this potential hit from Picture This.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative
  • Pop

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Neon Trees – Used To Like

Neon Trees

Unfortunately, I don’t have much time to write anything today, so this entry will be an easy and short one. Neon Trees released a new album last week, I Can Feel You Forgetting Me, and even though its lead single debuted much earlier this year, I still think it’s the best track in the album. The band had a few hits in the early 2010s, like Animal, but hadn’t released any new material in 5 years. They came back with their trademark alt-pop sound but with a bigger 80s influence. Used to Like is a perfect example of that. Enjoy!

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Pop

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KidEyes – Ready To Go

KidEyes

I can’t recall how I discovered KidEyes, an indie/altpop duo based out of Los Angeles. It was about a month ago, possibly through Instagram, but the specifics elude me. Regardless, I’m grateful for finding them because their music is incredibly enjoyable, and today’s featured song is a perfect example.

“Ready To Go” is the band’s latest single, released in June following their self-titled debut EP from 2019. Despite addressing feelings of being lost and disoriented, it’s a captivating indie pop track that could serve as the soundtrack to our peculiar year. Give it a listen here:

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Indie
  • Pop

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Dysplay – Too Cool

Dysplay - Too Cool

“Too Cool” is a delightful song that got to me thanks to this music blog (I love it!). Dysplay, a band from the US active since 2017, effortlessly combines 80s pop influences with a modern sound. This track is no exception, instantly capturing my attention with its captivating guitar. The accompanying music video, available below, is impressive, showcasing that creativity can still generate great content despite current limitations and budget constraints.

Take a listen to this radio-friendly tune below and be sure to keep Dysplay on your radar. If they continue to produce songs like “Too Cool” in the future, they will undoubtedly become a staple on The Alternative Mixtapes.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Indie
  • Pop