Tag: Indie

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Madison Deaver – Denim

Artist: Madison Deaver

Song: Denim

Genres: #altrock, #poprock

Location: Los Angeles, United States

Release date: August, 2022.

Comment: Madison Deaver could have chosen the easier path to stardom by becoming a hip-hop artist. Instead, she’s been compared to the garage days of Gwen Stefani and Avril Lavigne, with her music ranging from alternative rock to punk rock, and I applaud her for that. Her new single Denim might be her best one so far and it is as energetic and anthemic as you could expect. Lyrically, Madison complains about people who think relationships are like denim, as if they would last forever no matter how badly one person is treated. Overall, this track is an absolute banger.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative

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The Wombats – Is This What It Feels Like To Feel Like This

The Wombats - Is This What It Feels Like To Feel Like This

Artist: The Wombats

Song: Is This What It Feels Like To Feel Like This

Genres: #indierock #altrock

Location: Liverpool, United Kingdom

Release date: September, 2022

Comment:  The eponymous track of The Wombat‘s next EP, Is This What It Feels Like To Feel Like This, might not reach the heights of their mega hit Cheetah Tongue, but that does not mean it isn’t a superb track anyway. In fact, I’ve been listening to it on repeat for the past month or so. If you hadn’t heard of it until now, check it out. It has the potential to become your next #musicalcrush.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative
  • Folk/Indie

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Dilettante – Monster

Artist: Dilettante

Song: Monster

Genres: #indiepop #altpop

Location: Toronto, Canada

Release date: June, 2022

Comment:  Dilettante, which means a person having a superficial interest in an art of branch of knowledge, is a quintet from Toronto led by Natalie Panacci and Julia Wittmann. Most of the band members used to be on a band called For Jane, but their debut album as Dilettante, which is self-titled, was released this June. Monster is the closing track and even though it got a strong 80s music vibe, it sounds modern as well. I really like the synth-infused intro and the overall melody, but I absolutely love how it suddenly dials it back to just an acoustic guitar in the outro. I think that was a genius touch. Check it out!

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Pop

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Northwest Stories – That Isn’t Me

Photo credits: Alyssa Fink (@limitlys.photography)

Artist: Northwest Stories

Song: That Isn’t Me

Genres: #indiefolk

Location: Idaho, United States

Influences: Ben Rector, Novo Amor, Bon Iver

Release date: June, 2022

Comment: That Isn’t Me is a gorgeous folk song about focusing on what’s good in life instead of feeling stuck. Northwest Stories‘ lead vocalist, Adam Fink, got a calming voice you won’t want to stop listening to but, on top of that, they recording this song in 432 Hz as opposed to the standard 440 Hz, in order to make it even more soothing. Trust me, it works.

Northwest Stories is composed of Adam (vocals, guitar, piano) and RJ Rouse (background vocals, producer, engineer) and even though most of their songs are written about God, their music can appeal everybody, not just Christians. That Isn’t Me is a great example of that. Enjoy this lovely track!

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Folk/Indie

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Blue Cove – Thrive

Blue Cove - Thrive

Artist: Blue Cove

Song: Thrive

Genres: #shoegazepop #90srock

Influences: Slowdive, Alex G.

Location:  Chicago, United States

Release date: June, 2022

Comment: Life is funny. Stephanie Nikolas and Eric Breden were high school friends and neighbors, but it wasn’t until they were in their 20s that they started to see each other as partners, both musically and romantically. This sparked Blue Cove into life, which they describe –accurately, I must say– as a blend of modern indie pop with the “nostalgic shoegaze sensibilities of the 90’s”. With a DIY mentality, Steph and Eric do everything related to Blue Cove, and I mean everything, not just mixing and producing their music: from designing their own merch and artwork to capturing their own press photos to filming their music videos. From what I can tell, they’re pretty good at all of those things.

Thrive is the title track of Blue Cove‘s forthcoming debut album (to be released in October), and it is both dazzling and delicate, if such a combination is indeed possible. Think Mazzy Star, but more dynamic. Lyrically, the song talks about thriving despite dealing with social anxiety and negative thoughts, something a lot of us can relate to. Unfortunately, there’s no music video for this vibrant track yet, but you can check below a little guitar piece they wrote and uploaded to Youtube. Absolutely gorgeous.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative
  • Indie

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Jeen – Mountain

Artist: Jeen

Song: Mountain

Genres: #indiepop #altpop

Location: Toronto, Canada

Release date: June, 2022

Comment:  Jeen O’Brien, or simply Jeen, is a #singersongwriter and music producer from Toronto who has been making music professionally since the nineties. She has been releasing albums as Jeen at least since 2015 and several of her songs have been featured on commercials for very well-known brands and also TV shows such as MTV Catfish. Chances are that we have unknowingly listened to her music before, but that’s changing now.

Jeen is releasing a new album in October and one of its lead singles was the refreshing Mountain, which became available in June. It reminds me a bit of a nice little song that I featured here 2 years ago when this blog was just starting: Shake Your Head Yes by The Mynabirds. The song was Jeen‘s attempt at keeping things in perspective during the pandemic, and it is full of lush sounds surrounding an engaging pop melody. Don’t miss it.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Pop

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Armstrong – Morning

Artist: Armstrong

Song: Morning

Genres: #indierock #altrock

Location: Aldershot, United Kingdom

Influences: Foo Fighters, Bruce Springsteen, Sam Fender

Release date: June, 2022

Comment:  Morning, from British four-pierce band Armstrong, is one of those alternative rock songs that grab your attention from the start. I have always had a predilection for songs that begin with just a guitar and some melodic vocals, and that then explode once all instruments join the fun –usually around the chorus–, and that’s exactly what happens here. The track’s lyrics talk about delaying big life-changing decisions, like breaking up with someone, until the next morning. Don’t delay listening to this infectious track though. It will be well worth your time.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative

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Phoebe Bridgers – Sidelines

Phoebe Bridgers

Artist: Phoebe Bridgers

Song: Sidelines

Genres: #indie

Location:  California, United States

Release date: April, 2022

Comment: Phoebe Bridgers has been featured here before and she’s pretty much everywhere these days, so I don’t think you need me to tell you who she is. What you may or may not know though is that she recently released a brand new song for the tv show Conversation With Friends, and it is truly gorgeous. She started to write Sidelines with her drummer, Marshall Vore, but left it unfinished while they focused on some other things. When the folks from the tv show reached out to her, she and Marshall decided to finish it and I, for one, am glad they did, as it is too good to be left unreleased.

It is probably my favorite Phoebe Bridgers song.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Indie

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Emarosa – Attention

Emarosa - Attention

Artist: Emarosa

Song: Attention

Genres: #altpop #indiepop

Location:  Los Angeles, United States

Release date: July, 2022

Comment: Emarosa is a band originally formed in Kentucky in 2006, but they have transformed themselves in such a way that they sound today like a completely different band, and I don’t mean simply the fact that they got a new lead vocalist, Bradley Scott, circa 2012. They went from being a post-hardcore act to an indie pop marvel with some synth-wave and 80’s music influence. Their last full album, Peach Club (2019), charted on the U.S. Billboard charts and led them to a successful nationwide tour.

Last month, Emarosa released a new indie pop song, “Attention”, that is incredibly catchy. The best way I have to describe it is: I guess this is how the child of George Michael’s “Freedom” and Seal’s “Kiss From A Rose” would sound. Give it a listen and let me know what you think!

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Pop

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Lit – Lullaby

Artist: Lit

Song: Lullaby

Genres: #alternativerock

Location: California, United States

Release date: June, 2004

Comment: A couple of weeks ago, I featured one of Lit’s new songs and this time around, as this week’s #ThrowbackThursday post, it’s time to put under the spotlight one of their most beautiful songs: 2004’s Lullaby. I loved this sweet tune, which guitarist Jeremy Popoff wrote for his then young son after months away in tours, years before I even considered becoming a dad, so don’t feel like you need to be one in order to appreciate it.

Lullaby was the ninth track in the band’s self-title album, aka the black album. Unfortunately, it was never released as a single, so chances are most people have never heard of it. If you’re one of them, I hope you fall in love with it today.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative