Faith Low – Manic

Photo credits: rominakeyphoto

Artist: Faith Low

Song: Manic

Genres: #altpop #indiepop

Location:  Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Influences: Slipknot, Kanye West, Lana del Rey

Release date: January, 2022

Comment: There’s something about vulnerable songs that makes them almost magnetic, as if you couldn’t stop listening to them. Today’s featured song, Manic, is an example of that. In it, Faith Low sings about the struggles of battling mental illness and addiction in a way that makes you feel every single word. Musically, it’s a low-tempo pop song not unlike those of Lana del Rey, one of Faith Low‘s influences.

This talented artist had been playing in different bands for over 10 years but never as a vocalist. It was just recently that Faith Low decided to try their hand at being a #singersongwriter. Can you imagine the massive waste of talent if that hadn’t been the case? Faith Low clearly has something to say and the talent to be heard.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

Fan Theories – Kids In Heatwaves

Fan Theories - Kids In Heatwaves

Artist: Fan Theories

Song: Kids In Heatwaves

Genres: #alternativerock #indierock

Location: Helsinki, Finland

Release date: January, 2022

Comment: Perhaps you remember Fan Theories‘ debut single, Next Great Holiday, which was featured here almost 2 years ago. If you do, then you’ll be happy to hear that they’re back with a new single, their third one so far. The Finnish band drew inspiration from the world’s “miserable state of affairs” to write Kids In Heatwaves, an infectious song with a refreshing sound that is quickly becoming their defining attribute.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

Weekend Punks – The Theme from Weekend Punks

Artist: Weekend Punks

Song: The Theme from Weekend Punks

Genres: #surfpop #indierock

Location:  Southampton, United Kingdom

Release date: November, 2021

Comment: This song is part of a 3-track EP that was written between Southampton (UK) and Reykjavik (Iceland), so I don’t think it is simply a coincidence that Weekend Punks remind me a bit of Icelandic band Of Monsters And Men. Weekend Punks claim to play Surf Pop with relatively little experience of surf or sun. I think their style is actually some kind of chilled back punk mixed with shoegaze pop and 90s rock vibes. The glue that holds everything together is the lead singer’s magnetic vocals. The Theme from Weekend Punks is the band’s second single and a good example of this very interesting proposition. Check it out!

Featured on the following mixtapes:

MUNA feat. Phoebe Bridgers – Silk Chiffon

MUNA feat. Phoebe Bridgers

Artist: MUNA

Song: Silk Chiffon

Genres: #altpop #indiepop

Location:  California, United States

Release date: November, 2021

Comment: I’m glad Phoebe Bridgers collaborated with MUNA on this great tune because I would probably have missed it otherwise, as I wasn’t aware of that music trio until now. Silk Chiffon is a catchy indie pop song with a nice 90s rock vibe, particularly during the intro. It might not be a groundbreaking track but it is deeply enjoyable. At the end of the day, that’s really what matters.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

The Break Plans – Sad Sometimes

Artist: The Break Plans

Song: Sad Sometimes

Genres: #altpop #indiepop

Location:  New Jersey, United States

Release date: November, 2021

Comment: Last December, New Jersey band The Break Plans was featured here with their catchy single Crossroads. They’re back now with an introspective song about battling your own demons and the fact that it is absolutely OK to feel sad from time to time. It is the first track self-produced by them and even though Sad Sometimes got a slightly different vibe to their previous songs, it still manages to keep The Break Plans‘ essence intact. Writing honest and authentic songs is always the way to go, even if that means getting out of your comfort zone. I got no doubt The Break Plans are headed in the right direction.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

Sylvan Esso – Funeral Singers

Sylvan Esso - Funeral Singers

Artist: Sylvan Esso

Song: Funeral Singers

Genres:  #folktronica

Location: North Carolina, United States

Release date: September, 2018.

Comment: One of my favorite tracks in Third Eye Blind’s new album, which we have discussed before, is Funeral Singers, which I thought was an original song until the band shared their influences for the new album on instagram and one of them was Sylvan Esso‘s Funeral Singers. It turns out that Sylvan Esso‘s version is also a cover, with the original being from experimental rock band Califone. Each version is different but if I had to pick just one, I think I’d choose Sylvan Esso‘s. There’s something about lead singer Amelia Meath‘s voice and the acoustic strums in the background that I find mesmerizing.

If, like me, you were not aware of Sylvan Esso before, I hope you enjoy this cover from 2018 (which features American musical ensemble Collections of Colonies of Bees) as much as I do.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

in earnest – i feel alone even if i’m not

in earnest

Artist: in earnest

Song: i feel alone even if i’m not

Genres:  #indiefolk

Location: Southend on Sea, United Kingdom

Influences: Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers.

Release date: October, 2021.

Comment: Regular visitors to T.A.M. should already be familiar with indie trio in earnest, as they have been featured here a couple of times before. They are back now with their sophomore EP, reasons to stay alive, which is also their most artistically ambitious project to date. It is a six-track record with no gaps between songs that you could listen to on an infinite loop. Ideally, you would listen to the EP from beginning to end but if I had to choose just one song, then it would be I feel alone even if I’m not because of its haunting melody and emotional vocals. If you’re looking for some music to listen to during some alone time, you just found it.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

Chxrlotte – Hey?

ArtistChxrlotte

Song: Hey?

Genres: #indiefolk

Location: Brighton, United Kingdom

Release date: June, 2021

Comment: Ukulele-based indie folk music is hardly a novel idea, but when it is done well and has a compelling melody, who cares? That’s exactly the case with Hey?, the latest single from British #singersongwriter Chxrlotte, a talented young artist with a bright future that you should check out.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

Funeral Lakes – Solstice

Funeral Lakes - Solstice

ArtistFuneral Lakes

Song: Solstice

Genres: #indierock

Location: Ontario, Canada

Release date: August, 2021

Comment: I featured Funeral Lakes here exactly one year ago and now the duo is back with a brand new EP: Redeemer. As is usually the case with  this act, the songs in the new EP are all filled with social content. It explores themes such as the tension between faith and justice from the moment Solstice, the first track, starts playing. It is a captivating song that sets the tone for Redeemer. I wouldn’t call it a radio-friendly tune yet it keeps your attention with its moody melody and thought-provoking lyrics. Check it out.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

Will Naisbitt – Do It Again

Birmingham-native, London-based singer-songwriter Will Naisbitt is just 19 but already knows a thing or two about writing a hook. After cutting his teeth as a busker since he was even younger, Will released his debut single in 2019 and he hasn’t stopped releasing new songs at a steady pace. He’s been gaining notoriety and support from bloggers and radio stations alike, including BBC Introducing. I hadn’t heard of him until Do It Again dropped back in April, but that song alone is enough to make you think he’s got a promising future. If you take the time to check a few other tracks as well, you’ll be certain of that. Ed Sheeran got some competition.

Do It Again starts with some really infectious guitars and inviting rhythms. Will Naisbitt‘s vocals are really perfect for #indiepop music and that’s another reason why this track works so well. It is also pretty upbeat, even though it explores the difficult dynamics of lovers who enter a long-distance relationship. I wouldn’t be surprised if Do It Again became a summer hit but, at the very least, it should expose Will to a wider audience. This is just the start.

Featured on the following mixtapes: