# Best DIY Music of 2015, Vol. IX – Sound Is Lovv, Bad Hounds, Margarine, Ocean Glass, My Tribe Your Tribe, Beachmen, Hookspine - Link: https://indierockcafe.com/2016/01/diy-music-2015-vol-ix/ - Published: 2016-01-03T14:02:00-05:00 - Author: indierocker While 2015 is over, the Best Music of 2015 is still being tallied, and we’ll be featuring the top music – both DIY and ‘mainstream indie’ – for the next few weeks. We have hours and hours – even days – of playlists published throughout the year in popular post series like Best New DIY Music of 2015; 7 Bands You’ve Gotta Hear; Artist of the Week; 5 Rock Bands You’ve Gotta Hear, and Best New Releases (featuring signed artists). Don’t miss our Song of the Day, and other special playlists, on [Indie Rock Cafe’s Soundcloud page](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/indierockcafe63), and follow us on Instagram for regular new bands, songs, album covers, videos, amazing photos and more. And for more and more playlists, including the best signed and talented indie artists and bands, singles and new releases, follow us on Spotify. In this [ninth edition of the Best New DIY Music of 2015](https://indierockcafe.com/2016/01/diy-music-2015-vol-ix/), we introduce you to some of the best kept secrets, and Bands to Watch in 2016, in the world of DIY rock. **Sound Is Lovv** – _Los Angeles, California_ **Bad Hounds** – _Akron, Ohio_ ** Margarine **– _Boston, Massachusetts_ **My Tribe Your Tribe** – _Kildare, Ireland_** Beachmen** – _Salt Lake City, Utah_ **Serve The Sun** – _Amsterdam, The Netherlands_** Ocean Glass** – _Champaign-Urbana, Illinois_ **Hookspine** – _Lille, France_ **Jaromil**– _Dijon, France_ **Tombstones In Their Eyes** – _Los Angeles, California_ ![soundislovvband](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/soundislovvband- 624x424.jpg) #### Sound Is Lovv – _Shipwrecks_ Based out of **Los Angeles** and born from **Brad Watson**‘s solo project, **Sound Is Lovv** creates dreamy, shoegaze noise rock that is simply arresting and transfixing. Influenced by “90s alt. bands and their ’80s shoegaze predecessors, along with 60’ s Motown,” the band shoots to “offer a heavier brand of modern shoegaze and dream pop.” The band’s true standout track, “Take Me With You,” from their debut EP, _Shipwrecks_, is a slow blaze of rolling beats, echoey, soft vocals, hypnotizing guitars and choruses that soar and float above the green and blue world below – truly one of the best DIY dream pop tracks of 2015. Don’t miss [the music video](https://youtube.com/watch?v=f4tubs-DiMs) for the track. “Take Me With You“ – **Sound Is Lovv** from _Shipwrecks_ Sound Is Lovv doesn’t restrict itself to just one genre, which is part of the magic found on shoegaze/noise rock tracks like “And Don’t Believe,” with its crashing cymbals, riveting and soaring guitars and heavily reverbed vocals. In addition to Watson, the band members include guitarist **John Rockwell**; bassist** Dario Grenados** and drummer **Joel Murray**. Tag Sound of Lovv as a Band to Watch in 2016. “And Don’t Believe“ – **Sound Is Lovv** from _Shipwrecks_ [Sound Is Lovv on Facebook](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/Sound-Is-Lovv-821671397894768) _“Indie Rock is taking certain ideals of mainstream music and hodgepodg’in them together to create one’s own desired sound. Next to that sound, and re-envisioning it to accommodate broader tastes and facilitate accessibility, is what is required in order to initialize your brand as ‘independent’._” Brad Watson   --- ![mar](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/margarine-Free-Tibet- 600x584.jpg) #### **Margarine** from _Free Tibet_ The psych rock unit **Margarine** is a **Boston**-area DIY band that puts an emphasis on melodies “in the stylistic realm of the Beach Boys, Grizzly Bear, Fleet Foxes, and Animal Collective,” says the band. He speaks the truth because from the first few seconds, right to the very last, of the fantastic, even mind-blowing track, “White M & M,” we were fans. “It features an upright bass, a real grand piano, a guitar tuned to open D, and drumming on the back of that same guitar,” MacKenzie said. “We considered using a more conventional percussion instrument, but the sound of the guitar surface cut through the mix perfectly and it turns out you can get a pretty wide range of tones out of the back of a guitar.” That is exactly on point. Other talented band members, and fellow university students, include **Charles Wiston** on keyboards and **Matthew Okun** on guitar. Bass player **Ryan Accardi** is a senior at Wellesley High School. Related Post:  Best DIY Music of 2015, Vol. IV - The Wild Young Hearts, Starar, Ness, Ordinary Van, The Mondanes, Aether Street, Maven “White M & M“ – **Margarine** from _Free Tibet_ “Rocking Horses“ – **Margarine** from _Free Tibet_   ---   ![badhoundscover](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/badhoundscover. jpeg) #### **Bad Hounds** from _Bad Hounds_ **Bad Hounds** are an **Akron**, Ohio rock band with two songwriters and singers–** Ty Deming** and **Alex Gallo**, both of whom are also guitarists, supported by bassist** Mike Varga** and drummer **Cory DiBello**. The band released their self-titled, debut album this past August featuring passionate alternative rock songs like “Salt” and “Aphrodite.” Akron should be proud to have a band that stays true to their roots and can really rock it. The young band’s top musical influences are Tame Impala, The Black Keys, Manchester Orchestra, Bad Books, and Alt-J. The band have already built a respectable following in and beyond Akron. [“Salt“](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/Salt%20%283.24.2015%29.mp3)–** Bad Hounds** from _Bad Hounds_ [“Aphrodite“](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/Aphrodite%20%283.24.2015%29.mp3)–** Bad Hounds** from _Bad Hounds_ [Bad Hounds on Facebook](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/badhounds)   ---   ![ghost-cover-mytribe-yourtribe](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/ 01/ghost-cover-mytribe-yourtribe-584x584.jpg) #### My Tribe Your Tribe – _Ghost With You/Will To Survive_ Straight out of the picturesque Irish town of **Kildare**, located just 10 miles outside of **Dublin**, a new alternative shoegaze trio with the cool name, **My Tribe Your Tribe**, lighted up our radar thanks to a trio of debut singles released throughout 2015. Garnering nearly 4,000 plays on Soundcloud, the hottest track, “Ghost With You,” sizzles with gritty synths, blazing alt. rock styles and booming percussion. The talented young musicians that make up My Tribe Your Tribe are **George Mercer** ( lead vocals, synths, guitar); **Tod Doyle** (drums, vocals), and **Colm Daffy **( bass, guitar). My Tribe Your Tribe hit the ground running since forming in 2014. Despite the fact that they haven’t even release an EP or LP yet, the band has played numerous music festivals around Ireland. We can just imagine how the gorgeous “Ghost With You” was a hit with festival goers when MTYT were on stage last summer. And, if you listen to their other two tracks,“ Will To Survive” and “Only A Horizon,” you might be able to hear the seeds (hearing seeds?) of a hot and fresh new DIY band from Ireland. The beautiful Emerald Isle has given us so many amazing bands over the decades, and there are so many DIY and small label indie and alt. bands in Ireland that are amazing (see our [Soundcloud page](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/indierockcafe64)). MTYT has opened for bands like Electric Picnic, Body and Soul, and Hard Working Class Heroes. They are most influenced by the music of Jape, Deerhunter, St. Vincent, and Spoon. “Ghost With You“ – **My Tribe Your Tribe** from _Ghost With You/Will To Survive_ “Will to Survive“ – **My Tribe Your Tribe** from _Ghost With You/Will To Survive_ [My Tribe Your Tribe on Facebook](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/mytribeyourtribe) --- ![ServeTheSun](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/ServeTheSun- 584x584.jpg) #### Serve The Sun – _Watching the Watchers_ EP Let’s turn our sights to a talented young new band from The Netherlands. **Serve the Sun** is an **Amsterdam**-based indie soundscape quartet. As evidenced by songs like “Helianthus,” the band paints a sound that relies on deep bass lines, grooving rhythms, shoe gaze-heavy guitar sounds, and sweet, emotive vocals, creating what the band prefers to call ‘indie groove trance.’ The second track, “With One Another,” is mystical, downbeat and sparse. The second half of the track picks up the tempo and introduces layers of swirling synths, almost as if the sun suddenly broke through the dusky morning, casting its warm rays onto a cold, dark world. The band members include **Tim Schakel** (vocals, guitar); **Manuel Verburg** (guitar);** Nard Koemand** (bass), and Job van der Zijden (drums). These indie grooving, sample- loving musicians list musical influences as Radiohead, Atoms for Peace, The Veils, Bonobo, and Flying Lotus. Producer **Pim van de Werken** (Eins, Zwei, Orchestra and Silence is Sexy), says it just about right in referring to Serve The Sun’s debut album: “It’s beautifully layered and experimental. Lie down, close your eyes; this deserves a careful listen.” Related Post:  Best New DIY Music of 2015, Vol. V - Astronaut Project, The Stereophones, Mittenfields, Young Scum, Staffords, Sea Ghost The band’s new EP, _Watching the Watchers_, is out now. Review the [official music video](https://youtube.com/watch?v=oVMICTFDCq8) for “Helianthus” via YouTube. [“Helianthus“](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/Helianthus.mp3) – ** Serve The Sun** from _Watching the Watchers_ EP [https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/9nd2c1lwq4xe29e/Helianthus.mp3](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/9nd2c1lwq4xe29e/Helianthus.mp3) [“With One Another“](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/With%20One%20Another.mp3)–** Serve The Sun** from _Watching the Watchers_ EP [http://dl.dropbox.com/s/4pt0lnnc59k5zcn/With%20One%20Another.mp3](http://dl.dropbox.com/s/4pt0lnnc59k5zcn/With%20One%20Another.mp3)_ “ Indie Rock is music with freedom. Free from standards who limit the creative mind and create borders. Indie rock means you can express music the way you want to. “ – Tim Schakel Serve The Sun on Facebook --- ![oceanglass](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/oceanglass-584x584. jpg) #### Ocean Glass – _Track By Track_ The **Champaign-Urbana**, Illinois-based indie rock band **Ocean Glass** has acquired a dedicated local following since finalizing their lineup in September of 2015. The band, only a little more than a year old, have become known for their high energy shows and have opened for top midwestern bands like **Into It. Over It**. The track, “Stumble,” is what really drew us into this band from the Great Lakes region. With its ringing guitars, bumbling bass, and crashing cymbals and skins,“ Stumble” is this new band’s standout track. Ahmed’s vocals, and the band’s choruses, are uplifting, and yet there are veins of angst, love, and hurt: “I wanna run away with you/but you tie me down.” That’s a fairly brilliant juxtaposed lyric. The next track, “Saltwater,” has angular guitar and bass riffs that remind us of American Analog Set. The various stops and restarts, and the tangental jams that seem to characterize the band’s style also has some similarities to one of the band’s top musical influences – the superb indie band, American Football. The band members of Ocean Glass have proven themselves to be an excellent band with a lot of promise. Keep an eye on these guys; they’re not the regular fare of indie bands you might be used to. Currently, the band is in the studio recording their second EP, and their first release with the new lineup. The band members are **Nishat Ahmed** (vocals); **Kyle Solner** (rhythm guitar); **Weston Harman** (lead guitar); ** Justin Isler** (bass); and **Luke Smith** (drums). [Stumble](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/Ocean%20Glass%20-%20Track%20By%20Track%20-%2001%20Stumble.mp3)–** Ocean Glass** from _Ocean Glass_ [https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/wydztrcecwov9uo/Ocean%20Glass%20-%20Track%20By%20Track%20-%2001%20Stumble.mp3](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/wydztrcecwov9uo/Ocean%20Glass%20-%20Track%20By%20Track%20-%2001%20Stumble.mp3) [Salt Water](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/Ocean%20Glass%20-%20Track%20By%20Track%20-%2004%20Saltwater.mp3)–** Ocean Glass** from _Ocean Glass_ [https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/d0isyda3tk5rqp6/Ocean%20Glass%20-%20Track%20By%20Track%20-%2004%20Saltwater.mp3](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/d0isyda3tk5rqp6/Ocean%20Glass%20-%20Track%20By%20Track%20-%2004%20Saltwater.mp3) [Ocean Glass on Facebook](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/?fref=ts) --- ![hookspine-enough-cuteness](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/ hookspine-enough-cuteness-580x584.jpg) #### Hookspine – _Averageness As A Cancerous Shivering Cell_ We’ve been listening to the tracks of a young French solo musician **Jean-Nicolas Lys** (JnL), from the town of **Lille**. His debut solo single, “Enough Cuteness,” as the artist Hookspine dropped this past summer, and we’ve been listening to it ever since. It doesn’t take long to recognize the artistry in the composition with it’s many progressions and even angular key and timing shifts with piano, guitar, bass and drums. Lys, or JNL, as he also references himself as, performed, recorded, and mixed all of the instruments. Yet another achievement. Don’t feel out of sorts if you hear influences of The Beatles’ unique recording techniques, and the practice of sinking chapters, or at least sub plots, if you will, into songs, starting with Rubber Soul and continuing on through _Sgt. Pepper, The White Album_ and _Abbey Road_ (and the heart of the band’s experimental and creative genius). However, “Enough Cuteness” is not The Beatles; nor trying to copy them. The influence is there, but the song retains its own identity and originality, which is the sign of a talented artist that can pull that off. JNL’s top musical influences include Blur, Simian, Super Furry Animals, Elbow, Grizzly Bear, and Deerhunter. He was born and raised in Reunion Island where he began playing the piano at the age of three years old. His debut EP, _Averageness As A Cancerous Shivering Cell_, dropped on December 27. “Enough Cuteness” (single edit) – **Hookspine** from _Averageness As A Cancerous Shivering Cell_ Brazen Pimp – **Hookspine** from _Averageness As A Cancerous Shivering Cell_ [Hookspine on Facebook](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/hookspineband) Related Post:  Best DIY Music 2015, Vol. VI - The Khost, Flight of Ryan, Romeo Moon, Lovelast, SHOE., Horsha On The Moon “Indie rock is a mix of several styles, apart from the popularity of mainstream music. it is quite vast; you can really hear totally different bands in indie music( Animal Collective vs Elbow for instance) and come across all sorts of unusual sounds.”– Jean-Nicholas Lys --- ![Beachmen-band-EverybodysPink](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/ 01/Beachmen-band-EverybodysPink-584x584.jpg) #### Beachmen – _Everybody’s Pink Inside_ The **Salt Lake City** DIY garage pop, psych funk band, **Beachmen**, started out as a “home recording project” between guitarist **Kyle Dickson** and bassist **Joshua Hunsaker**. After drummer **Evan Vice** joined to make a trio, the band began working on their new album, _Everybody’s Pink Inside_, which was just dropped on September 12th. “In recording our new album, we wanted our audience to see our live show happen in their bedrooms,” Hunsaker wrote. “In fact, most of our songs were first recorded in one take as a band to be able to accomplish this.” That is an accomplishment, and at times you can hear the rawness of their unperfected recording session, such as on the minimalistic, morphing track “Earthquake,” and yet it sounds awesome. But the song, “Waiting,” changes gears; it’s bumping and chugging right along, with funk-borrowed beats, thick bass lines, and semi-tropical, heavily-distorted guitar riffs. We love the rocking and rolling jam the band kicks out, with liberal use of the whammy bar. While they have only been together for a few years, Beachmen has shared the stage with top indie bands like Cold War Kids, Geographer, School of Seven Bells, and Wild Nothing. The fellas major musical influences are Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, Flaming Lips, Dr Dog, Radiohead, and Talking Heads. “Earthquake“ – **Beachmen** from _Everybody’s Pink Inside_ “Waiting“ – **Beachmen** from _Everybody’s Pink Inside_ [Beachmen on Facebook](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/thebeachmen) --- ![jaromil](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/jaromil-624x351. jpg) #### Jaromil – _The Usual Shit You Tell Someone Who’s In Pain_ From the city of **Dijon**, in the bucolic Burgundy region of France, comes the DIY indie pop electro rock duo **Jaromil**, who have previously opened for indie bands like Oh No! Oh My!, Girls In Hawaii, Absynthe Minded, Syd Matters, Vitalic, Bob Sinclar, French Cowboys, and Yeti Lane. The track, “St. Pancreas,” from the release _The Usual Shit You Tell Someone Who’s In Pain_, is a menacing song with spooky keys, bumbling bass lines, and smoking guitar licks. Some of the duo’s many musical influences include Sufjan Stevens, Ghinzu, Pavement, Sigur Ros, Nick Cave, Eels, and Beach House. Jaromil is **Antoine Barré Foncelle** on drums and **Arno** on vocals, bass, guitar and sampling. [“St Pancreas“](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/05%20St%20Pancreas.mp3)–** Jaromil** from _The Usual Shit You Tell Someone Who’s In Pain_ [“Cockleshell“](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/01%20Cockelshell.mp3)** Jaromil** from _The Usual Shit You Tell Someone Who’s In Pain_ [Jaromil on Facebook](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/jaromil.music) --- ![tombstonesintheireyes](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/tombstonesintheireyes- 584x584.jpg) #### Tombstones In Their Eyes – _Sleep Forever_ The **Los Angeles** DIY project **Tombstones In Their Eyes** has a unique story. It started on the Internet a few years ago in a collaboration between songwriter/ singer, guitarist and keyboard musician **John Treanor** and **New York** musician** James Cooper**. After collaborating via Dropbox, and using GarageBand, the duo ended up with some two dozen songs. Treanor set about picking the top tracks, and then recruited bass player **Josh Drew** and drummer **Samuel Sherwood** to record them on their debut album, produced by musician **Paul Roessler** (Screamers, 45 Grave, Deadbeats, Nina Hagen). The result is a debut album that features psych rock, garage rock, and acoustic elements, as heard on choice tracks like the expectedly drowsy, “Sleep Forever,” and the more sinister, “It’s Always Nothing.” The band’s top musical influences include The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Dandy Warhols, Built To Spill, and Elliott Smith – nice selection of four solid artists. [“Sleep Forever“](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/03%20Sleep%20Forever.mp3)– ** Tombstones In Their Eyes** from _Sleep Forever_ [https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/cc092afy2nptzhf/03%20Sleep%20Forever.mp3](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/cc092afy2nptzhf/03%20Sleep%20Forever.mp3) [“Its Always Nothing“](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/04%20It%27s%20Always%20Nothing.mp3)–** Tombstones In Their Eyes** from _Sleep Forever_ [https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/r1zxbbta1mbutyh/04%20It%27s%20Always%20Nothing.mp3](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/r1zxbbta1mbutyh/04%20It%27s%20Always%20Nothing.mp3) [Tombstones In Their Eyes on Facebook](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/TombstonesInTheirEyes) ---