IMMERSE: 5 Talented Artists You Didn’t Hear in 2022

Get to know talented indie DIY artists and bands we’ve been listening to this summer. We decided to highlight one 2022 track from each artist or band, even though they all have others we dig as well. There’s a range of sub-genres represented as well.

Young Robin – Perth, Australia
Loops & Loops – Bronx, New York
Patches – Enid, Oklahoma
Nathan Colberg – Nashville, Tennessee
Cries For Colour – Waterloo, Ontario

Aussie alt-pop band delivers bliss on latest single

PERTH, Australia – Originally released in May, “Waste My Time” by Australian band Young Robin, is a blissful indie track that really stuck with us through the summer; thus, its inclusion in this series.

The band leans into the maturing sound it has discovered, blending bright signature riffs with sound elements borrowed from genres such as modern pop-driven hip-hop.

The alt-pop quintet comes straight out of Perth’s eastern suburbs, fusing a kaleidoscope of influences, and delivering a soulful, blissful sound and captivating on-stage performances.

The group are forging their own path in the music scene with a sound that doesn’t conform to trends. With a natural chemistry between the members and a knack for creating a euphoric atmosphere, their live shows are unmissable. ”

Social: https://www.instagram.com/youngrobinband/
Members: Jed Begho – vocals, Sophian Manik – vocals and guitar, Hamish Graham – bass guitar, Jarred Osborne – guitar, Tyler Vivian – drums
Influences: Clairo, The 1975, Last Dinosaurs, Foals, Jungle Giants, Glass Animals
Opened For: South Summit, Adrian Dzvuke, Pacific Avenue
Formed: 2013

Bronx one-man band Loops & Loops blends dream and lo-fi

BRONX, New York – Last year, Loops & Loops, aka Peter Bogolub, purked our ears with the lo-fi, dream-pop number, “Not Yet” – a track he says was based on a walk through NYC during the pandemic.

Lately, he’s been on a roll and quite prolific – dropping four EPs and albums so far this year, intermixed with a series of singles.

Other notable tracks we dig from his 2022 discography include “County Fair” and “Pain In My Heart,” among others, both from his Fake Face drop.

Clocking in at just under 2 minutes, “Pain in My Heart” highlights Bogolub’s inner monologue as he navigates the weird, limbo-like transition period following the end of a personal relationship.

Fake Face, he says, “serves as a return to indie roots of such bands as Yo La Tengo and The Magnetic Fields.” (two bands we’ve been covering since our start in 2007) .

Melding somber elements from the lyrics, a melancholy vocal delivery as if he was frowning throughout the entirety of it, the track delivers an optimistic ukulele riff and a bouncing pop melody hook.

One of his releases this summer, The Mysterious Case of Harper Goodwin, features 11 experimental space-pop/rock/shoegaze/dream-pop instrumentals, including stand-outs like the opening track, “Call Of” and “Lost In It”. If you’re into meditation music, check this out.

For nearly 20 years, Bogolub played in “noisier bands,” but the pandemic “opened the doors for me to find a more intimate and lo-fi groove as a solo artist,” he says.

However, he did not release his own recordings again for nearly 14 years. It was during the quarantine that he discovered, experimented with and released lo-fi music. We’re glad he did. You can

Social: https://www.instagram.com/peterbogolub/
Members: Peter Bogolub, songwriting, instruments, composition
Influences: Yo La Tengo, The Magnetic Fields, My Bloody Valentine, The Shins, Lord Huron
Opened For: n/a
Formed: 2020

New Trio Outta OK crafts spacey-pop rock

ENID, Oklahoma – Patches is a new indie rock/post-punk trio out of the mid-west that held our attention with the band’s February release of the single, “A Nice Day to Orbit Saturn” from the debut album Tales We Heard from The Fields.

“We have been making harmonic, pop infused rock with experimental noise since our inception, and the three members switch instrumental roles on the fly,” notes vocalist and bassist Nick Robilliard.

“We have a pronounced lo-fi and DIY aesthetic when it comes to everything from songwriting, to artwork, to production. With backgrounds in REM style jangle pop, minimalistic art rock like Wire, and the bombast of bands like Jesus Lizard, each member brings something unique to the band which is reflected in the song variety,” he adds.

“‘A Nice Day to Orbit Saturn’ was the third song created for our debut album. It is equal parts melody-oriented pop and scathing, distortion heavy feedback that quickly builds into layered guitar play.

“Lyrically, it is a bitter, first person narrative of an astronaut in a futuristic setting who has resigned himself to being stranded on one of Saturns moons. Clean harmonies obscure some of the dread,” Robilliard concludes.

Social: https://thesoundsofpatches.bandcamp.com/track/a-nice-day-to-orbit-saturn
Members: Evan Seurkamp – Vocals, Guitar; Nick Robilliard Vocalist/Bassist; Melodica Aaron Griffin – Guitar, Drums
Influences: Wire, The Cure, Guided by Voices, Kitchens of Distinction, Gang of Four, REM
Opened For: n/a
Formed: 2021

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Earlier this year, Nashville-based indie-pop songwriter and musician Nathan Colberg released his debut album, Dream On, Kid.

The stunning track, “Oblivion,” has been on repeat in our Best DIY Music of 2022 playlist series on IRC’s Spotify channel.

The album was produced by Jason Mater (Encanto, High School Musical the Series) & Chumba (Dua Lipa, Maroon 5) with songwriting contributions from Sam Martin (John Legend, Maroon 5, Jason DeRulo)and Bo Rinehart (Needtobreathe).

Colberg is originally from Charlottesville, Virginia but moved to Nashville in 2018 to pursue a career in music.
Interestingly, Colberg chose Nashville even though his music is not country or even close to country; instead, Colberg produces heart-felt pop/rock songs.

“Despite an insanely talented team,” he says “I am still independent and currently have a small following.”

Other notable tracks from his latest release – Dream On, Kid – include “Gateway Bridge” and “Gold,” among others.

His catalog of music (on Spotify, YT and Soundcloud) claims to have amassed more than 10 million streams – and not from being featured on any high-profile playlists, but instead from likes and adds by bloggers and music lovers who have latched on to Colberg’s music. Most of his streams came from the 2018 album, Silo, and his 2016 EP, Barricade.

His 2018 song, “Calm,” racked up over two and a half million streams on Spotify alone.

Social: https://www.instagram.com/nathan_colberg/
Members: Nathan Colberg – all instruments
Influences: Phil Collins, Maggie Rogers, 1975
Opened For: Johnnyswim, Matt Wertz
Formed: 2018

WATERLOO, Ontario – Based in Canada, indie dream pop solo artist Quinn Downton, aka Cries for Colour, weaves together disciplines in songwriting, compisitions and production. with a focus on atmospheric and melancholic sounds.

“The songs are fleshed out by an incredibly talented rotating carousel of guest musicians and singers to ensure that the music remains fresh and ever-changing,” Downton says.

One of his latest single, “Sea Fret,” has been on our ‘favorite DIY songs’ all year. Perfect for you chill-loving dudes.

“"Sea Fret" is an atmospheric yet fun indie pop song meant to mesh the acoustic and melancholic strumming of bands like Fleet Foxes with the more upbeat and funky pop of The 1975, Talking Heads and Daft Punk, but with a hint of modern electronica elements in the mix,” Downton writes.

“While the lyrics seemingly hint at a broken relationship they are actually about my own relationship with intrusive thoughts and anxiety.”

The song was released ahead of his debut album, Fairlight, that dropped earlier this year.

Social: https://www.criesforcolour.com/
Members: Quinn Downton
Influences: Fleet Foxes, The 1975, Talking Heads, Daft Punk
Opened For: n/a
Formed: 2020

Dec. ’21 Top 10 DIY Songs (and artists to watch in 2022)

The final DIY top ten songs playlist for 2021 has dropped. Right here. And it’s a superb one.

In fact, many of the artists and bands in this particular Top 10 are also some of our top Artists/Bands to Watch in 2022. More on that in the ensuing days.

We’ve carefully listened to hundreds and hundreds of submissions this year (not to mention all of the non-submission releases), and shared those throughout the year via posts and top 10 playlists.

In the playlist below, you’re going to find a lot of nice little goodies (surprises?) from artists and bands you’ve probably never heard of before, including YEN Strange; Poploader; Connor Eko; New Moons; Loops & Loops; Andrew LaVogue; Nick County (see Nick’s album in IRC’s Overlooked Albums of 2021); Alisha Liston; Blunt Bangs and Carnation Blue.

NOTE: As with many of our playlists, we are going to use Spotify stream counts to rank No. 1 to No. 10 as much as possible (unless a song is so internally loved we’ll pump it up the count regardless) for the sequential order of the tracks. You decide which are your favorites.

Top 10 DIY Indie Rock Songs, November 2021

November was not just a great month for regular single releases and album drops from more ‘mainstream’ and well-known indie/alt/rock/pop artists and bands, but also for DIY tracks submitted to us that most people haven’t heard.

If these DIY singles, skimmed from hundreds of submissions, did not have something interesting, redeeming or exciting about them, they’d never make our Top 10.

Don’t miss the Top 10 Indie Songs November 2021, featuring Holly Humberstone, Snail Mail, Black Marble, Courtney Barnett, Ovlov and Matt Pond PA, among others.

For the most part, we base our DIY picks mainly on what is submitted to us throughout the year. Sometimes it’ll be months after we first start listening to a song that it grows on us (or holds up as much as the first few exciting listens) – or weeks or months since the official release – and we become convinced of its place on the top of our DIY lists.

Of course, there are plenty of songs that we know right away whether we dig them or not.

Every song has been chosen for one good reason or another – it just feels/sounds good; the lyrics are impressive; the total production of the track is noteworthy; it has a hook; the song is a preview of an artist or band to watch, or all of them combined into one powerful track.

The one to ten format is not necessarily meant to be scientific or even decisive – it’s more of a loose assocation but we think the order is pretty solid.

* label-associated and/or ‘popular’/well-known

In This Installment of the Top 10 DIY Songs, November 2021:

#1 – Barrie
BROOKLYN, New York

#2 – Cloud Vincent
LONDON, England

#3 – RVST
PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil

#4 – Drive
NEW CASTLE, England

#5 – Dear Other
STEUBENVILLE, Ohio

#6 – Atlantic Canyons
MANCHESTER, New Hampshire

#7 – Remote Control
RICHMOND, Virginia

#8 – Adam Stall
COLDWATER, Ohio

#9 – Jarod Grice
DENTON, Texas

#10 – Jared Rabin
CHICAGO, Illinois

#1 – “Frankie” – Barrie

BROOKLYN, New York

Indie enthusiasts may – or may not – be familiar with Brooklyn indie band Barrie. For the past few years, the band has been ‘band to watch’ favorites for many blogs, especially thanks to singles like “Canyons” and “Drag” and 2019’s “Dig,” – Barrie’s last single until now.

The band’s latest drop is the melodic single “Frankie” swirling synths and a driving hook. Check out the video above.

According to the band, “Frankie” was inspired by songwriting legend Glen Campbell.

“Glen Campbell had just died and the radio was playing ‘Wichita Lineman.’ It felt relevant to the social justice movements at the moment, to the push for democratic socialism, or at least a rejection of capitalism and where it’s gotten us,” Barrie explains in a statement.

“The Wichita Lineman has a shitty oppressive job that isolates and overworks him, as many Americans do, and instead of feeling outraged on his behalf we honor and lionize his commitment to labor. The song is a great litmus test. People either find the character really heroic and noble, or find the whole situation sad and fuk’d.”

#2 – “Can You Get Over Him?” – Cloud Vincent

LONDON, England

“Can You Get Over Him?” is for people who love a bit of indie, pop, and rock, with some singing/rapping, and an infectious groove. The song focuses on this summer sound, while detailing a story of a new relationship.

The single comes byway of Cloud Vincent a 23-year-old musician born in the U.S. and currently based in the U.K.

His sound revolves around catchy cheeky lyricism and warm vibes – “for sunny days with an indie-pop take on capturing summer nostalgia.” This new track is the first single from his upcoming 2022 EP.

#3 – “My Violent Friend” – RVST

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil

The powerful powerpop anthem ‘My Violent Friend” from Brazilian band RVST delivers a catchy and contagious chorus with a theme that ” celebrates the taking of the streets and the fight between the distorted views imposed by ultra-conservative rulers.”

RVST is the cryptic rubric that has been around the few rock venues and music-friendly spaces in Porto Alegre, Brazil, since 2015. Idealized as Rust Costa Machado’s solo project, the singer-songwriter has dedicated his efforts to tiny-lenght minialbuns (EPs, if you will), where he finds room the creations of his short trajectory.

Whether for his manipulation of duo vocals, on the combination of nostalgic and fresh melodic designs, or on the employment of the second language (English, the one he works with, as a teacher for Brazilians), RVST presents on his discography an original style of making the music he loves – ambitious, universal, yet bedroom pop.

Spot somewhere between the solemn and visceral, his third release Electrified dropped in October.

facebook.com/rvstmusic

#4 – “The Rain” – Drive

NEW CASTLE, England

The nostalgia-tinged single, “The Rain,” from the 80’s-influenced New Castle, England duo of Jake Fletcher and Andy Bell is “an 80s-inspired track reminiscent of some of our favourite coming-of-age movie soundtracks.

“It’s about coming of age in a small town which no one really gets out of,” Bell adds.

On FB, the duo announced: “‘The Rain’ is out now!! This is the first song we wrote as Drive and really think it captures who we are as a band.”

Influences include The 1975, Arcade Fire, Bleachers and “anything remotely 80s sounding.”

facebook.com/drivethebandofficial

#5 – “Houses Hallowed” – Dear Other

STEUBENVILLE, Ohio

“Houses Hallowed” is the lead single from Ohio indie rock/lo-fi folk band Dear Other‘s latest release "The Wizard Clip.", a recording that explores a 1794 exorcism in West Virginia.

“The Wizard Clip addresses dead friends, eternal life, and the ghosts we live with,” the band said in a statement, adding “House Hallowed” was “recorded in the attic of Marc and Marua Barnes, the vocalists for the track, on a Tascam 4-Track. This song is an apocryphal summary of the text, exploring our relationship to the other, to the poor.”

“Our music tends to be folkloric throughout, blending elements of indie rock, folk, lo-fi, with catchy hooks throughout tying it all together”

facebook.com/DearOther

#6 – “One More Minute” – Atlantic Canyons

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire

New Hampshire indie band Atlantic Canyons recently achieved the “number one most added EP” – See The Hue – on The North American College & Community Radio Charts. Behind the moniker is Andrea Levesque and apparently unnamed band members (unless she’s a one-girl band?).

Anyways, the top track, “One More Minute,” from the EP is dreamy, lush, and perfect musical soundscape for Fall.

“It bears witness to feelings of fear and loneliness, and there is catharsis in acknowledging unpleasant emotions,” she reveals. “By allowing myself the freedom to experience these feelings without judgment, I became unburdened by them.”

A fiery passion for playing music was lit within Levesque in childhood as she learned to play piano and violin.

“I really love feeling a sense of personal connection when the music resonates with other people,” Levesque shares. See The Hue is Levesque’s debut EP, written, recorded, and produced in her rural New Hampshire home. She constructed her project remotely with the help of some session musicians she met in online music chat rooms.

OK GO drummer Dan Konopka mastered the album, adding the finishing touches before the release. Orchestral elements combine with delicate vocal melodies, ethereal harmonies, and frequent lyrical references to the ocean.

instagram.com/AtlanticCanyons

#7 – “Blow For Blow” – Remote Control

RICHMOND, Virginia

Virginia indie band Remote Control began at the start of the pandemic and thus, their first batch of songs are influenced by pandemic-related issues.

The new single, “Blow For Blow,” is a “reflection on the futulity of arguing with people online in the way that we have seen recently,” says band member Bob Spires. “The song is a self-critique of the trap we all sometimes fall into.”

While the band calls its headquarters Richmond, Virginia, band members come from the Richmond, Philly and Athens (Georgia) music scenes: Spires (the Possibilities, Nutria, Jack Logan band); Nick Bergheimer (Sea of Storms, Landmines, Volunteer); Casey Martin (Sixer, Landmines) and Adam Caldwell (Fire in the Radio).

The band combines punk, garage, rock, and indie sensibilities with a classic two guitar, bass and drums setup.

Although it’s been touch and go for live events over the past nearly two years, Spires says the band loves the “fast, hard, loud, heavy, rocking, punky, poppy or catchy bands” they see play “as they combine all of those elements into a hybrid eclectic style. With a song by Remote Control, you can expect loud guitars, bashing drums and catchy vocals and lyrics.”

#8 – “Two Beaches” – Adam Stall

COLDWATER, Ohio

“Two Beaches” is the second track from Ohio artist Adam Stall‘s independently produced debut EP.

“A love song of everlasting and longing faith and hope, inspired by the picking patterns of John Denver and dramatic transitions of classical music,” he writes. ” Alternative rock with classic rock influences, an emphasis on vocals and bass guitar.”

His hometown of Coldwater Ohio, surrounded by friends and family playing music Stall is trained in classical piano and trumpet and is now a “fully realized, independent musical effort utilizing all my past experiences and influences.”

An upbringing with the legends of the 60’s and 70’s, classical music, and the blues influenced with antique flavors, but the production and soul behind the music is striving for a new and accessible sound of rock.

facebook.com/stallmusic

#9 – “Weary Hands” – Jarod Grice

DENTON, Texas

“Weary Hands ” is the first track from Texas musician Jarod Grice‘s forthcoming album, Cradle the Songbird, which debuts in March 2022.

“The song is about struggling with your own brokenness,” says producer Chris Howell. “It starts out with the idea of feeling worn down like a rusty machine…and moves into the realization of seeing that brokenness rooted in a common birthplace. We’re all being called back to the dust; we all struggle like our fathers/mothers/generations before us.

“This type of imagery haunts many of the songs on the new album, which will most likely find an audience among the indie rock/Americana crowd.”

The band members are: Jarod Grice – vocals, acoustic guitar, keys, songwriter; Bill Campbell – drums; Paul Alexander – bass and Joseph McClellan – electric guitars.

facebook.com/jarodgricemusic/

#10 – “Cold Rain and Snow” – Jared Rabin

CHICAGO, Illinois

Jared Rabin‘s arrangement of the traditional song "Cold Rain and Snow," the title track from the new album released this year is painted with down-home Americana bluegrass colors.

The album is Rabin’s first all-acoustic record and follows 2020’s acclaimed No Direction.

The album is a mix of bluegrass standards and "New Grass" originals and finds Jared playing all of the instruments (save for drums) and handling a majority of the vocals.

facebook.com/jaredrabinmusic

Top 10 Indie Songs, September 2021

IRC’s Top 10 Indie Songs September 2021 was delayed due to a glitch – it was 90% done and somehow, an hour or two later, it appears to have been over-written in some weird computer/server fluke.

Restarting something that was almost completed is frustrating but I’ve been working on mindfulness, consciousness, self-awareness, and getting over things. It helps a lot. And so does music.

Almost all of the Top 10s for this playlist are submissions from DIY and small label artists and bands spanning the genres of the indie/DIY spectrum, including the following line-up:

1. CASTLEBEAT (NYC) – “We Can Make This Right”
2. Cypress (NYC) – “Running in the Wind”
3. Walk In Wardrobe (Vancouver) – “Apology”
4. Dream of a Man in a Top Hat (Boston) – “Bill and Lulu”
5. GrandEvolution (Worcester, MA) – “Shattered”
6. House of Light (LA) – “New York”
7. Andrew Chris (Pittsburgh) – “Floatin'”
8. Confirmation & GRAU (Berlin) – “Girl Vs Boy”
9. Band Called Lovejoy (Portland) – “High Lonesome”
10. Andrew Thomases (San Francisco) – “Cure Me”

Stream all 2021 Top 10 Songs playlists

top-10-indie-songs-september2021

CASTLEBEAT is the indie rock project of New York City bedroom musician Josh Hwang.

He is not new to the indie scene, but CASTLEBEAT’s latest release, We Can Make This Right, is some of the best indie dream pop tuneage we’ve heard this year.

#1.

Hwang’s new album has spawned a number of singles throughout 2021, including our favorite, “Into.”

It has a circa-2009 psych-dream pop bedroom artist feel and sound that has become rarer over the years as the trends move towards more studio work and often over-refining what often would have been better kept simple.

cypress500

Next up, the emotive, melodic, and wonderfully-produced folk-rock track, “Running in the Wind,” from NYC vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Ben Higginbotham, and his band Cypress.

“It’s about being there for someone when you physically aren’t there,” Higginbotham says. “As a musician, I travel quite a bit, which can be hard for the people I leave behind sometimes. The song is just saying that ‘no matter where I am when you need me I’ll come to you.'”

He adds that the production was “born of my recently discovered love for Bruce Springsteen.”

#2.

A Berklee music grad, he founded Cypress as a “soulful, emotional solo project reflective of personal and professional growth.” Cypress’ indie folk/folk rock sound is rich and textured yet melodic and straightforward.”

He has opened for artists like Jaws of Love; Donovan Woods; and Toledo with major musical influences including Ray LaMontagne, The Staves, and Bon Iver.

The Dallas-born musician is joined by drummer Eli Fowler and guitarist Taylor Tatsch.

instagram.com/musicbycypress/

Stream the Top Ten Playlist all at once

apology-song-indie

The melancholic single, “Apology,” came to us from Vancouver indie acoustic/folk musician Frankie Haubrich, who uses the recording moniker of Walk In Wardrobe.

Originally drooped in the summer, we’ve played the song quite a bit and it’s sort of a grower. The Bon Iver influences on Haubrich’s writing and recording are not just subjective – he is a huge Bon Iver fan. In fact, other than Wilco, Bon Iver is Haubrich’s only submitted musical influence.

#3.

With violin and orchestral layers, and touching lyrics, the Australian-native delivers an intricate and artistic composition that is catchy and absorbing. In Haubrich’s own words: “Bon Iver influences autotune harmonies on the 2nd verse.”

Originally working in the animation industry in Montreal when Covid hit Haubrich moved out of the big city. Working wherever possible, and writing music on the road, Frankie ended up wild lobster fishing, harvesting maple syrup in plantations, walking huskies, and in snowed in bakeries in northern Quebec.

instagram.com/walk_in_wardrob/

dreamofmantophat

What do you get when you take two-thirds of Boston 80’s post-punk band, Native Tongue, separate, age for 30+ years, combine, throw in some new technology, mix thoroughly and serve?

Result: Dream of a Man in a Top Hat.

Long-time Boston musicians Lee Leffler (guitars, keyboards) and Michael Frackleton (drums, bass, keyboards) rehearse in separate houses; lyrics are typed into phones; drums are electronic, and yet, in the end, it works.

The duo’s sound has an uncompromising sensibility that is unique and all of their own, while also drawing on familiar and varied influences. Check out this new single, “Bill and Lulu.” Isn’t that something ‘else’?

#4.

In reviews of their debut album, the six-song EP Blunt Instrumentals (released summer of 2020), bloggers and others touted the duo’s music as “cool, psychedelic, experimental, wild” and “infectious.” The duo’s moniker is a challenge, and also quite curious, to say the least. We’ve always been huge fans of anything post-punk-leaning: that’s what you have here – done in the Massachusetts way.

Many years ago they opened for bands like Bush Tetras, Mission of Burma and Pere Ubu. That’s some big acts. Leffler and Frackleton’s top musical influences, according to them, are Yardbirds, Jack White, Syd Barrett, Tame Impala, Dandy Warhols, and The Beatles.

grandevolution

Based in the mid-Commonwealth city of Worcester, the Massachusetts indie rock/pop band GrandEvolution recently dropped the softly melodic single “Shattered,” and it certainly got our attention for the composing and producing of a dream-pop-leaning single that harkens back to the days of post-punk pop.

A well-toured band before the pandemic, GrandEvolution spent most of last year writing and working on songs for the new album Glow. “Shattered,” according to guitarist and vocalist Sarah Kenyon is “about suddenly losing your biggest supporter and feeling hopeless and empty.”

#5. 

In the past, the band has opened for artists such as Soul Asylum, Kay Hanley, Tantric, and Smile Empty Soul. The trio’s biggest musical influences include The Cranberries, The Jayhawks, Butch Walker, Muse, and Radiohead.

The other obviously talented band members are drummer Scott Kenyon and bassist Gregory Bromberg.

newyork

The mysterious alt/post-rock single, “New York,” from the band House of Light is “a catchy explosion of urban celebration; nostalgic of the 90s but with fresh synth twists,” says guitarist and vocalist Justin de Vries. “It’s an urban lament.” The track was mixed by Clif Norrell ( NIN, REM, Jeff Buckley).

Launched in Berlin in 2016, the band (originally from Australia) are nowadays located in U.K. and Los Angeles.

House of Light regularly tours around the globe performing a mix of retro-rock, new wave, and psych-rock – complete with croons and shouts amidst a cinematic shoegaze-mesh of synth keys and guitar riffs.

The lyrics evoke the new-romanticism of the 80s and the disillusion of the 90s. The single is from the band’s upcoming album release, Come Into My Night.

#6.

They have been interviewed by Andy Rourke (The Smiths) and attended by Frank Black (Pixies).

The band has opened for artists such as Pete Doherty, The Drones, and Lydia Lunch and are heavily influenced by “Joy Division, Nick Cave, 80s synth pop, city sounds, Leonard Cohen, and the Cure.

The other band members are Tina Zimmermann (vox/synth); Linda Kiss (bass); Trevor Song (synth); and Phillip Haut (drums).

instagram.com/the.house.of.light

#7.

The sprawling single, “Floatin'” by Pittsburgh multi-instrumentalist, and one-man band, Andrew Chris, is “an imperfect love story.”

“I was inspired by humanity’s obsession with floating in general,” Chris says, adding, “and [how] even when we succeed in ‘floating,’ we always come back down to earth.”

The self-described ’25-year-old independent rocker/rapper’ has spent a decade working on music in his bedroom. Since the age of 15, Chris has been making beats and playing the guitar and bass with heavy influences from the 1960s and 70s guitar rock artists and bands.

After bouncing around in different bands, Chris struck out on his own. His first solo album from 2019, Studio Rat, “blends intricate genres from rap and rock to create a new sound,” but he says he’s upcoming sophomore drop will emit a new style as evidenced by the new single.

#8.

German synth dream duo Anna Lanfer (Grau) and Peter Milos (Confirmation) made the top ten for their summer track, “Girl Vs. Boy.”

Riding on the wave of his first single, “Give it Up,” which earned regular airplay on German radio, Milos teamed up with Lanfer, and Niko Stoessl, to hone in on his signature analog synth-heavy and beat-driven, futuristic sound to produce “fierce and visceral portrait of two lovers dancing around each for the new single.”

#9.

The irresistibly catchy High Lonesome comes to us via Portland musicians Sumner Rahr and Fritz Frerichs’ (aka, Band Called Lovejoy) time spent in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

The two friends worked daily retail jobs and wrote, rehearsed, and recorded at home in the evenings.

The featured title single is off of the band’s new debut EP, High Lonesome.

Lyrics like “I’ve been down this road before / Uneven broken and now alone / I’m ready as hell” embody the promise of youth life: unexpected, thrilling, and exciting” stand out in particular.

Inspired by sounds from The Black Keys, The Doors, and Pink Floyd, the band’s EP journeys through “solitude, gratitude, and escape – all while creating a uniquely original narrative.”

Lead singer and guitarist, Sumner Rahr, saw overnight success on TikTok (1.6 million views ) for a cover of Tom Petty’s “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” at their EP release party, propelling the band’s social following and message.

#10.

San Francisco musician Andrew Thomases says his new indie/alt rock song, “Cure Me” is: “A reflection of the political scene in America prior to the last presidential election…a compelling plea for guidance and healing in a time when nothing is certain.”

Accompanied by a psychedelic lyric video, the single serves a modern twist of the nostalgic sounds of the ’80s and ’90s, mirroring influences from The Cure, retro rock rhythms infused with captivating melodies, and a steady drumbeat.

Support Indie/DIY/Local Musicians and Bands

Best 5 New 2021 DIY Song Submissions, Vol. III: Maquina Delirio, Rosesleeves, Breakup Films & More

Rolling right along with the best new DIY/indie tracks from our mailbox in this installment No. 3 of the Best New 2021 DIY Song Submissions, featuring artists and bands from Arizona to France, and Brazil to Israel. These are the best new DIY indie songs we’ve received via our mailbox.

Máquina Delírio – Florianopolis, Brazil
Rosesleeves – Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
Breakup Films – Tel Aviv, Israel
Clint Slate – Paris, France
Victims of the New Math – Phoenix, Arizona

maquina

Máquina Delírio is an indie DIY duo from Florianopolis, Brazil. The duo’s new EP has just landed and it’s an interesting listen with a wonderful mixing of genres and influences. The opening track, “Cetacea,” is gripping and seductive, as well as timely, considering this is the year of the cetacea’s return.

Delírio adds and it “counts with the very special participation of a humpback whale, who kindly sang in the chorus.”

The duo features Erica Jung on drums and effects and Ricardo Marcin on vocals and strings. They’ve been playing and crafting songs together for four years.

After countless metamorphoses, the duo finally decided to record some of their tracks. The EP was recorded DIY after ‘countless metamorphoses.’ Major musical influences include Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Girl Band, Latin Music, IDLES, The Oh Sees.



rosesleeves

Rosesleeves – “Growing Pains”

Rosesleeves is a 17-year-old experimental pop artist and producer from Buckinghamshire, England.

He delves into the boundaries between indie, alternative, EDM, and pop to create unique tracks full of feeling that take interesting new turns on tracks like his latest single, “Growing Pains.” The ambient pop-leaning track, Patel says, is based on a painful breakup with his best friend.

His musical influences, he says, are FKA Twigs, Bon Iver, Shrimp, Radiohead, and Purity Ring — as well as his friends and frequent collaborators Ezekiel and Noahh. Patel has also previously joined forces with upcoming artists such as Osquinn (formerly known as P4rkr), Midwxst, and Suckerpunk to create tracks that have been enjoyed by many.

About the track, he says: “The song doesn’t waste a second and starts with delicate vocals glistening against unorthodox piano samples and synths that bursts into a flood of alluring textures; thunder respresenting the storm of the last few days of friendship.”



breakupfilms

Breakup Films – “Just Whenever”

Breakup Films‘ new single, ‘Just Whenever,” according to frontman vocalist and guitarist Ron Herscovici, “is a melancholic party song, incorporating musical themes borrowed from disco, dream pop and emo into an energetic ghost train, aspiring to create an atmosphere you can both dance and dissociate to.” That’s actually a great description that is evident after listening to the track a couple of times.

Breakup Films is a Tel Avi-based young band that formed in 2019 and have now released the debut EP My Head Is Always Somewhere Else .

The band infuses reverb-filled textures with straightforward, indie pop songwriting and has gradually gained a steady fanbase across the globe and nearly a half-million streams.

Major musical influences include Turnover, DIIV, The 1975, Neck Deep, The Smiths. Other band members are Hai Barbi – guitar, Shelly Reizis – vocals & bass, Noam Debel – drums. The band was founded in 2019.

http://instagram.com/breakupfilms



clintslate

Clint Slate – “No Way Out”

The Paris-based indie musician Clint State has just released his latest single, “No Way Out.” The track blends a number of genres, including rock and folk, and is sweet and touching.

“Rock, pop, folk, electro and more fusion into a very personal recipe born out of guitar improvisations and spontaneous melodies,” Slate writes, adding that the new EP, The Silent Sea EP, “showcases a true team at work…to encapsulate all their influences and embark the listener on a unique and personal journey.”

Clint State was founded in 2015 after a Scottish nurse and a French musician meet by chance to write a song for a radio contest and things evolved from there. The duo’s musical influences are Queen, U2, Kate Bush, Clannad, NIN, among others. Clint Slate (vocals, instruments, production, songwriting) is backed by Iona James (vocals, piano, songwriting).



victims

Victims of the New Math – “You’re Swimming”

The Phoenix-based lo-fi music of indie musician Thomas Young (vocals, guitars, bass and drums), aka Victims of the New Math, is greatly influenced by classic rock and indie rock, including artists like Guided By Voices, Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev, and The Kinks. His memorable new single, “You’re Swimming,” is great for a summer afternoon.

The band writes about the track: “You’re Swimming’ is a song about trying to see the best in things, to have a better outlook. I tend to get bogged down in the melancholy, and really wanted to write something more positive and uplifting. It’s still got some melancholy, but it’s got a really encouraging message.

Young has been making music since his teenage years in the late 1980’s, and has been releasing music since 2006. Originally a duo, with Thomas being joined by his brother Joe, the band was formed with hopes of capturing the great AM rock sounds from their childhood. Never much for learning other people’s songs, the brothers almost immediately tried their hand at writing. And, with a few small gaps, pretty much never stopped.

His new album, Heading to the Suburbs, is out now.





Best 2021 DIY Songs feat. Icarus Phoenix, Matthew McNeal, Ora Violet & others

drew-danburry-2020
Prolific Utah musician Drew Danburry, aka Icarus Phoenix

We’ve been digging newly-discovered indie/DIY artists and bands for the past couple of weeks in dee mail (aka, via our submission box). Some fantastic rarely-heard songs have been on repeat here in the cafe. They include the following artists and bands you need to hear. Please like, follow, and share to encourage highlighting talented, unstated musicians and bands, especially at a time when the already difficult situation for DIY artists has been exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic. (And, yes, for the top10-dedicated, we’re working on the new ones; stay tuned). Lots of great music so far this year.

Icarus Phoenix – Provo, Utah
Matthew McNeal – Fort Worth, Texas
Ora Violet – London, England
The Slow Glow – Stockholm, Sweden
The Red Curtain Affair – London, England

indie-songs-2021

Icarus Phoenix – “All The Same”

Provo-based indie artist Icarus Phoenix hit our inbox with this sweet folk-rock track, “All The Same.” The music conveys a certain urgency but in much calmer tones than one would otherwise expect. A somber underbelly is delivered through textured notes and vocals.

The prolific Utah musician behind the moniker is Drew Danburry, a musician, filmmaker, animator, dad/husband, skateboarder, and barber. His new single is accompanied by a video of his own animation using hand-drawn index cards. That said, Danburry expresses angst at the difficulties of daily life these days, singing: “When I find myself in suffering/when I find myself in pain // Am I guilty of dishonor? Can I find another way?”

Since 2002, Danburry has performed more than 800 shows worldwide and dropped 20 albums and 13 E.P.s. “All the Same” is off of the forthcoming second album via his Icarus Phoenix moniker. The album, ‘No Tree Can Grow to Heaven Unless Its Roots Reach Down to Hell’ is available on tape and digital.


matthewmcneal

Matthew McNeal – “Tired of Believing”

With warm 1970’s vibes, relaxing instrumentation, and soft vocals, Fort Worth-based singer/songwriter Matthew McNeal‘s “Tired of Believing” is one of the most touching DIY singles of the summer. McNeal is an alluring songwriter with a knack for existential pondering.

After teaming up with Joey McClellan (BNQT, Israel Nash) and McKenzie Smith (Midlake, St. Vincent) for his 2015 release ‘Compadre’, McNeal and company aim to “bring an unorthodox feel to their music, pushing poetic storytelling forward atop a range of musical genres. ”

https://www.facebook.com/matthewmcneal/


oraviolet4

Ora Violet – “Have You Met Me”

The talented London indie/alt. rock band Ora Violet has been pumping out a series of strong tracks since forming a couple of years ago and getting airplay and reviews in various blogs and zines. The band’s newest single, “Have You Met Me,” is a testament to the band’s rising profile. Ora Violet was even publicly lauded by The Strokes’ producer Gordon Raphael.

Ora Violet fuses rock influenced by bands like Raconteurs and Queens of the Stone Age with early 1970’s proto-punk in the vein of bands like The Stooges and The Modern Lovers. The duo is comprised of multi-instrumentalist production duo Black Tiles and guitarist Nick Ferman.

About the song (from the writer/band): “Influenced by Grinderman, Elizabeth Wurtzel, Marmaduke Duke & Ernest Hemingway, the song was inspired by the realization that the same way we go down, we come back up; gradually and then suddenly. The antihero protagonist has lived a life of unapologetic excessive in all ways and despite nearing the end, the statement is clear… I won’t go down.”

Vocalist Jeet Mulkerj and bassist Adam Liston also contributed to the song.

https://www.instagram.com/ora.violet/


Loco by The Slow Glow

The Slow Glow – “Loco”

Stockholm lo-fi indie rock one-man band, Diego Garcia – who records as The Slow Glow – is also a multi-instrumentalist. His new single, “Loco,” is something to behold.

“‘Loco’ means many things in Spanish; it means ‘crazy’ but also ‘dude’ in certain parts of Latin America,” Garcia wrote to IRC. “I wrote and recorded the song in one go one afternoon in my living room as a sort of mantra for myself and it’s the song that got me signed to Lacreu Records, an independent cassette label based in Barcelona, Spain. I think right about now we could use some calming down.”

The Swedish-based Venezuelan-born musician’s influences include King Krule, The Beach Boys, Lou Reed, Mac DeMarco, Blood Orange, and Homeshake. He plays guitar, fake bass, snare drum, and synths.
Garcia toured for several years under the Hotel moniker and released three EPs.

https://www.instagram.com/theslowwgloww/


indie-rock-songs

The Red Curtain Affair – “We’re All in the Same Boat”

Another multi-instrumentalist featured in this post is The Red Curtain Affair, a project of London musician Alexander Tarel. His new single, “We’re All in the Same Boat” showcases his fusion of unique funky rock with spices from world music. Tarel’s musical influences include The Smiths, The Cure, and Jimi Hendrix.

Tarel’s song description: “A feel-good U.K. indie rock song with rather depressing lyrics, a funky baseline to dance to, and a virtuoso guitar solo written in a dream.”

https://www.instagram.com/theredcurtainaffair/



Stream all of the tracks on this page uninterrupted:




In Dee Mail Band Series 2021, Vol. I – Bliss Williams, Monrad, Hazey, Venray, Fletcher Milloy

Bliss-William

This is the first In Dee Mail feature we’ve run in a while. (We’ve been busy building new pages that will be unveiled as time ensues; one just published is IRC’s Music Festivals 2021 all-in-one resource. Fests are back! And don’t miss our new songs aggregated page.)

In this installment:

  • Bliss Williams – London, England
  • Monrad – Medesano, Italy
  • Hazey – Bristol, England
  • Venray – Washington, D.C.
  • Fletcher Milloy – Los Angeles, California

We’ve received many hundreds of submissions in the past few weeks – catching up from a slow start to a year that is going blazingly fast. But we cannot go without our DIY indie music discovery activities, nor can we hold back from sharing some of the most talented, interesting, different, original and promising DIY artists and bands that we’ve come across.

These completely DIY, mostly unknown artists and bands stood out among hundreds of submissions. We picked them because of the level of musical talent; the catchiness of their track and overall production value. These should be BIGGER recording artists with tens of thousands of plays, sold-out shows and blog posts/press articles touting their achievements – even if judging from the one track we are presenting.

Of course, it is no surprise we are pushing these artists/bands to higher visibility via our popular top 10 indie songs playlists. These are DIY artists and bands that need to be heard and to be loved. It’s always been heart-breaking (in little ways) to us when amazing, different and talented DIY artists and bands get lost to the non-stop waterfall of noise around 30-40 artists and bands in the indie/alternative/rock realm.


Falling For You https://soundcloud.com/blisswilliams/falling-for-you

Bliss Williams – “Falling For You”

Bio: London-based Bliss Williams remains well-acquainted with unrequited love. So he thought it was about time he wrote another song about it. The second in a series of singles for the 2020/21 season, following his well-received debut offering ‘Thought I Was Young’, Williams is looking.
Location: London, England
Genre: Indie pop; dream pop
Members: Bliss Williams – vocals, all instruments and production
Musical Influences: The Style Council, Amy Winehouse, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Bee Gees
Instagram: blisswilliamsmusic

Song Bio (from the artist): “Produced at his flat in London, Williams’ debut offering pitches shuffling drums and pocket bass against sweeping electric guitars and swirling, yearning vocals.”

Release Date: 02/15/2021


Monrad – “One Stop Shop”

Monrad is the solo moniker of Matthew Ramon. Kortrijk born and raised but in need of new challenges and discovery, he left Belgium, wandering around for several years before settling down in the small Italian village of Medesano.

Although part of a reverb-drenched, instrumental surf punk band for most of his twenties (Rencontrez L’amour), he got together with Filip Tanghe (recording and/or live engineering Balthazar, Warhaus), and recorded some of his first songs, trying to step away from more conventional song structures.

After two years of digging deeper, nurturing and maturing his music, and finding his voice, Monrad went back to Tanghe and recorded, together with Bert Desmet and Gijs Coucke, his first full-length album Wired.

Location: Medesano, Italy
Genre: Indie rock
Members: Matthew Ramon – all instruments and vocals
Facebook: monradsound

Song Bio (from the artist): “With a dark voice, floating somewhere between singing and parlando, propelling drums, seductive bass, and atmospheric guitars, Monrad takes you to layered territories where harmony and tension start to intertwine…I took my Fender Telecaster, plugged into a Fender Bass breaker head, reverb fully open (a remnant of my surf music days). I started recording the first and second riff in Cubase. Once I lay down the basic structure of the song, I focus on the drum and bass parts, followed by synths and pianos. Like that, layer by layer, I start building the song…The bounciness of the song reflects the ups and down in our mood, energy, and needs. However, somehow we eventually manage to cast aside the more negative feelings and find a way to stand up, crawl back from our inside that maze that sucks you in.”

Release Date: 03/14/2021


Hazey – “Bliss”

Hazey is a Bristol-based indie-pop duo that provides energy and mystery to the rock scene. The pair certainly aren’t afraid to express their weird side and want to share their fun outlook on life through Hazey.

Their debut single “Kimberly” gained strong support from UK radio stations such as BBC Radio Bristol & BCFM.

Location: Bristol, England
Genre: rock,pop,synt,pkpp,altr
Musical Influences: FOALS, The Killers, Deaf Havana, The 1975, Don Broco, Turnover & The Cure.
Members: Tim Brown – guitar/bass/vocals; Justin Wilkinson – drums/vocals
Facebook: hazeybanduk

Song Bio: “Written during a time of uncertainty, confusion and reflection. ‘Bliss’ is a collection of emotions that are repeatedly flowing through the mind when feeling lost. In a situation where we need to reach out and unite, it is apparent that a select few have taken the opportunity to profit from the suffering of the helpless many.

Dreamy intervals midway and towards the end of the track represent the calm and peacefulness that we receive from detaching ourselves from society. This is our most laid-back song and we love how it’s enabled us to connect on a more intimate level with our music.

Release Date: 03/2/2021


Venray – “No Place”

Bio: Venray is an independent rock power-duo, alternatively labeled as ‘surf-grunge ‘or ‘garage-punk’. Venray’s sound has been called “catchy AF”, and duo is characterized by their sing-along melodies, giant hooks, and high energy, dynamic live performances. Spanning several genres, venray songs range from breezy ballads to crunchy rippers that will appeal to fans of Pile, Car Seat Headrest, Wavves, and Top Nachos.

Location: Washington, D.C.
Genre: hard rock, indie rock, garage rock
Musical Influences: Stove, Pixies, Ovlov, Ty Segall, Pink Mexico, and Foo Fighters
Members: Tyler Bergin – Vocals, Guitars, Bass; Christopher Peli – drums, percussion, vocals
Soundcloud: /venrayband/

Song Bio (from the artist): Not provided

Release Date: 4/21/21


Fletcher Milloy – “Raskolnikov”

Blending hyper-pop production and psychedelic prowess with captivating lyrics, Fletcher Milloy is proving themself to be a pioneer of a sound that is completely their own. Fletcher Milloy, has performed in lineups alongside the Killers, the Roots and many others, as well as being featured in the international top 10 of NPR Music’s Tiny Desk contest
(2020). Quickly rising on TikTok, with over 250,000 views, Raskolnikov may be the finalé to the Astronaut Trilogy, but is only the beginning of a new sound and promising artistic career.

Location: Los Angeles, California
Genre(s): psyc,altr,expe
Has Opened For: The Killers, The Roots, HAIM, Death Cab for Cutie
Musical Influences: LCD Soundsystem, Bowie, Prince, Talking Heads
Members: Fletcher Milloy. Guitar, Bass, Drums, Vox, Keys
Instagram: /fletchermilloy/

Song Bio (from the artist): “‘Raskolnikov’ is the final installment of my Astronaut Trilogy EP. It’s inspired by psychedelic pop & 19th century Russian literature (Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky). I wrote the song about spending my early life heavily involved in the evangelical church. I found myself in a constant state of panic trying to navigate and appease a socio-political circle that by default ostracized me for my participation in night life and parties.

The track is message to myself and others that to become a new person the preceding role and character i created in that environment must be put to rest .”

Release Date: 02/22/2021

Band to Watch: Hear In Color

Local Band Spotlight: Hear In ColorApril 29, 2021

How did you come up with the name of the band?
We actually tried multiple different names before landing on Hear In Color. We used to go on long drives and listen to music we liked in the car. We often would ask each other what colors we would see or associate with the songs or albums playing. Our singer Faith came up with the name “Hear In Color” because of those memories & because of how people all over experience and interpret music differently.

How would you describe your sound?
Indie, Alternative, Shoe-gaze, Dream-pop, with hints of emo & post-rock.

When did you first become interested in playing music?
Music has been an important part of our lives for as long as we can remember. We’re all in our early 20’s as of now.

What are you listening to these days?
Omar Apollo, Chicano Batman, The Strokes, New Sense, Iraya, Khruangbin, MF Doom, Death Grips, No Vacation, Video Age, Dijon, Crumb, The Backseat Lovers.

What does music mean to you?
Music sort of acts as a source of therapy in each of our lives. One way or another we have all been heavily impacted by music & creativity in general. It helps keep us stable in many ways.

How’d you guys first get together to play music?
We all pretty much met at Diablo Valley College through classes/mutual friends. Initially, the group was a trio that included Isaiah, Gerardo, & Faith. Shortly after once, we had our first gig coming up, we then added Valente & Eli to the lineup. This addition added a whole new energy and brought a new dynamic to the group to help give it a much fuller & more expressive sound. We would jam in the jazz practice room when we could fit time in (since we had some shows lined up before COVID hit) & it just became a good fit.

What inspires you to write?
For most of us writing has always been one of the few ways we could get thoughts or feelings or whatever out of our head and actually in the physical. It feels really good to have an idea in your head and see it form into an actual project and how those around you interpret it as well.

What’s the biggest challenge in becoming a musician today?

One of the biggest challenges for us at least was trying to adapt to the quarantine. We did a majority of this EP remotely & it definitely came with many speed bumps and technical difficulties that halted production time. Although the pandemic has given us more time to write, we do miss gigging so much & the impact that it offers to the community & scene.

What are some of your favorite Bay Area music venues?
The UC Theatre Taube Family Music Hall, 924 Gilman, Great American Music Hall, Rickshaw Stop, Up The Creek Records, Starline Social Club, Cornerstone.

What are some of your favorites places to hang out in the Bay Area and why?
Port Costa, Berkeley, Bear Creek Road, Reliez Valley Road, Romo’s Caffe (Oakland), Wildcat Canyon Road, Diablo Valley College.

What’s one thing that people would be surprised to find out about you?
Valente knows how to breakdance, Eli/Gerardo make tea together & there are currently 10 empty cups of coffee in Faith’s car. Also, Isaiah has two birds that live on top of his fridge.

Is there anything you’d like to plug?

The post Local Band Spotlight: Hear In Color appeared first on Music in SF®.

Louis Raphael

Top 10 Indie Songs Playlist, March 2021

nationoflanguage

This indie top 10 songs playlist for March 2021 is not to be missed. The top 10 songs include tracks from new, DIY, and relatively unknown artists and bands to others who are pretty much established and well known within the indie rock orbits.

Right off the bat, we just had to make Brooklyn-based indie-pop band Nation of Language‘s new single, “Deliver Me From Wondering Why,” the No. 1 track for March. How amazing is this track!?

NOL’s single has a luring, bold retro techno-beat, space-age sound effects, and impressive minimalistic keyboard work. “Deliver Me From Wondering Why,” is expansive, fun, and weird. Think Brian Eno mixed with The Talking Heads and Devo.

The musical composition and production are spectacular. This track will last into the summer. (we also have a feed here.)

Next, Montreal indie rock band ISLANDS recently dropped the exhilarating and transfixing new single, “My Brother.” The soaring, atmospheric guitars, heartfelt vocals, and captivating melodies make the song another resounding release for the band. No surprise – ISLANDS has a solid track record (that’s interesting: ‘track’ and ‘record’. Huh.) of releases and remains one of our favorite Canadian bands.

Next, The U.K. indie rock band Thrillhouse is making inroads to the U.S. music space with a number of single drops this year gaining attention, including the No. 3 track below.

The single, “Just At The Right Time,” encompasses everything indie rock folks have come to expect from the young band. This nostalgic song gem flows with the emotive, infectious, and masterfully crafted sound we have come to love from the U.K. rockers.

The chugging energy and epic melodies make the song not only unforgettable but worthy of wider recognition. “Just At The Right Time” bubbles up from softer, observant moments to racing, kinetic rhythms and joyous instrumental blowouts layered with chorus-fueled vocals. It’s thrilling and also reminiscent of Arcade Fire.


Checking in at No. 4 is the latest from U.K. indie rock band The Hunna. The band switches things up on the wonderous, heartfelt love song (and it has a twist), “Bad Place.”

Los Angeles indie pop/alt. rock trio Limon Limon get the foot-tapping and air drums going on his new love song, “Attention” (No.5)

The relatively new indie rock band Eades – out of Leeds (England) – made a big impact on the team with the fresh single, “Coltrane,” (No.6) – a tribute of sorts to the master jazz musician John Coltrane.

The song flows with a hybrid stitch of genres, sounds, and voices hinting at influences (similar to Thrillhouse above) such as The Talking Heads, Brian Eno, and perhaps unintentionally, Big Star (you know, the largely-forgotten, but legendary, 70s band that made a big impact on pop/rock and the indie movement that was soon to follow).

Genre-wise, Eades weaves new wave, post-punk and garage rock along with their “unique lo-fi recording style” to produce songs like “Coltrane.”

Eades take influence from new wave, post-punk and garage rock along with their “unique lo-fi recording style.”

Checking in at No. 7 is the latest from DIY artist Sir Sly. The Orange County California recording artist keeps the party thumping and bumping going with the electrifying dance-pop track, “Welcomes The Pressure.” Those some fab waves.

Yet another U.K. indie rock band in this top 10, London’s Simple Fiction, tugs hard on the heartstrings with the flowering, powerful song, “The Weekends” (No. 8).

It may be no surprise that English glam rockers Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard dropped a kick-ass fresh rock single, “New Age Millennial Magic”, that landed in our Top 10. The track sports a terrific 70’s ELO vibe. The Cardiff band has a special touch that has made them fairly popular.

And to close out the Top 10 is L.A. duo World’s First Cinema enthralling pop/rock track, “The Woods”. The contrast of the two parts of this song gives it a theatrical edge from start to finish.

We appreciate the art of genre-mixing: it’s essentially what indie rock is in our opinion – the freedom to write, sing, compose, produce whatever an artist or band wishes to. No doubt that includes mixing genres. That artform – which arguably has been around for a long time – has, since the birth of the ‘indie rock revival,’ produced so many sensational albums, songs, artists, and bands. And they keep coming!

So far, 2021 is shaping up to be a fantastic year for indie and alt. rock, including among DIY artists and bands.

Don’t forget to listen to the other Top 10 playlists on our site, via Soundcloud, YouTube and now Spotify.

Eyem-ma-doll.

Artist of the Week – The Away Days

awaydays

In the past 18 months, the college-formed Istanbul indie dream rock band The Away Days have been on quite a whirlwind journey, performing alongside music giants like Pulp and Kaiser Chiefs (at the One Love Festival), as well as Mark Ronson and Sam Sparro (at and Adidas All Originals Party event), and Factory Floor at Newcomer’s Festival in Babylon, where they were hailed as a promising new young band. The band was also invited to perform on Okan Bayülgen’s Disco Kralı, Turkey’s most popular late night TV show watched by millions of viewers across the country.

For Disco Kralı broadcast, they performed their first single, “Dressing Room,” which was noticed by the U.K. Guardian, who mentioned The Away Days as a new band to watch. The well respected, long-running newspaper’s endorsement of the band elevated their profile in the U.K., and things really started to move fast for the pop rock quartet in a short period of time. Subsequently, The Away Days garnered praise and received support from Gary Powell of The Libertines, Ron Lewis of Sub Pop, and Simon Raymonde of Bella Union.

“Dressing Room” –  The Away Days from How Did It All Start

The band ultimately released their debut EP, How Did It All Start, last October, which was well-received overseas. Within weeks of the EP’s release, The Away Days were invited to perform at South By Southwest in Austin as part of the official lineup, an honor and opportunity that has served as a launch pad for hundreds, probably thousands, of artists over the past couple of decades. An invite to SXSW is a dream come true for any band looking for their big break, especially for an overseas band that wants to build a following in the United States. In fact, there are countless bands that have worked diligently for years with the hope of getting tapped to perform at SXSW because it is the world’s most celebrated, and all-encompassing, annual music bonanza; an event that can make or break a band’s career.

Currently, The Away Days are recording their debut full-length album under the direction of Brighton producer Jag Jago, who produced the latest album by The Maccabees, and has worked with artists like The Ghost Of A Thousand, Bastions and Your Demise, among others. On May 7th, The Away Days will headline The Garage in London. Band members include Oguzcan Ozen (guitars/vocals), Sezer Koc (lead guitar), Burak Serter (bass) and Berk Tekelioglu (drums). They are signed to Noiseist Productions.

In January, their newest single, “Galaxies,” was played on the high-profile KEXP Morning Show in Seattle (official music video above). The band said about the single: “It’s a deep song that makes us feel really lost. As the song comes to the end, it feels like we found our way. We made this in the basement, no sun, no light.”

“Dear Blender” – The Away Days from How Did It All Start

The Away Days Official Website

5 DIY Bands to Watch, Vol. I – Hemmingbirds, Jumpiter, Cloud Lantern, The Jesus Rehab and Appalachians

hemmingbirds

Over the past few months, we have received, and reviewed, hundreds of submissions from mostly DIY artists and bands. In the coming weeks and months, we’ll be sharing the best artists of the hundreds of submissions we’ve reviewed (and will continue to review) with you via a number of playlists series that highlight talented unsigned bands that deserve to be heard. This is the first volume of 5 DIY Bands to Watch in 2013.

Hemmingbirds – Chicago, Illinois

Riding on the success of their debut record, Death Wave, released in 2010, Chicago indie rock band Hemmingbirds began working on its follow-up early in 2012. Departing from the original solo writing process (attributed to band leader Yoo Soo Kim) of Death Wave, Hemmingbirds worked on their sophomore effort, The Vines of Age, collectively. As a result, the album marks a transition from the group’s original folk- influenced sound into something heavier, noisier and more soulful.

“Line of Bones”Hemmingbirds from The Vines of Age – Sept. 25th

“Toxic Noise”Hemmingbirds from The Vines of Age

The Hemmingbirds Official Website

Jumpiter – Brooklyn, New York

Jumpiter is the musical project of Brooklyn solo artist Sean Schuyler, who writes and records in his ‘cramped’ apartment with the goal of channeling his “inner Jimmy Page to make some fun headphone listening.” While any Jimmy Page comparison is way off from the reality, the two songs featured below are pretty good for a solo artist few have heard of. In November, Jumpiter self-released a self-titled fifth release, featuring a  collection of hard-rock and power-pop songs touching on darkness and humor in songs like “Asbestos Of The Gods” and “Bugspray.”

“Bug Spray”Jumpiter from Jumpiter

“Asbestos Of The Gods”Jumpiter from Jumpiter

Jumpiter on Bandcamp

Cloud Lantern – Albuquerque, New Mexico

From the magical desert southwest area of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Cloud Lantern blipped on our radar with their self-produced DIY release of the EP, Songs for Eluard. The band integrates post-punk, surf pop, garage rock, shoegaze and math-rock, and have become well-known within Albuquerque DIY indie rock scene. The new EP is a tribute to the poet Paul Eluard, whose contributions to the surrealist art movement are well-noted.

Cloud Latern’s sound is risque, enthralling and accessible; the first single, “Backgammon,” is a bright, sunny summer day, lo-fi surf pop track, featuring a driving drum beat, crashing cymbals, and lo-fi, surf rock guitars jamming away. The second single, “Pushkin Around,” is yet another surf pop mixed with post-punk track that comes off very much like a noise pop or power pop track. The band most recent release was in July of 2012.

“Backgammon”Cloud Lantern from Songs for Eluard EP

“Pushkin Around”Cloud Lantern from Songs for Eluard EP

Website: Cloud Lantern’s Official Website

jesusrehab

The Jesus Rehab – Seattle, Washington

The Jesus Rehab is a Seattle DIY indie rock band that has its roots in southwest Michigan, where lead singer Jared Cortese and his brother, Dominic Cortese, began to write and record the songs that would later become the band’s first EP, Scatterbrained in 2007. The EP was well-received, and the band extensively toured the Pacific Northwest, and also appeared at South by Southwest (SXSW) in 2010. The band’s sound is marked by powerful vocals and driving rhythms which have led to comparisons to bands like OK Go, The Flaming Lips and Weezer, the latter being most apparent to us. Last April, they dropped their new album, Drunken Hillbilly Fight Bar, and sent us in these two singles.

“Long Way To Fall”The Jesus Rehad from Drunken Hillbilly Fight Bar

“Carry You”The Jesus Rehad from Drunken Hillbilly Fight Bar

Website: The Jesus Rehab Official website

rollingcsappalachians

Appalachians – Sacramento, California

Appalachians is a Sacramento DIY duo formed in 2010 by musicians Marshall Van Leuven and Trevor Dahl. The duo first met in a jazz band in the 6th grade, and have been making music together ever since. In addition to songwriting and singing, Van Leuven and Dahl play guitars, banjos, mandolins, washboards, among other instruments. In July of 2012, the duo dropped their debut album, The Rolling C’s, featuring terrific songs like “Playing Pretend” and “Outro.” We’re looking forward to what the duo release this year; apparently, there is a new album in the works.

“Playing Pretend”Appalachians from The Rolling C’s

“Outro”Appalachians from The Rolling C’s

Listen to more tracks from Appalachians’ Bandcamp page