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Music Blog for Indie Pop Fans

Heed the confessionally celestial call of Seafarers’ latest hit indie chamber pop single, Televangelists

Seafarers, the innovative six-piece led by Matthew Herd, took ethereal indie chamber pop into a celestial realm with their latest single, ‘Televangelists’, which nestles into their third studio LP, Another State; the track envelops listeners in an arcane aura, inviting them to explore the band’s poetic universe.

Herd’s transition from solitary songwriting to a more collaborative approach shines through the mellifluous stream of lyrical parables that punctuate this release. The candidly poignant lines strike all the right chords with their perception-widening introspection and intimate confessions. Each lyric is an opportunity for connection, offering a profound glimpse into the psyche of a group that has drawn acclaim across the globe since its inception in 2018.

The seamless fusion of Florence and the Machine-esque indie rock and chamber pop creates a lush soundscape that amplifies the track’s thematic weight. Herd’s collaboration with extraordinary vocalist Elanor Moss, whom he credits with broadening his creative horizons, adds almost depth to the composition which is affecting on every conceivable level.

Televangelists is available to stream as part of Seafarers’ third LP, Another State, via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Keep your soul warm with Daniela Galasso’s slice of indie folk-pop reverie, Comfortable

Daniela Galasso

With an emotional richness and resonance that puts her in parallel to the most introspective works of First Aid Kit, Daniela Galasso, with her seminal single, Comfortable, radiates vulnerability and tonal warmth

Aside from the cinematic sonic sublimity, the real beauty of Comfortable resides in how the Italian-born, California-based singer-songwriter turns becoming comfortable in a relationship into something profoundly poetic. While so many people would perceive that as the moment the romance dies, Galasso flips the script with her ethereally tender, orchestrally scored single, allowing listeners to see comfort in a relationship as something just as sweet as the initial butterflies.

As an award-winning artist who has clearly mastered the art of textural alchemy within her productions, Galasso has stepped out of the shadows of her influences in the vein of Taylor Swift, Ellie Goulding and Imogen Heap and irrefutably come into her own through her installations of vulnerable reverie.

Comfortable will be available to stream on all major platforms from November 1st. Find your preferred way to listen via the artist’s official website.

Keep up to date with news of new releases from Daniela Galasso on Instagram and Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lia Juno exhibited the pain of raw rumination in her alt-indie tour de force, Sight

Lia Juno

Ethereal alt-indie pop vocals meet cavernous guitar lines in Lia Juno’s intimately melancholic single, ‘Sight’, which deconstructs familiar tonality, tearing it down to the aural rubble before rebuilding a sonic landscape where sanctuary for the disillusioned resides.

Since unveiling her debut single, Fevering, earlier this year, the LA-based independent artist has made all the right waves; with her latest single she puts herself in the same league as Wolf Alice and Big Thief with the cerebral thematic nature of the manifesto of mournful rumination.

Building up from Pixies-esque artfully dramatic motifs to a blisteringly grungy crescendo of distorted guitars clashing in oscillation with the rhythm section, Sight ensures that if you have any pent-up emotions when you hit play, they’ll be obliterated by the impact of the track’s climax which you’ll want to feel the force of time after time.

Sight will be available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify and SoundCloud, from October 30th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Leah Nawy Blossomed into Indie Stardom with ‘I Was a Flower’

Leah Nawy’s latest single, I Was a Flower, is an emotional sojourn you will never want to return from. Drawing on influences from Big Thief, Yo La Tengo, and Grandaddy, the track unfurls like a séance of tonal sublimity, decorated with artful flourishes and polyphonic bursts of hazy reverie.

If the aforementioned artists hit you in the feels, imagine that emotional weight paired with a voice that fuses Norah Jones’ intimate introspection with the soaring range of Macy Gray.

The thematic blossoming within the track’s progressions ensures every component heightens the emotion and intensifies the resonance, effortlessly showcasing Leah Nawy’s depth as both a songwriter and producer. At just 23, the NYC-based artist, who honed her craft at Berklee NYC, has mastered the art of making every note and lyric hit with purpose.

I Was a Flower was officially released on October 2nd; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Seductive Synths and Industrial Grit: Silverlake Digs Deep with ‘X (I Should Be Digging)’

Silverlake

Synthesising the demure magnetism of Garbage, the arcane aura of Bjork, and a visceral indietronica pulse, Silverlake electrifies the senses with strobing synths lighting up the polished production in their latest seminal single, X (I Should Be Digging), taken from their third LP, Exotic Metals Ltd.

There’s a seductive power in every second, with sharper-than-razorwire hooks, luxe guitar licks, and siren-esque vocal lines courtesy of Sally-Ann Parker, whose performance is nothing less than hypnotic.

The track’s descent into pure leftfield chaos, guided by oscillating synths and pummelling bass, leaves a lasting impression, securing Silverlake’s place as one of the most scintillating indie-pop outfits on the UK underground circuit.

Drawing on their West Midlands roots, ‘X’ reflects their unique ability to fuse industrial influences with ethereal sublimity. Industrial electronica doesn’t frequently veer into the remit of otherworldly tonality, but as X proves, when it does, the result is nothing short of alchemic and starkly cinematic.

X (I Should Be Digging) was officially released on September 20; stream the single on SoundCloud and Bandcamp now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spotlight Feature: Brighton’s John Jackson Debuts with ‘Tomorrow’—A Britpop Diary of Loss and Hope

John Jackson’s debut EP, Tomorrow, unveils itself as a meditative exploration, using the avenues of indie and Britpop to navigate intimate reflections of an introspective psyche. Recorded in his Brighton home, the self-produced collection of singles invites listeners to aurally gaze into tender expositions of grief, heroism, and isolation, melodically prising beauty from melancholy.

The opening title track, Tomorrow, is a diaphanous curtain-raiser, reminiscent of Blur’s sonic breadth but uniquely steeped in the thematic depth of personal loss. Jackson’s masterful weaving of art through the agony of grief through Thom Yorke-like flourishes transforms the track into an introspective odyssey. It’s a journey through sorrow, beautifully wrapped in tender melodic progressions that resonate with the listener’s own hidden echoes of loss.

Transitioning from the ethereal to the earthbound, Save Heaven shifts the mood with its melancholic yet profound orchestration. Here, Jackson explores the sting of isolation, crafting a cinematically rich soundscape that hits all the right evocative triggers  The orchestral elements, coupled with the syncopated pulses of the track, create a magnetising rhythmic pull that draws deeper into the shared experience of solitude.

The EP’s narrative arc reaches a crescendo with Hero; an ode to Inspiral Carpets and the concept of unexpected bravery. It’s a rumination on fearlessness that asserts Jackson’s ability to bear his musical influences while allowing his authenticity to permeate through homage.

As a first entry, Jackson’s debut EP couldn’t be more promising; his ability to speak on unspoken phenomena through his affectingly authentic sonic identity is what every songwriter should strive to achieve through their art and expression.

Tomorrow is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Keep up to date with new releases from John Jackson via Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

“Melancholy in Music: An Interview with Caitlin Lavagna on Her Latest Single ‘October’ and Beyond”

In our latest conversation, Caitlin Lavagna opens up about her musical endeavours and the emotional depths of her new single, ‘October’. Following the upbeat vibes of ‘Pretty Alright’, ‘October’ is an artfully sombre ballad, rooted in a deeply personal experience of sudden disconnection and the introspective aftermath. This interview explores Lavagna’s songwriting process, which she describes as inherently chaotic and spontaneous, her experiences navigating the challenges of being an independent artist, and her aspirations for the future in both music and acting. With each response, Lavagna shares insights into the therapeutic role music plays in her life and the honest, raw narrative she aims to convey through her songs.

Caitlin Lavagna, you made an enduring impression on us with your single, Pretty Alright, earlier this year. Your upcoming single, October, is a far melancholic cry from Pretty Alright; what inspired the single? 

‘October’ was inspired by an experience I went through this time last year when my career was bursting with excitement and opportunities were flowing. I was performing in a beautiful show I adored, making new friends, traveling to new places and I had someone special, who I felt really saw me, to share it all with. Then I was left completely and utterly ghosted, left behind and vulnerable.

I lost my sense of self, was in shock and couldn’t make sense of what was happening. By beginning to write my feelings down, I began tending to a year of heartbreak and that’s how the song started to form.

It feels like an incredibly vulnerable release; how did it feel to write and perform?

I think the more I let myself go, the deeper I dig emotionally and the more honest and raw I make my songs, the more I fear releasing them. With ‘October’ I really felt scared. It’s personal and touched on exactly what being ghosted felt like for me. I think it’s especially hard because I know people must feel the same things as me, but singing it can almost be more therapeutic for them to listen to than for me to keep re-visiting.

When you’re pausing time, putting lyrics and a melody to heartbreak and then having to consistently perform that heartbreak in front of live audiences, it’s genuinely difficult. As I have said before though, music is my therapy and writing about how I feel helps me process things, whether that’s at the time or on reflection.

What do you hope your listeners take away from the release? 

This is the first song I have given myself proper time and space to write. It follows a year of being ignored by someone who I believed loved me. I suppose releasing it now makes it a cathartic song, attempting to take back my favourite month, a time for me. I want to take the listener on a personal, raw and honest journey of grief and unexplained loss. Quite simply, a brutal end to a beautiful connection.

With your strong passion for lyrics and rhythm which is evident in your music, can you describe your songwriting process?

IT’S CHAOS HAHA!! I don’t think I have written a song in the same way, ever. I usually start humming a melody when driving long distances or in the shower. I voice record it when I get a chance and then eventually from free-writing or picking highlighted words or themes from lists or phrases I have documented, I will match them up and begin shaping the melodic idea into a rough structure with lyrics.

I pride myself on being able to collaborate with musician friends on songs I believe they can help shape or will understand and add to creatively and so much of my training through music has been through working with other people, it feels natural to do it that way. I also try not to put pressure on myself in terms of trying to keep a day free to write a song. I write when it comes and wherever it comes. Sometimes it’s sitting at a piano, sometimes I can be shopping or in the middle of a gym session. I will just pause and note down ideas as they come.

What are the main challenges you’ve faced releasing music as an independent artist? 

I think it’s an obvious answer but financially it is almost impossible to be your own PR, Manager, Social Media maker, reel editor, visual planner, music video director, writer, producer, singer, live artist etc. You give SO MUCH for SO LITTLE in return. I have found that to release a single, you HAVE to believe in it. You can’t really afford to release anything you don’t think will sell, which is a shame because not all songs should be made to be Tiktok, Radio and Gen Z friendly. I really didn’t want to cut ‘October’ down for a Radio Edit but I had to give it a fighting chance of stream figures and radio play. For me, the real song is the 5:50 version but at my level, I have to tick boxes to remain relevant and accepted on bigger levels that can propel my career.

As you continue to make a name for yourself both in acting and music, what are your main aspirations for the future? 

I just want to keep writing, releasing and aiming for bigger music venues to perform live with a bigger band. I would love to keep smashing the BBC Radio Wales Welsh A-List and hopefully manage to secure some funding to release my first ever EP. I want to collaborate more with other writers and singers and also keep travelling to new places to experience as much as I can when I don’t have huge commitments personally.

Beyond the release of October, what else does the future have in store for Caitlin Lavagna?

I have already started working on my first EP and want to challenge myself to release a body of work rather than focus all my efforts on singles moving forward. I can say that although there isn’t a release date in mind, I will be busy forming the title, visuals and most importantly tunes to release. I will probably arrange a big launch tour in four beautiful music venues in the Valleys, Cardiff, London and Gibraltar. All places that have formed me as a musician and person.

I also have been recast in ‘Housemates – UK Tour’ which starts rehearsing in January and tours through to April. Busy, but blessed to be thriving both musically and in the actor musicianship world. I’m very excited to get back on the drum kit working with the Sherman Theatre and Hijinx Theatre Company.

Stream October on all major platforms, including Spotify now.

Follow Caitlin Lavagna on Instagram and TikTok to stay up to date with all of her latest releases and news.

Interview by Amelia Vandergast

Spotlight Feature: Kaitlin Cassady – Home Away from Home: A 12-Part Panorama of Indie Folk Rock Candour

Kaitlin Cassady’s inaugural album, Home Away from Home, is an emotive expedition into the heart of indie folk rock, through which she secures her place in the lineage of songwriters who stir souls with their harmonies and strings.

Home Away from Home unfolds over twelve tracks that promise to resonate with anyone harbouring a penchant for profound storytelling wrapped in melodious harmony. It’s an exploration of self-discovery, articulated with a candour that soothes as it sears. Cassady, drawing on the narrative depth reminiscent of Aimee Mann and the tender, plaintive tones akin to Kacey Musgraves, crafted each song as a chapter in an intimate diary of longing and introspection.

The album’s inception, nurtured within the confines of an Oakland apartment, mirrors the personal and unpolished stories that Cassady chooses to tell. Supported from afar by her father, a seasoned songwriter, her work not only explores her roots but also the bittersweet sting of leaving them behind.

With nuances of country, jazz and melodic rock, all adding evocative motifs to the work, the album can’t be acknowledged as anything less than a profound triumph. The inclusion of notable musicians such as Thad Polk and Julia Floberg touches the anthology of growing pains with dynamic tender strokes without overshadowing Cassady’s raw, narrative sonic signature as she scribes through sonic diary entries covering love, loss, addiction and mental health, turning personal plight into universal themes which speak to a generation grappling with similar issues.

As the streams and accolades accumulate, it’s clear that Cassady’s Home Away from Home asserts her as a vital voice in the indie folk-rock scene. Her ability to convey depth, connection, and haunting nostalgia ensures that this album will resonate with listeners long after the final note has played.

Stream Home Away from Home on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Follow Kaitlin Cassady on Instagram to stay up to date with news of her sophomore LP.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Gravity: Millar’s Love-Induced Descent into Dream Pop

With her latest single, Gravity, London-based singer-songwriter Millar has fortified her discography with yet another fearless vignette of introspection. Drenched in raw, unfeigned emotion, Gravity offers a glassy, neon-lit dream-pop soundscape where love becomes a force of nature, pulling you into a spiral of intoxicating vulnerability. Millar’s tender vocal lines swirl in hazy, retro-futuristic synths, creating an irresistible sense of fragility that leaves you feeling exposed to both the sweetness and the inevitable scars of love.

From a young age, Millar began crafting her melancholic sound, first writing songs at 16 before honing her skills at a Stratford music college. It was there, after years of artist development, that she discovered the core of her creative identity, one steeped in the bittersweet duality of love and nostalgia. Her voice carries the weight of these themes effortlessly, with each note steeped in a chilled-out melancholy.

Gravity is a sonic collision of worlds, imagining The Weeknd and First Aid Kit sharing a sonic continuum. The ethereal quality of Millar’s vocal delivery contrasts beautifully with the retro, synth-driven instrumentation; the fragility she conveys is palpable, yet it’s clear that Millar is in control of her artistry. The synaesthesia-inducing blend of lush synths and vulnerable lyrics in Gravity demonstrates that Millar is carving out her own space in dream pop, and if she continues down this path, her success seems as inevitable as gravity itself.

gravity became a new force in the pop scene to be reckoned with on October 4th; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sonia Stein became pop’s most scintillating conduit of soul with her single, Blooming Season

When she’s not flitting between Warsaw and London, the icon of soulful pop hooks, Sonia Stein, is honing her sonic signature, which scribes through nuances of RnB, electronica and pop while writing a legacy that the music industry would struggle to lose to history.

Her latest single and the title single for her upcoming LP, Blooming Season, sees her vocally find the middle ground between Swift and Lady Gaga as synth lines strobe beneath her arcane vocal timbre and the syncopated beats kick adrenaline into the mix which is wrapped in an aura of pure scintillation. Equally as affecting as the production by Duit, are the lyrical underpinnings, which explore the bliss of finally letting down your walls and letting love in without the fear of losing everything you’ve emotionally invested in.

My only complaint is that Sonia Stein isn’t sitting at the top of the Billboard charts after unleashing this earworm which even the most rhythmically steadfast will feel themselves melting into.

Sonia Stein’s single, Blooming Season, was officially released on October 8th; stream the single on Spotify.

Follow the artist on Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date with news of the upcoming Blooming Season Part 1 LP.

Review by Amelia Vandergast