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The term ‘indie’ in the music industry has become so ambiguous it has practically become as subjective as the meaning of life. Whichever way it is defined, it is still a massive part of the music industry in the UK and across the globe.

Originally, indie referred to how an artist distributed their music. Over the decades, it became a catch-all term for artists sharing the same sonic off-kilter edge; and, of course, the same moody yet inexplicably cool aesthetic. Indie, as a genre, only came around as the result of experimental artists in the 70s wanting to bring a new sound to the airwaves; instead of solely hoping for commercial success after appeasing one of the major record labels.

Indie artists adopted punk ethos they started to push the boundaries of pop. Instead of commercialising their sound, they pushed it into post-punk, shoegaze, synthpop, Britpop, avant-garde, noise rock and dream pop arenas. For all that separates bands such as Sonic Youth, the Cure, The Smiths, The Stone Roses, Joy Division, Elliott Smith and Radiohead, there is still so much that ties them together, namely their attitudes and the loud discordant style.

Along with the bands, iconic venues such as the 100 Club in London, the Hacienda in Manchester, and King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow had a pivotal part to play in the traction of independent artists and music. New Indie labels, such as Rough Trade and Factory Records, were amongst the first record labels to truly embrace and encourage experimentalism and authenticity in the artists they scouted and signed – taking New Order and Joy Division as a prime example.

It may have been a while since there was an indie breakthrough act as successful as the Arctic Monkeys, but indie music has far from lost its resonance. Besides, Monkeys won over 42 awards and sold over 20 million records, so that’s going to take some beating, and they’re certainly not the only indie artists currently thriving.

The Welsh indie rock icons, the Manic Street Preachers, celebrated their first number 1 album in 23 years with the release of Ultra Vivid Lament in 2021. The Tarantino-Esque Liverpool outfit, Red Rum Club, released their debut album in 2019, and got to number 14 in the official album sales chart with their album, How to Steal the World, in 2021. Perhaps most impressively, the world’s first CryptoPunk rapper, Spottie Wifi, made just under $200k in album NFT sales in 90 seconds this year.

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

Posted on 27 October 2024

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)’

Posted on 27 October 2024
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

MANA is down with the sickness in their indie post-punk sophomore single, Nauseating Me

Posted on 26 October 2024

MANA has reached a plateau above a scene cluttered with pallid echoes of post-punk pioneers with ‘Nauseating Me’, a track that defiantly carves a new notch in the indie scene. The Irish ensemble, now threading through the fabric of Berlin’s underground scene, has leapt forward from their promising debut with ‘Our Words’.

Their guitar work, reminiscent of the late 70s and early 80s licks, weaves through the track like Poison Ivy’s angularly arcane poise in confluence with the vocals which chameleonically shift from ethereal harmonies in the vein of Jaws and Peace to Strokes-esque vintagely doctored timbres as the track carries the cultivated appeal of mainstream titans like Arcade Fire and The Vaccines.

Equally as cerebral as their sound, MANA’s lyricism carries just as much intellectual weight with their dedication to painting vignettes of defiance, hope, polarisation, cynicism and displacement. Their philosophical approach to thematic underpinnings paired with the oscillations of indie innovation ensures that MANA is not just continuing traditions but setting precedents.

For those wearied by the monochrome renditions of Joy Division, join MANA in their electrifying new division as they traverse lesser-trodden intersections of indie’s anthemic fervour and post-punk’s monochromatic chill.

Nauseating Me was officially released on October 2nd; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

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

Posted on 26 October 2024

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

Sepia-Tinged Serenity: GOODTIME’s ‘Damsel Eyes’ Dances Between Tenderness and Nostalgia

Posted on 26 October 2024
GOODTIME

GOODTIME, a rising artist from New York City, affirmed his tonal mastery in his single, ‘Damsel Eyes’. The warmth bleeding from his guitar and the soul carried by his harmonies create a sonic landscape that lands somewhere between Nick Drake and Elliott Smith. He doesn’t just replicate indie folk’s past; he redefines it with a unique blend of traditional acoustic songwriting and atmospheric elements. His ability to seamlessly weave nostalgia with his signature ‘twisted lullabies’ invites listeners into soothing subversion that can easily become a sanctuary.

The haunting crescendos in ‘Damsel Eyes’, paired with the smoky sax lines, pull you deeper into its intimate atmosphere; with a melody akin to Oasis’ ‘Half the World Away’, the song nestles into an emotional place where beauty meets bittersweet reflection. It’s the kind of track that could make anyone misty-eyed, proving that GOODTIME has more than earned his place on the indie folk scene.

After tending to his creative spark as a percussionist at the age of 5, he earned more instrumental stripes at age 15 by self-teaching himself guitar, piano, bass, and banjo. Today, he crafts, produces, and mixes all his work from his home studio. After dedicating himself to his craft, his live performances have earned him a spot alongside artists such as Will Paquin and Dana & Alden, performing at iconic venues like The Bitter End and Mercury Lounge. Yet perceptibly, the best is yet to come for the lyrical lumiary.

Damsel Eyes will be available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify, from October 25th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Julia Kahn visualised the divinity of dark feminine energy with her dark pop installation of etherealism, Badlands

Posted on 25 October 2024
Julia Kahn

With her latest single, Badlands, Nashville’s dark-pop siren Julia Kahn defiantly stepped beyond the conventional boundaries of genre and geography. Born in a city more famed for its twangs of Americana than oscillations of dark cinematic mesmerism, Kahn stridently stepped into her own through the untamed echoes of empowerment and vulnerability in her latest release.

The summons to embrace authenticity, regardless of how messy that reality can be, draws you into a trip-hopped and spiritually awakened vortex of sound where ethereal vocal lines fuse with intricately frenetic drum patterns and strobing synth lines, crafting a soundscape swarming with evocative power and the divinity of dark feminine energy.

Each note demands emotional investment under the duress of Kahn, who has recently stepped off a major international festival tour and amassed a series of accolades that include airplay on BBC Radio and nods from critical platforms like Earmilk and Music Week.

With millions of views on TikTok and skyrocketing streaming numbers, Kahn is at the vanguard of a new movement, one which tempts her cult following into living unapologetically.

Badlands will be available to stream on all major platforms from October 25th; check out her Spotify and official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Loudness Wars unleashed heavy scuzz rock artillery with ‘Withered Flower’

Posted on 23 October 2024
Withered Flower by Loudness Wars

Loudness Wars made no apologies for turning up the decibels with their latest single, “Withered Flower.” The seasoned and striped alt-rock outfit plunges listeners into a sludged-up vortex where the textured growl of Deftones meets the cerebral drama of Muse, with a hint of Smashing Pumpkins’ melancholy woven through.

The innovative declaration in the guise of an alt-rock anthem sees Jerome, the Sri Lankan-born lead on guitars and vocals, crafting a soundscape where each strum feels like a pulse of raw emotional electricity. His voice, an artful contortion, sinks into the distortion that bleeds from the angular, cutting guitars. The anthemic hooks that ensue are nothing short of adrenaline for the soul, crafting a track that’s as unnerving as it is entrancing.

Rich, a guitarist turned bassist, brings a grounded ferocity to the mix. His transition from guitar to bass underpins the track with a depth that only a rhythmic savant could provide. Completing this trio, Ian, a lifelong drummer whose rhythmic instincts are as inherent as breathing, injects Withered Flower with a relentless beat that binds the track’s explosive components. His chemistry with Rich, rooted in their shared upbringing in Chesham, fuels the rhythmic backbone of this record with precision and wild abandon.

Together, they transform “Withered Flower”—a poignant meditation on decay—into a pulse-throbbing hit. The charismatically maniacal presence of Jerome’s vocals incites a riotous revival of alt-rock, proving that the outfit has heavy artillery to attack the senses and leave them cathartically affected.

Stream Withered Flower on Bandcamp now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

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

Posted on 23 October 2024

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

Posted on 23 October 2024

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

Posted on 21 October 2024

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