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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.

“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

Maverick Smith on Embracing Chaos in Music and Life

Posted on 21 October 2024

Maverick Smith’s LP, With Friends & Imperfections, presents a resonant exploration of the intricacies of human emotion through the lens of musical collaboration. In this interview, we explore the profound themes encapsulated in his work, where each track stands as a testament to the fleeting, contradictory nature of life itself. Maverick’s return to music after a decade illuminates his journey towards rediscovering the joy of creation, underscored by a desire to produce something authentically raw and vividly real. The album stands as a heartfelt ode to the unpolished, chaotic beauty of life, woven together by the diverse talents of 22 musicians. This fusion of experiences creates a unique sonic palette that challenges the sterile precision of digital music production, favouring instead the visceral energy of live performance

Maverick Smith, welcome to A&R Factory! Thanks for the opportunity to sit down with you following the release of your debut collaborative LP, With Friends & Imperfections. What’s the story behind the album?

Thank you! The album was born out of a desire to reconnect with the joy of making music after a decade away. Creating something that felt raw, unfiltered, and human. It wasn’t just about crafting songs, but about bringing together people I admire and just enjoy hanging out with, including 22 incredible musicians, to make an album that reflects the imperfections and beauty of music.

Each song was treated as its own record, and the album became this organic collaboration between old friends and new faces, which was incredibly therapeutic for me. It’s a mix of personal reflection and an ode to the messy, unpolished moments that make music—and life—worth celebrating.

We love how all reminiscences are fleeting in the tracks, was this an intentional familiar yet pioneering touch to the album or completely accidental?

It wasn’t something we set out to do, but I think it’s a reflection of how life feels to me—fleeting, yes, but also full of contradictions. The album asks you to remember certain moments, while at the same time, it asks you to forget, to move on. That imbalance, that imperfection, is what it means to be human. We’re constantly pulled in different directions emotionally. Some tracks capture that pure, joyful moment, like falling in love, while others deal with the harder side—loss, regret, or even just letting go of old ideals.

And then, sometimes, life is just about having fun, like with Spookshow, which celebrates our love of horror movies and the joy they bring. The songs weren’t designed to be perfect or neat because life isn’t like that. It’s messy, it’s contradictory, but that’s also what makes it beautiful. Through the writing and performance, we wanted each track to feel like a snapshot, a brief moment you hold onto, but one that ultimately passes—just like life does. So, while the fleeting nature wasn’t planned, it reflects the reality we all live in, and I think that’s what makes the album feel both familiar and fresh at the same time.

Bringing together 22 musicians to work on the album is quite an impressive feat; what were the highs and lows of working as part of such an expansive ensemble?

The highs were definitely the creative energy and unpredictability that each musician brought to the table. Having people like Ken Stringfellow (from The Posies, Big Star, and R.E.M.) and Paul Santo (from Aerosmith and Ringo Starr’s band) was surreal. They brought a level of skill and artistry that elevated everything.

And then you have a few wild cards like Lorne MacDougall, the world-renowned bagpiper, and Serg Accordio, the fantastic classically trained accordion player, to just name a couple, who added an unexpected but incredible layer to the music.

The lows? Well, coordinating that many creative people is like herding cats. Everyone has different schedules and creative processes, so keeping it all together was a challenge, but a welcome one. In the end, it was worth every logistical headache because the chemistry is undeniable.

With artists who had worked alongside the likes of R.E.M. and Ringo Starr in the ephemeral powerhouse, what brought you all together?

It really came down to a shared passion for making music that feels genuine and unfiltered. I wasn’t after perfection; I wanted raw, emotional performances that didn’t rely on digital tricks or auto-tune. A lot of the production and performances weren’t guided by music charts or sheet music. Instead, they were driven by conversations about our favorite bands and the artists that influenced us. We’d talk about the vibe of band or particular album or just the energy of a group or artist and how we could bring that feeling into the music.

A handful of the tracks were co-written with my collaborator, Skip, and that gave us a solid foundation for experimenting. The musicians I reached out to really connected with that idea of letting the music evolve naturally without being overly produced or commercially driven. The stars aligned, and we were able to create something real, something we’re all proud of.

What was the energy in the recording studio like?

Electric and chaotic in the best way possible! The energy was all about friendship and reconnecting with kindred spirits. The main goal for everyone was to have fun, and that became the true measure of whether things were working. If we weren’t having fun, we knew something was off. It was less about structure and more about letting creativity flow naturally. The vibe was relaxed and there were no rigid plans or pressure to follow any set rules, so if someone felt like adding an accordion or a bagpipe or even a triangle, we’d just go with it! The entire process was guided by that sense of joy, and it made for an experience that felt both easygoing and electric. It wasn’t about perfection; it was about capturing the moment and enjoying the ride.

Today, so much of the ‘magic’ happens post-production, yet with this LP, you can hear the unmistakable synergy and electricity of live performance. How important do you feel it is to produce sounds that you can replicate on stage?

It was crucial for us to embrace the imperfections and avoid sanitizing the sound. The album With Friends & Imperfections really reflects that—it’s raw, unfiltered, and intentionally a little rough around the edges. There’s a risk in doing it this way, especially today when so many tracks are “autocorrected” into perfection. But that’s exactly what we wanted to steer away from. We didn’t want to lose the human element of live performance, the moments where a note might be slightly off or the timing isn’t pristine, because those imperfections are where the soul of the music lives.

For us, the goal was to create something that feels real, something you can experience live and have it resonate in the same way. When we perform these songs on stage, I want people to feel the same energy, flaws, and all. There’s something magical in not hiding behind post-production and letting the music breathe on its own. It’s a bit risky, sure, because people are so used to polished perfection, but we wanted to capture the kind of connection and honesty that only comes with live, imperfect performances. That’s where the heart of this album lies.

Stream With Friends and Imperfections on Spotify now.

Interview by Amelia Vandergast

The Miki Doras soundtracked the soul of NYC with their debut release, Uptown, Downtown…

Posted on 19 October 2024

As a band who lives, breathes, and riffs right through the grit of the NYC rock n roll underground, The Miki Doras, who have been cutting their teeth in dive bars across the city, on rooftops in Brooklyn, warehouses in Williamsburg and house parties in Bushwick, have finally unleashed their debut single, Uptown, Downtown…

The debut may have been 15 years in the making, but the hit just goes to show how syntheses of proto-punk, garage rock and power-pop will always be timeless. The filthy-with-distortion guitars cross the borderlands from unholy into pornographic terrain while the percussive pulse of the track feeds frenetic (teenage) kicks into the stellar slice of songwriting which affirms New York City has a new hit-making powerhouse in its underbelly.

If it’s been a while since you got caught up in the raucous euphoria of a rock chorus; hit play and see how high you can get with Uptown, Downtown… The chameleonic vocals never allow you to feel comfortable in the release; between the unchained snarls and the Blue Oyster Cult-esque harmonies, you’ll be thrown all across the emotional spectrum.

Uptown, Downtown… was officially released as the title single from The Miki Doras’ debut EP on August 28th, and there’s plenty more brashy rock n roll glamour in store with the band’s debut LP, …On a New York Night, in the pipeline. Stream the debut single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergas

Shoegaze collides with post-punk in The Silent Era’s latest visceral vortex, Oscillations

Posted on 15 October 2024

With powerhouse vocals that follow in the ethereally haunting footsteps of Desperate Journalist filtering into the monochromatic shoegaze meets post-punk atmosphere, the latest single from The Silent Era will leave you spellbound, scintillated, and desperate in anticipation for their debut album, Wide and Deep and Cold.

The engorging walls of sound, glistens of goth rock glamour, vortexes of kaleidoscopic mesmerism, angular guitar notes and pulsative percussion pull together in the radio edit of Oscillations to pour an alchemic cocktail which may pay ode to pioneers of post-punk and shoegaze, but there’s no mistaking The Silent Era’s own ingenuity within the aching authenticity of the single.

If Oscillations feels this good through headphones, the live experience will undoubtedly leave you kneeling at the altar of The Silent Era.

Stream the official lyric video for Oscillations on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

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

Posted on 14 October 2024

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

Tom Waits Meets Ricky Martin in THE Astrolabe’s pop mood elevator,  Lovers

Posted on 13 October 2024

THE Astrolabe became the superlative king of cosmic pop sex appeal with his latest single, Lovers. If you thought Ricky Martin’s Livin la vida loca was sonically seductive, brace yourself for the affectingly aphrodisiacal energy of Lovers, which alchemises Latino rhythms with Bowie-esque space dust and jazzy grooves, creating a genre-fluid tour de force that sweeps through the soul with maximum volition.

Following a prelude that nods to Kraftwerk, the Athens-hailing innovator’s vocals croon into the mix, allowing you to imagine how Waits’ discography would have unfolded if he was just as adept at wrapping his gruff timbres around pop hooks. In the choruses, the peerless singer-songwriter proves he’s equally comfortable in a more harmonic register as his vocal notes soar with the brass section.

We are officially obsessed with THE Astrolabe and his endlessly uplifting cultivated sound that goes beyond setting a tone; his ability to command your entire mood is second to none. For your own sake, get him on your radar.

Lovers started serenading the airwaves on October 3rd; get hot under the collar with it by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Tariq.B entered the melodic rock pantheon with his single, You Keep My World Alight

Posted on 12 October 2024

Tariq.B joined Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell in the pantheon of rock evocateurs with his latest melodic rock emotional awakening, You Keep My World Alight, which will unearth feelings you didn’t know lingered in the sediment of your soul.

The song’s title cleverly underplays the vivid romanticism and raw pop-rock melodies that pulse at the heart of this panorama of raw, vulnerable passion which once and for all proves that romance isn’t dead in our era proliferated by strands of superficial connection.

You Keep My World Alight is an undeniable attestation to how the Pakistan-born, Southwest London-residing artist has mastered the art of acoustic sensitivity; every guitar chord hits a raw nerve as the progressions flow with cinematic sepia-tinged imagery and the warm glow of alt-90s tones.

Famed for his live performances across the UK, international airplay and plaudits from BBC Introducing, Tariq.B is well on his way to filling stadiums as wholly as he fuels souls with his sound. He’s a rare artist who instantly makes you feel at home in his honeyed and honed vocal timbre.

You Keep My World Alight is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Enter the Abyss: Michael Beirne’s Dark Folk Descent in The Doctor.

Posted on 11 October 2024

If you thought dark folk couldn’t get any darker, Michael Beirne’s seminal single, The Doctor., takes the listener to the genre’s most shadowed corridors. Taken from part 1 of his two-part LP The Haunted, The Doctor. is part of a larger chapter narrating an emergence from depressive, anxious, psychotic & sinful patterns of thought into hope & forgiveness.

Drawing inspiration from his Catholic faith, Beirne fuses religious iconography with motifs from avant-garde compositions which echo Glenn Branca, creating an eerily electrifying soundtrack to your darkest installations of introspection.

Vocally, Nick Cave meets Jim Jones to instil intensity around the pseudo-rap cadences which serve as dark sermons, resonating through the brooding production through which Michael Beirne cements himself as one of the most fearless figures in the contemporary alternative folk scene.

His ability to fuse experimental soundscapes with deeply personal themes, all while avoiding the genre’s clichés, shows just how much he’s evolved since his early days of experimentation.

The sombre tones may be all-consuming, but Beirne’s ability to make the descent into the abyss feel like a cathartic act of faith is nothing short of divine.  If this is what Beirne can accomplish while staring into the void, we can only imagine what’s next.

Stream The Haunted Album, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2 in full on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast