Browsing Tag

Alt Indie

Nasty Geographic tracks the descent of the pedestal-placed icons of culture in his jazzy trip hop single, Canceled

Posted on 9 October 2022

Taken from his latest album, Crooner, Nasty Geographic’s seminal single, Canceled, is a glitchy synth-driven, jazz-spliced triumph of a societal dissection which sinks its claws into the destructive egotism of the fame-obsessed.

If there was ever a male equivalent to PJ Harvey, it is Nasty Geographic in this trippy, rhythmically grooving descent into the dystopia of the modern age which starts with a euphoric glow which sonically dims with the diminishment of renown and respect. A journey that most pedestal-placed icons of culture eventually take.

By day, the solo songwriter is a social-justice-driven lawyer, freeing the wrongly convicted from life sentences imposed by racially biased juries. By night, he pours his passion for social justice into his art, with all proceeds going to the International Bipolar Foundation and the Promise of Justice Initiative.

Canceled is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Glam rock goes indie pop in Dvrk Romantics’ siren of a single, Trouble Won’t Wait

Posted on 7 October 2022

With the dark romanticism of the lyrics that will stir the soul of any Wordsworth, and Lord Bryon fans, Dvrk Romantics stayed true to their moniker while sonically blowing the competition with their cinematic blockbuster of an X-Rated single, Trouble Won’t Wait.

Rachel Di Biaso’s glam rock meets pop femme fatale pop energy across the raunchy guitar licks and snapping beats that drive the anthemic seduction right through the riot of siren-esque hit is a potent blend that will undoubtedly see Dvrk Romantics lauded as the best breakthrough act of 2022.

Seemingly, everything that Micky Waters turns to aural gold; after moving into this alchemic duo from being the bassist in The Answer, who supported Rolling Stones and ACDC, he’s going to manoeuvre those driving basslines right into the hearts of every glam rock, pop and indie lover alike. If you’ve always wanted to back a band before they become the next big thing, the time is NOW.

Trouble Won’t Wait was officially released on September 30th. Hear it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The transatlantic duo Post Suitcase unpack heartbreak in their debut single, Under This Hood

Posted on 30 September 2022

The debut single, Under This Hood, from the British/American indie-rockers Post Suitcase, euphonically bridges the transatlantic sonic gap. With blisters of Britpop bursting between the American overtones in the post-breakup track, it’s impossible not to get entwined in the narrative, which explores the tendency of others to put the token effort in when it comes to consoling and checking in on the recently heartbroken.

We’ve all been there, although notably, we’re not all capable of forging lyrical gold, “I’ll walk where the grass still grows, where my friends still smile but they really don’t know that, under this hood, is a lot of dead wood.” With the momentum ebbing and crescendoing through the release, which comes with the meditatively artful ease of the trumpet glossing over the angular indie guitars, Under This Hood is as cathartic as it is heartbreaking.

Debut releases don’t get much more promising than this. We’re hoping that Post Suitcase has more emotional intimacy and intellect to unpack in future releases.

Under This Hood will officially release on September 30th; catch it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Krautrock goes pop in RV Escape’s sophomore single, View-Master

Posted on 30 September 2022

With a similar tonal gravitas to Editors’ earlier records, RV Escape is here with their chillingly morose sophomore single, View-Master, taken from their forthcoming LP, Songs for Failure & Decay. Based on that title, the debut album is set to be the timeliest one of this era of dystopia.

The ethereally atmospheric synths, delay-distorted guitars, ragged basslines and harmonically drawling vocals envelop you in the hazy nostalgia of Krautrock that is cut with poppier inclinations to ensure View-Master is a release that you feel endlessly compelled to return to.

For any disillusioned existentialists looking for the ultimate escapism music that vindicates ennui while absolving the omnipresent bitterness, this artfully murky cry into the void hits the spot with beguiling precision.

View-Master will officially release on September 30th. Hear it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Relays sentimentally stargaze in their synthy alt-indie debut LP, Under Different Stars

Posted on 29 September 2022

After recording their debut album and mislaying the only copy for ten years, The Relays are finally here with their arrestive synth-driven LP, Under Different Stars.

With their previous releases, the Wigan, UK-hailing 4-piece have featured on BBC and Radio X, along with being lauded by Steve Lamacq and Huw Stevens. The title single from their debut album is a spacey testament to their swoonsome radio readiness.

While Under Different Stars lyrically latches onto a sense of sentimentalism that pulls you into the interstellar centre of affectionate gravity, somewhere along the way, the shimmering synth chords become entwined with your rhythmic pulses as you follow the melodic progressions through their absorbingly artful distinction. There’s no understating the evocative power of Under Different Stars, which effortlessly reaches above the standard for up and coming artists. It’s an achingly sweet release that will undoubtedly see the luminaries go far in their candour-heady career. Forget Editors’ new album, delve into this.

The debut album launched on September 29th; check it out on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Stu Daniels – Enemies: Achingly Soulful Acoustic Indie-Rock

Posted on 22 September 2022
Enemies by Stu Daniels

With all of the evocative gravitas of Eddie Vedder’s aching soul, Stu Daniels’ latest single, Enemies, compels you to surrender to the acoustic indie rock plaintiveness, which is all too easy to relate to from the first immersion. Beyond the sobering overtones of the emotionally crafted and reverbed guitars is a lyrical extension of salvation with the poignant and powerful reminder that enmities will always do their best to strip your power and use it for their gain.

The singer-songwriter and guitarist fronts the Adelaide band, Already Gone, but notably, standing alone, his sound is equally as sonorous. Watch this space for more compellingly tenacious expositions of the human condition.

Enemies was officially released on September 16th. Check it out for yourselves on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Real Zebos captured the banality ‘Indie Girls’ struggles in their latest single

Posted on 10 September 2022

Humility goes a long way in the indie scene, which is just one of the reasons The Real Zebos haven’t failed to amass a staunch following on their journey from Craigslist strangers to a 5-piece garnering over 3 million hits on their most popular tracks.

I’ll be honest; I thought I was going to hit play on their latest single, Indie Girls, and hear yet another cringe exposition on Manic Pixie Dream Girls. Thankfully, the garagey pop-rock jam is an addictive continuation of the same playful hubris found on Pavement’s seminal album, Brighten the Corners, with hilarious observations on the trends of try-hard e-girl vampires and the banality of their struggles. Admitting to loving this track is probably the most un-feminist thing I will ever do, but I can think of infinitely worse hills to die on.

Indie Girls is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Drink in the lucid daydream of Bye Malo’s music video for his latest indie hit, rollercoasters

Posted on 9 September 2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpk-DUbvoNE

After the success of his summer single, rollercoasters, the multi-talented artist, Bye Malo complemented the cinematically hazy indie pop single with the aesthetically romantic music video, which premiered on August 31st.

Wes Anderson himself couldn’t have created a more succinct colour palette to match the slow jamming choral guitar tones that breezily reflect the bitter-sweetness of a romance soured by wandering eyes and waning affection. What better way to prove that everything is fleeting than this lucid daydream of a single?

Check out the official music video for rollercoasters via YouTube, or head over to Bye Malo’s official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

newmath traverses loss in the noisy dream pop discord of his latest single, Without You

Posted on 8 September 2022

As someone who will always hold a candle for the shoegaze pioneers, I will eternally be enthralled by 21st-century experimental iterations of the genre. newmath, the creative project of Chris Fish, certainly didn’t disappoint with the noisy dream pop discord in his latest single, Without You.

The lo-fi to the core production goes heavy on the sludgy effects – being from Seattle, it would be rude not to – but Without You is far more in Grandaddy’s arena rather than your definitive Seattle sound icons. The shimmeringly bright vulnerability of the release is incandescently sweet. Without you may be a song of mourning, but notably, no love has been lost.

With his forthcoming album, BLOOM, due for release on September 9th, save a spot on your radar.

The official music video for Without You premiered on August 29th. Check it out on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Sunset Radio – Clouds: This One is for the Nyctophiles

Posted on 5 September 2022

Alt indie rock fourpiece, The Sunset Radio, returned from their three-year hiatus to release their stratospherically strident single, Clouds. The North Yorkshire-hailing outfit has moved away from their punk roots and ventured into spacey territory with their synth and sample-driven hit, which will go down a storm with any fans of The Midnight, The 1975 and Gunship.

The soul-baring lyrics may channel vulnerability, but sonically, Clouds stands as a testament to their ability to craft anthemically consuming choruses. If any up-and-coming UK indie act has what it takes to break it in 2022, it is The Sunset Radio. Tune in.

Clouds was officially released on August 26th. It is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast