Browsing Tag

Indie Soul Pop

Cade Whitt quietens ‘Loud Thoughts’ in his colourfully cathartic alt-indie hit

Posted on 23 February 2022

The up-and-coming alt-indie singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Cade Whitt has recently released his 100% DIY single, Loud Thoughts, which mellowly reaches out to frenzied minds with ample colourful catharsis.

Notably, there are few genres that the 18-year-old artist is unwilling to draw from in his eclectic sound. Around the angular indie guitars that are fed through plenty of echoey tape delay, there are hints of 80s pop, soul, and a smattering of indie-funk to bring the grooves. Cade Whitt’s connectable resolving indie vocals are the cherry on the aural cake, as they work through the consoling lyrics in a semi-lucid fashion; it’s a vibe.

Check out Loud Thoughts on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Amber Prothero shares the secrets to sass with her vibrant soul-pop track, ‘Confident’.

Posted on 5 July 2021

UK-based pop artist Amber Prothero always takes an emotionally multifaceted approach to her lyricism; the best introduction to her confessional lyrical style is her latest single, Confident.

It’s practically a 101 guide on how to exude as much confidence as you will hear in the vibrant pop hit. Prothero’s soulful RnB-tinged vocals will throw you back to the 90s era of pop. While lyrically, you can expect the same introspective grit as found in a track by Lily Allen, Kate Nash or Marina and the Diamonds. The single was created over Zoom in collaboration with the Parisian songwriter and musician Ny Aina Ramangasalama.

With her former releases, Prothero became a BBC Introducing playlist staple; we are sure that Confident will allow her to work her way onto even more A-lists.

Confident released on June 18th; it is now available to stream and download on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Nikki Taylor Vibe gets deep and soulful on ‘Understated’

Posted on 24 June 2021

Nikki Taylor Vibe is a Long Island, New York, native with a background of stylistic crossover between hip hop, RnB, and Indie-pop. Her first single, ‘Wasted’, from her debut EP ‘Siren’ dropped in January last year, and since then she’s been named Power 98.5 Radio’s Breakout Artist of 2020, collaborating with Royce Da 59 and Young Ra on the single ‘Nother Level’.

Now, ‘Understated’ is Vibe’s new single, and understated it certainly is, classy, sultry, smooth, and sexy, pulled back, mellow and chilled all with Vibe’s laid-back vocal delivery overlaying old school 808 beats and deep soulful groove. It’s a killer track, showcasing without being showy, flash without being brash. It really IS understated.

Check out ‘Understated’ on Spotify; check out Nikki Taylor Vibe on Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes

Burgundy delivers hazily cinematic soul in ‘Cigar in the Snow’.

Posted on 19 May 2021

Right from the first note in Burgundy’s latest single, Cigar in the Snow, you sink into the sublime aural rabbit hole that the experimental artist carved out with dreamy notes, choral tones and vocal timbre as mesmerising as the sandman’s lullaby.

Any fans of Jamie Cullum and Jack Johnson will want to experience the soulful alchemy through which Burgundy was able to pay tribute to a familiar and timeless sound while putting his signature sonic spin on it by feeding in glitchy garagey, indietronica.

Like many of his singles that have racked up hundreds of thousands of streams, Cigar in the Snow is an obsession-worthy track that you won’t hesitate to add to your playlists. Without hesitation, we’d name Burgundy as one of the most promising artists we’ve heard this year. Get his hazy cinematic sound on your radar.

Cigar in the Snow is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mantra is ‘Funny Like That’ in their crooning indie-rock track

Posted on 10 April 2021

Starting off with a cute solo acoustic guitar pattern before the rest of the band arrive with a slightly jazzy feel to this, the new single from alt-indie groove Mantra. It’s chilled, mellow, with a relaxed, off-beat feel, and a summery, ‘the-days-are-getting-longer’ kind of vibe.

There’s a touch of Beck or Mika to this, in that ‘the only rule is there are no rules’ sort of way of making music, a little of the Plain White Tees ‘college radio’ feel mixed with some Pink Floyd psychedelia, and overall there’s a sort of meandering kookiness that sets this aside from the run-of-the-mill guitar-bass-drums indie set-up; the vocals have that laconic laziness that seems to sit quite regularly with bands from the American South-East, and the whole thing sort of grooves and chills its way along letting you recline into its mix of effortless cool.

You can hear ‘Funny Like That’ on Spotify now.

Review by Alex Holmes

Leifer brought the James Dean appeal to indie blues pop with their latest single ‘Say You’re Mine’

Posted on 17 February 2021

Leifer may be just one of the artists bringing blues into the mainstream by packaging it into sweet accessible alt-indie soundscapes, but the amorously archaic kick behind the grooves in his latest single, ‘Say You’re Mine’ hit like no other.

I’m not even sure if James Dean himself could have proclaimed to be as smooth as this melodically-crafted, funk-layered feat of deeply sensual neo-soul. The sense of intimacy seems to breathe through the polished production which finds the perfect balance between modernity and aural nostalgia. If you can imagine what the male equivalent to Amy Winehouse would sound like, you can get an idea of what is in store once you hit play.

Say You’re Mine is available to stream on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Soul-pop singer-songwriter Ella McCready has made her cultivated debut with ‘You Saved Me’

Posted on 14 February 2021

Lifelong London-based artist, Ella McCready, made her solo debut in January 2021 with the graciously poised soul-pop single ‘You Saved Me’ which uses infectious melodies to make sure that the deeply personal and bold introspection hits hard around the intoxicatingly mellifluous grooves.

There’s nothing more beautiful than seeing someone realising their own power once they let go of the person who they thought they couldn’t live without. That’s exactly what you’ll be able to witness in You Saved Me. The sense of realism runs deep, reassuring you that this stunning feat of neo-soul came from a hard-learned lesson. We might all learn from our own mistakes, but having tracks like You Saved Me in our aural arsenal could be the difference between self-apathy and empowerment.

Needless to say, we’re already eager to hear what Ella McCready has in the pipelines for her sophomore release. Her classy cultivated vocals combined with the stunning radio-ready production in You Saved Me will undoubtedly see her go far.

You can check out Ella McCready’s debut single via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

NYC Soul-Pop artist Nazanin has bridged the gap between past and present with “Infatuation”

Posted on 17 November 2020
Nazanin

NYC Soul-Pop artist Nazanin gave us a sneak peek at the sultry grooves in her latest radio-ready single “Infatuation”. It’s safe to say that we formed an infatuation of our own with her uniquely evocative sound which mixes elements of 80s and 90s Pop with the roots of RnB.

Nazanin’s sound bridges the gap between past and present while her own signature sound flows evenly beneath. Far from being ‘just another love song’ Infatuation draws heavily on the challenges she’s overcome to become the unapologetically empowering artist she exhibited herself as with this Soul-Pop staple. Her defiance resonates in each and every vocal note.

Infatuation will be available to stream everywhere from November 27th. In the meantime, head over to Spotify to check out her earlier releases.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Bones & Bukenya – SHE: Restoratively Oceanic Alt Indie Folk

Posted on 25 September 2020
Bones & Bukenya

Bones & Bukenya are set to drop their stunningly masterful Alt-Indie Folk Pop single “SHE” on September 25th.

Transfixingly hypnotic Hawaiian surf rhythms introduce the track and bring the catharsis, when you find yourself in the midst of the harmonically timeless production, you’ll also find that you’re consumed by the restoratively oceanic single which stands as a testament to Bones & Bukenya’s authenticity.

Even sweeter than the stylistically soulful vibes that they were able to orchestrate through pairing their dual vocals with the mellifluous instrumentals are the lyrics which pay ode to women who know their value and shine with the confidence they exude.

Despite the quiescent tranquil air to SHE, it’s an incredibly powerful record that you’ll definitely want to give repeat attention.

You can check out SHE via the artist’s official Facebook page from the date of release

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Joe James Lewis – Days on You: Indulgently Smooth, Hauntingly Emotive Indie RnB

Posted on 15 April 2020

Indie and RnB seamlessly converge in Joe James Lewis’ single “Days on You” which is just one of the indulgently smooth, hauntingly emotive Indie RnB singles which you will find on their latest EP.

While I never thought I’d hear a contemporary electronic RnB track which shares reminiscences with the likes of Tom Odell, Joe James Lewis’ single left me enamoured all the same. It’s an impossibly easy soundscape to slip into and soak up the undemanding yet powerfully resonant sentiment.

The London, UK-based artist will undoubtedly make plenty of waves with their softly sonorous, honest approach to songwriting. Days on You has already allowed them to establish themselves as a radio-ready artist, they’re definitely one to watch in 2020 and beyond.

You can check out Joe James Lewis’ single Days on You along with the rest of their EP for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast