Browsing Tag

Indie Synth Rock

Super Love – Tell Me: An Alt-Rock Rebellion of Societal Oblivion

Posted on 29 March 2024

Super Love, the dynamic husband-and-wife duo, has unleashed ‘Tell Me’, a single that picks up where Le Tigre left off by blending lo-fi synthetics with complex time signatures and brashly protestive indie rock guitars. It defies convention and expectation, inviting listeners into a perception-shifting atmosphere which vindicates anyone trying to find meaning in a post-truth society.

The song’s unusual 7/4 time signature, combined with classic rock instrumentation and synths, creates a unique earworm which will pull you into the unapologetic rebellion time and time again. The dual vocal lines add a layer of dynamism to the track. While Jared’s imploring tones seek sanctity in these tumultuous times, Constance brings fire and frustration, painting a lyrical vignette of our contemporary search for salvation and optimism amidst fears of collective oblivion.

‘Tell Me’ is a rare feat – a single that not only ticks all the sonic boxes but also connects profoundly on a lyrical level. Super Love’s ingenuity shines through in this release; their ‘autonomous indie’ style, influenced by the local vibes of New York City, incorporates elements from various sub-genres, including punk and jazz, while never attempting to stay within the confines of any style or sound.

Tell Me was officially released on March 29th; stream the single on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Dictator stood at the vanguard of social action in their psychedelically funked indie-rock single, Enough is Enough

Posted on 1 September 2023

The latest single, Enough is Enough, from the Scottish four-piece, Dictator, is a grooving odyssey of indie synth-rock socialist rancour. Socialism may have become a dirty word as of late; Dictator wore it as a badge of honour in their track that pushes back against the political elite and supports strike action, knowing it’s better than having late-stage capitalist blood on your hands.

They may have taken a different approach to the Manics to prise eyes and ears open to the hypocrisy that could easily be obliterated if there was enough momentum for a Masses Against the Classes movement. But by opting for a synthy and sugared with shimmering pop hooks arrangement and pouring as much soul into the indie croons as humanly possible, they efficaciously got the message across their rhythm section that reminisces with the Happy Mondays and their brand of psychedelia that was delivered with as much colour as hits from the Zombies.

Enough is Enough was officially released on August 30th, and we’re officially obsessed. Get hooked by heading over to SoundCloud or Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Iris Brickfield – Cherries: Lusciously Sweet Synth Rock

Posted on 11 November 2022

Iris Brickfield’s ‘Cherries’ is some of the sweetest synth-rock we’ve sampled in 2022. The Newcastle upon Tyne duo run their dreamy indie pop vocals over the lush sweeping synths and honeyed choral guitar lines to create an 80s ethereal atmosphere that comes with a contemporary Adrianne Lenker-Esque kick and swirling reminiscence to Pale Saints.

It comes as no surprise that Iris Brickfield has been selling out venues on their home turf after gaining over 10k streams with their debut EP, Hold on My Lovers, which was released in 2021. They melodically toe the line between nostalgia and trend-carving innovation with gracious gravitas scarcely seen in the indie scene.

Cherries is now available to stream on Spotify.

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

Twin Flowers blossom in their protestive electro-rock debut single, Greed.

Posted on 22 October 2021
Twin Flowers

The freshly formed Melbourne-based rock act Twin Flowers graciously treated us to a sneak peek of their anti-capitalist debut release, Greed. No artist has sold socialism this well since the Manic Street Preachers went on a revolutionary mission in the 90s. Even then, aural anti-capitalism has never been *quite* this sultry before. The only people that could conceivably hate the bass-dripping synth lines and euphoric drops in Greed are the ones caught up in the phallic space race.

Twin Flowers was conceived after the songwriter, James Toohey, spent a gap year in Bristol. We can only live in hope they hop back across the pond to treat us to some live renditions of their blossoming sonic sound.

Greed is an exceptionally promising debut that proves that even in the darkest and most dystopic times, dancey indie rock escapism will be one of the tragically rare saviours for the socially minded. If you are always on the hunt for the next big thing, it doesn’t get much bigger than the production in Greed.

Greed will be available to stream and purchase from October 22nd, 2021. You can check it out for yourselves via Bandcamp.

Follow Twin Flowers on Facebook and Instagram.

Sunday Morning Cartoons – Radio Static Spectre

Posted on 20 August 2020
https://soundcloud.com/user-617429517/radio-static-spectre

Texan Indie Synth Rock pioneers Sunday Morning Cartoons released their EP “Retro Nights” on July 31st. Don’t let the EP title fool you, Sunday Morning Cartoons have a seriously stylistic sound to offer, especially with the standout single “Radio Static Spectre”.

With some sweetly haunting uses of reverb and plenty of intricacy within the guitar notes, the prelude efficaciously pulls you into a dreamy distorted feat of Indie which includes nuances of Jangle Pop and Post Punk. I have a feeling that any fans of the Verve are definitely going to want Sunday Morning Cartoons on their radar and Radio Static Spectre on their playlists.

Vocally, there are light reminiscences to the Kooks, but there’s a smorgasbord of authentic ingenuity in Radio Static Spectre. So the main thing that will hit you is the fresh feel of their accessible radio-ready track.

You can check out Radio Static Spectre for yourselves along with the rest of the EP for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast