This is a “free pass”, so get on the Indie-Coaster for a 15-track ride of indiepop, jangle pop, psych, alternative, indie electro & indie rock!
Artist: Small Boy
Track: ‘Doing Alright’
Small Boy is an indie rock act hailing from Oslo, Norway and ‘Doing Alright‘ is the 2nd single from its upcoming EP set to release this fall. What I loved most is the eerie atmosphere, the flawless melody and the gradual climax in this stylish and artsy single. Furthermore, the vocals reminded me a bit of the 80s great, lost indie heroes The Wild Swans.
Artist: Reisender
Track: ‘Naked Eyes’
‘Naked Eyes‘ is the newest single/video from Portland/Oakland indie pop duo Reisender, taken from their forthcoming album ‘Fmly‘. This one is a melodic indie pop track with a light slice of melancholia and lyrically-wise the track is dealing with ‘the idea that humans can exist entirely online and create for themselves a brand new, synthetic existence. With this comes a darker side, defined by loneliness and anxiety‘. Are you still missing Alpinestars?
Artist: Melpo Mene
Track: ‘It’s Electrical’
Swedish born, Los Angeles-based Melpo Mene recently released the focus track ‘It’s Electrical‘ of his highly awaited album ‘Vernalagnia‘, an indie pop sensation with lush vocals and transcendent strings, which explores the artist’s thoughts on therapy and suicide prevention.
“The older generation of existential kids plead with the younger generation to please hang in there. Young people take the moment so dangerously serious and perspective can only be possible with more time. Never underestimate how life and moods can change, and don’t let a single moment determine tomorrow’s fate.” Melpo Mene
Artist: Tim Mattsing
Track: ‘Stainless Steel’
Remaining in Sweden for the next one, where we meet up with “indie kid” Tim Mattsing, and his uplifting 90s-sounding ‘Stainless Steel‘, that could be the imaginary outcome of great Pavement if they were born and grew up in Sweden! This gem taken from Mattsing’s recently released album ‘Noisy Channel‘, and this one is among the stand-out tracks. Suck every second of this ‘stainless’ single!
Artist: Pultixima
Track: ‘Model Citizens’ (feat. Atlantic Canyons)
The sky turns gloomy now with the dark alternative anthem ‘Model Citizens‘ (from ‘a lakeside homicide‘ EP) by the American, solo alternative project that combines acoustic and electronic elements Pultixima. For this track Pultixima collaborated with Atlantic Canyons, and we simply cannot get enough of the fragile vocals, the dark but gentle, electronic soundscapes, and the all-pervasive, austere lyricism reminiscent of ‘Amnesiac‘-era Radiohead. This one is an emotive ride for the brave ones…..
Artist: Joel Sammut
Track: ‘Please’
Getting more electric now thanks to Sydney native Joel Sammut and his 2nd single ‘Please‘, a more than appreciable effort which combines psychedelic rock atmosphere, blues-y guitars, moody vocals, all through an indie rock prism. According to Sammut ‘Please’ explores the mechanics of; pride before a fall – if you are too confident about your abilities, something bad will happen that shows that you are not as good as you think.
Hypnotic & trippy!
Artist: HYMNS
Track: ‘Sirens’
London dark alternative rock band, HYMNS released on Friday (April 30th) their debut 4-track EP ‘Reset‘ from which we chose ‘Sirens‘. The fist band that came in mind while listening to this stunning, dark gem was unavoidably early-era Interpol, since the charismatic frontman, Oliver Hooper is ‘spitting’ the rhymes over the gloomy post punk soundscapes in which the only dim light of hope is a haunted glockenspiel. Yes, this is a desolate anthem bridging dark alternative with pot punk and 80s new wave ‘written in a time of great political and social unrest, people continue to celebrate and prioritise capital gain and empty technological breakthroughs (colonizing Mars, etc) at the expense of humanity and our ‘own’ planet earth. The song is a call to arms for change before it’s too late.’ On endless repeat until ‘new dawn fades‘!
Artist: Monitors
Track: ‘The Drill’
‘The Drill‘ is the focus & opening track from Monitors‘ recently released 6-track ‘The War Office‘ EP. The song was ‘inspired by the descent into madness of August Natterer. He had a hallucination of 10,000 images in 30 minutes, to the point where after committal he believed he was the illegitimate child of Napoleon and a ‘redeemer of the world’. This song deals with the instability of the mind and its power over the body to inspire, enlighten but potentially to also destroy.’ Love the fuzz rock mixed with erratic funk rhythm unleashing tons of electrifying energy!
Artist: Blood Honey
Track: ‘Put You Out Like a Flame’
California duo Blood Honey have the ability to de-construct and re-construct electro-pop making it a genre of their own. ‘Put You Out Like a Flame‘ is an ideal example, in which they combine dark lyricism, with effortless, catchy melodies with an outstanding, expressive but at the same time super-stylish vocal performance by Jackie. Too dark for mainstream, too catchy for alternative, too good for any band apart from Blood Honey!
Artist: Jesse Marchant
Track: ‘An Accident (From 3 Perspectives)’
Next stop is Canada for multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and record producer Jesse Marchant, who announced his new album ‘Antelope Running‘ coming out later this summer. ‘An Accident (From 3 Perspectives)‘ is the 2nd single of this album that followed March’s dead single ‘Go Lightly‘, and is characterized by Marchant’s impressive vocal performance and the great, colourful piano. A flawless indie rock track that reminded me a bit of ‘Keep Your Eyes Ahead‘-era The Helio Sequence.
Artist: HeartBlanch
Track: ‘New Love’
‘New Love‘ is the first single from the upcoming EP ‘Dogs by the Night‘ to be released in May 2021 by Kiev band HeartBlanch. The song is an emotional guitar-driven indie rock track with intense melancholic vibes and moody vocal expression, and is genuinely combined with the Olga Brigas‘ directed, accompanying video. Just imagine a more rock sounding Placebo without the androgynous vocals. Good one!
Artist: Caramel Sons
Track: ‘Last Goodbye’
Caramel Sons is an indie pop-rock outfit based in Paris, and they releasing their first full length album on digital and physical LP formats in late May 2021. ‘Last Goodbye’ is the second single and it’s a Beatles-esque one! According to Caramel Sons ‘it’s a small pack of deep melancholy towards the self which is depleting day by day. It’s a note of love to self, to become a better friend to oneself, before it is too late. With some sweet mellotron, honest guitar tone and natural vocal delivery, this song is a perfect companion for a cloudy Sunday evening.’ Beauty!
Artist: The Daily Spreadsheets
Track: ‘I Walk Alone’
A 40 year old bedroom musician born in the state of Bahia, Brazil named Henrique Neves is The Daily Spreadsheets and ‘I Walk Alone‘is an admirable lo-fi rock track heavily influenced by The Beatles but also 90s brit pop-rock bands like Oasis. It’s catchy, it’s lo-fi, it’s noisy but also melodic… It’s The Daily Spreadsheets!
Artist: Poems
Track: ‘Desdemona’
Poems are an an American, 4-piece alternative rock band and we are happy to present their debut single ‘Desdemona‘; a song about ‘weaving in and out of a past relationship, with allusions of the Venetian beauty herself, the listener will find themselves transported back to feelings they have felt before, which is in relationships, no matter how fond of it you were, sometimes you just don’t wanna know‘.
Sweet nostalgia blended with alternative rock lyricism…
Artist: Poty
Track: ‘Different’
Last but not least we have Italian-French indie pop artist and producer based in Cuneo, Italy, Poty and his latest indie pop ear-candy ‘Different‘ with the poignant message “we are the same because each of us suffers, strives for something, & dreams. Let’s grow closer together instead of drifting away as often happens in the modern world.”
Sweet & sour!
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Curator: Christos Doukakis