Here is your next dose of standout tunes I have received recently and added to my playlists.
Tough on Fridays - Cabin Fever
The latest release by Texas trio Tough on Fridays is a really moody, brooding track that builds and builds throughout, cleverly layering the instrumentation and building the intensity of those instruments. There are fuzzy guitars throughout and a driving rhythm section that allow the vocals to really pierce through. You can hear the influences of Paramore and Basement, but these influences are combined to create a really original sound. A great listen from start to finish!
Stray Local - Animal Shapes
According to the band "Animal Shapes" is an indie pop anthem about ditching your man and picking up a paint brush. You can definitely hear that coming through in this emotive yet fun sounding track. The song has a very groovey rhythm section, while there are splashes of 80's inspired pop sounds that really give it that fun feel. Summery sounding guitar chords give the song a laid-back beach vibe, giving you hints of the main meaning of this song, which is escapism. The vocal melodies are clear and are accompanied by some synth bass elements backing it up, creating a dreamy, catchy chorus that leaves you wanting to join in with all the painting fun!
Memphis Stone and the Elevators - Summer
It is important to note straight away with this track that all proceeds are going towards MakeItBlue, a non-profit company dedicated to raising funds for mental health charities with a particular focus on the live events industry. A brilliant cause.
The track itself has a really summery vibe perfectly fitting with the title. The instrumental here is light and yet layered to the point that it feels thick and full sounding. You can hear some Manic Street Preachers elements here but by using production techniques they manage to bring this track right up to 2021. The song finishes in a flurry, providing a perfect climax to a really strong song. And as it is all going to a good cause, it's all the more reason to get this song on repeat and support the track in any way!
The Violet Nines - Can We Go
The band describe their sound as something like Foster the People meets Tame Impala, but with a female lead singer - and you can definitely hear that coming through. There is a lot of Indie Pop sounds at play here but then you've got the more psychedelic sounds of synths and panning sounds that sonically give it a really interesting timbre. The sound here is so vibrant and fresh and melodies are incredibly hooky, so well worth an addition to your summer playlist!
Emma and the Fragments - Back to Blue
'Back to Blue', kicks off with some driving drums and dirty basslines, accompanied by some lighter guitar sounds - adding some contrast to the song. It is the strong balance between light and shade throughout this track that makes it so powerful and really allows the vocals to shine. In the chorus you have some really interesting arpeggiated guitar lines accompanied by some powerful driving chords, lifting it to another level. This sounds like Indie Rock of the future, with it's pulsating, moody sound - well worth to keep on eye on this band going forward.
Sam and Sounds - Does It Matter?
This track is a hooky slice of electro-indie-pop, that combines joyful instrumentation and poppy hooks. Sam and Sounds has been described as one of Indie Pop's hidden gems, and you can see why! On this track Sam is able to bring his energetic personality through on a really upbeat positive sounding track. The melodies are incredibly light and catchy. The instrumentals are put together really well, with layers of guitar lines and synth lines providing a fusion of sounds that give the song such an upbeat feel. The vocals are produced superbly and layered to sound incredibly fresh and very contemporary. This track is going on my Summer playlist and it should be going on yours too!
Pacific - Spiral
Spiral comes straight in with a powerful arpeggiated piano line accompanied by dramatic lower notes and some fantastically emotive vocals. This is then pushed to the max in the chorus where this all gets ramped up to 11, to create this rather unique brand of piano rock. The rhythm section manages to add a danceable element to the song that keeps the track sounding very contemporary. There are so many levels to this song, adding to the anthemic feel, with it's gritty emotive vocals, that are supported by some slick pop foundations, you can see this band making a splash in 2021 for sure!
Late TV - Night Tennis
In Night Tennis, loneliness & cultural politics dance together in a mooching urban fairytale. This is all brought together by an amalgamation of influences. You can hear jazz elements, ska, and some Damon Albran-esque vocal lines, help to mould a truly unique sound. Every step of the way a new sound catches your ear and your attention. It really is a musical rollercoaster that keeps you guessing on every turn of this 3:33 journey through musical experimentation.
Roadkeeper - Take the L
Roadkeeper's latest release sounds a bit like if Cigarettes After Sex were given a shot of adrenaline and added some more energy to their moody shoegaze style. This song has that washed out Marco Del Marco-esque reverby sound, but with much more energy and gumption. The Texas-quartet have created a song that is politically driven in its themes and with sonic psychedelic waves throughout. This sound has certainly built a poignant vehicle for the band to get across the important themes they discuss in their lyrics, in a really interesting way.
Josh Herring - Atlas
Atlas kicks in with a huge synth line set to some synth pads, that set the scene for some poignant lyrics. The bass and drums come in light and support the vocal melody perfectly. According to Josh, Atlas tells the story of losing someone. The goodbye was messy, and now it’s too late to make amends. The chorus is a release of sorrow and past regrets, as the stars fall down around you. And you can really feel the emotion in this track, as the clever instrumentation really tugs and your heart strings and allows you to feel a small slice of what the narrator was feeling at this time.
Main Primate - Super 8 Day (Paul Tipler Remix)
The latest release by Main Primate is a mix of industrial sounds, Bowie-esque vocal delivery and interesting hooks. The song has interested chordal elements too with dissonance that continually grabs your ear and keeps you hooked on the journey through sweet guitar licks and singalong vocals. By the end of the track you really feel like you've been on a sonic rollercoaster, one that you'll likely want to ride again!
Fertility House - Wishing
Fertility House describe their sound as 'Indie garage pop soaked in the nostalgia of basement shows and parties with strangers' - and you can really hear that in this song. The chord changes and vocal lines feel nostalgic and poignant, reminding you of the better times gone by. The sounds here are very guitar based indie, until a really interesting synth and vocals breakdown that reminds you of Fun's 'We Are Young'. And this section builds up to one last euphoric chorus reminiscing on the better days, wishing that we had never left those party days behind us.
There we have the latest roundup of new tracks I have come across and wanted to share recently! Please do check out the tracks and share the love for these unsigned artists featured, and check out the playlists I have featured them on here: