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The term ‘indie’ in the music industry has become so ambiguous it has practically become as subjective as the meaning of life. Whichever way it is defined, it is still a massive part of the music industry in the UK and across the globe.

Originally, indie referred to how an artist distributed their music. Over the decades, it became a catch-all term for artists sharing the same sonic off-kilter edge; and, of course, the same moody yet inexplicably cool aesthetic. Indie, as a genre, only came around as the result of experimental artists in the 70s wanting to bring a new sound to the airwaves; instead of solely hoping for commercial success after appeasing one of the major record labels.

Indie artists adopted punk ethos they started to push the boundaries of pop. Instead of commercialising their sound, they pushed it into post-punk, shoegaze, synthpop, Britpop, avant-garde, noise rock and dream pop arenas. For all that separates bands such as Sonic Youth, the Cure, The Smiths, The Stone Roses, Joy Division, Elliott Smith and Radiohead, there is still so much that ties them together, namely their attitudes and the loud discordant style.

Along with the bands, iconic venues such as the 100 Club in London, the Hacienda in Manchester, and King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow had a pivotal part to play in the traction of independent artists and music. New Indie labels, such as Rough Trade and Factory Records, were amongst the first record labels to truly embrace and encourage experimentalism and authenticity in the artists they scouted and signed – taking New Order and Joy Division as a prime example.

It may have been a while since there was an indie breakthrough act as successful as the Arctic Monkeys, but indie music has far from lost its resonance. Besides, Monkeys won over 42 awards and sold over 20 million records, so that’s going to take some beating, and they’re certainly not the only indie artists currently thriving.

The Welsh indie rock icons, the Manic Street Preachers, celebrated their first number 1 album in 23 years with the release of Ultra Vivid Lament in 2021. The Tarantino-Esque Liverpool outfit, Red Rum Club, released their debut album in 2019, and got to number 14 in the official album sales chart with their album, How to Steal the World, in 2021. Perhaps most impressively, the world’s first CryptoPunk rapper, Spottie Wifi, made just under $200k in album NFT sales in 90 seconds this year.

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

The enigmatic outfit FAERYS has brought in the new era of electro-pop-rock with their debut single, Nova Scotia

Posted on 31 August 2023

The enigmatic electronic rock outfit, FAERYS, may be keeping their identity under wraps for now, but there’s no containing the hype that has amassed around their storming juggernaut of a debut single, Nova Scotia.

With a touch of Black Honey and She Drew the Gun to the electronic rock reinvention, Nova Scotia delivered a riff-rife rock hit that has left an international audience clamouring all over it – and for good reason.

Between the precision of the songwriting, the polished production, the hooky female pop vox contrasting the slick rap bars and the anthemic energy that oozes from the larger-than-life hit that embraces the future and sonically sucker punches it, there was no room for improvement, and how often can you say that about a debut?

Something (everything) tells us that FAERYS is comprised of a band of industry veterans who have banded together to bring in the new era of electro-pop-rock.

Nova Scotia launched on the 25th of August, hear it on SoundCloud and Spotify.

Follow FAERYS on Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Grace Woodroofe dialled the up beguile her latest single, You Call That Love?

Posted on 30 August 2023

PJ Harvey will want to eat her heart out to the latest orchestrally raw single, You Call That Love? by the Australian songstress, Grace Woodroofe, who always dials the beguile up until it is off the scale.

With the ‘Fever’ of Peggy Lee, the dark gyrating rhythmics of Nick Cave’s Red Right Hand and arcane layers of etherealism lending themselves to the artful scintillation, the Perth-born, Melbourne-based artist blended light and dark to prove that emboldenment is always a possibility after your power has been nefariously stripped away by someone who needed to weaken you to gain control.

With the line “You call that love? How does it feel to call that love?” worked into the mix, lyrical blows scarcely punch harder. Even if her abuser doesn’t acknowledge how she efficaciously disempowered them by holding a mirror to them for a stark reflection of their sociopathy, the rest of the world is listening and learning.

After supporting Ben Harper on the Italian leg of his tour, Woodroofe primed herself to exhibit her freshly honed sound after an eight-year release break; You Call That Love is only a taste of the commanding alchemy that is set to come in the form of her upcoming sophomore LP release. In a bid to help more women find their voice following emotional abuse, she has also written an essay to accompany her latest single.

You Call That Love was officially released on August 17th; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Every Glazer’s talents are as boundless as his imagination in the melodic rock sonic sanctum, 23 Figments

Posted on 30 August 2023

To release his latest single, The Every Glazer dug through his alt-rock archives to uncover the single, 23 Figments, which was originally recorded in 2003 at Goblin Cross Records in Toronto with the contributing artist and recording engineer, Ross Goodfellow.

Ross Goodfellow may no longer be with us, but his legacy lives on in this rhythmic masterpiece; you can hear his organically vibrant percussive command pull through clearly on the soulful djembe beats as the rest of the instrumentals emanate a euphonic aura stylised by the likes of Incubus.

With Ross Goodfellow’s passing bringing new context to the single that explores figments that the mind conjures, 23 Figments is a deeply evocative work. As it pays homage to the early 00s rock sound that still rings with fragments of Seattle grunge, The Every Glazer embraces nostalgia and mellifluous innovation simultaneously to craft an original single that is all too efficacious in offering your soul sanctuary.

Check out the AI-created music video for 23 Figments via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Chloe Chadwick confronted short-fused ghosts in her captivatingly all-consuming alt-rock hit, Temper Gene

Posted on 29 August 2023

Cheshire’s most promising singer-songwriter, Chloe Chadwick, has stepped off her international touring circuit to strike sonic gold once more with her latest single, Temper Gene.

The impassioned pop-rock soundscape that delivers a captivatingly all-consuming indie-country twang digs deep into the phenomenon of falling head over heels for someone who will only inevitably keep you under the thumb with their short-fused psychopathic tendencies. How she managed to stay true to her brand of unadulteratedly passionate song crafting while exploring such a dark theme is a mystery that only lends itself to magnetism.

Her ability to spin such arrestive melodies around the maladies of the contemporary trappings of sociopathy transcends talent to paint Chadwick as one of the most seminal artists of our era. Just one hit of Temper Gene will leave you with the compulsion to lose yourself in her diverse back catalogue, which was created with a little help from world-class producers, including Chris Garcia and Kevin Dippold.

Temper Gene was officially released on August 11th; stream it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Rumours have it the sandman entered Nick Cody’s cover of ‘Dreams’

Posted on 25 August 2023
https://soundcloud.com/nickcody1/dreams-for-covers-ep/s-Au2cg99ENJe?si=264125480ef946e897df8b29f6e3ec3a&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

UK singer-songwriter Nick Cody serenaded the iconic single, Dreams, by Fleetwood Mac in his latest release, featuring Towse, Corwin Zekley, and Harry Orme.

The single may only comprise accordant timbres from a resonator guitar, violin strings and dualistic harmonies, but under Cody’s tender duress, the cover became infinitely more than the sum of all parts as Rumours was melodically resurrected as a more intimate serenade.

After releasing five albums under different guises and in other ensembles, Cody has turned his talents to producing a forthcoming mini cover album featuring seminal singles from across the decades, with a little help from revered international artists. If the other fixtures on the mini album carry an ounce of the soul-stirringly sweet beguile of Dreams, Nick Cody will be the orchestrator of one of the most seminal albums of 2023.

Dreams will officially drop on the 25th of August; hear it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Budapest indie-rock troubadours Dirty Slippers are back on our radar with their latest electrically melodic hit, Wide Open

Posted on 23 August 2023

Ahead of their Abbey Road Studios-recorded fourth album, the Hungarian act that is breaking serious ground in the UK, Dirty Slippers, unveiled their latest single, Wide Open.

By wearing their heart on their jangly expertly melodised hooks and putting an angularly exhilarating spin on 00s indie rock so that it bridges the gap between emo and indie new wave, Dirty Slippers transcended indie landfill to reach a new plateau of nostalgic yet refreshing aural euphoria.

While traversing the trappings of life from love to loss, Dirty Slippers painted across the entire spectrum of human emotion in Wide Open to deliver an anthem that you’ll be able to verse from the top of your lungs in the sanctity that the vindication delivers.

After being introduced to the four-piece via their heart-in-throat hit, Honest Kid, it is a pleasure to have the Budapest indie-rock troubadours back on our radar. Although, seeing how far they have come since releasing that single is even more gratifying.

To name a few accolades and achievements, they’ve been lauded by the international press, aired on international radio stations, and even sealed spots on the weekly charts. Something tells us that the best is yet to come for them; you just *cant* help falling in love with them.

Wide Open will debut on the 22nd of August. Stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Leah Nawy is the ultimate contender for originator of the year after releasing her debut single, NUISANCE

Posted on 22 August 2023

By combining the soul of Sade with the tongue-in-cheek charm of Kate Nash and leaving plenty of room for her own striking rock-licked sonic signature stylings that open the floodgates to a rush of 90s pop nostalgia, Leah Nawy hit the ground running with her feisty and fresh debut single, NUISANCE.

If you’ve still got the attention span to appreciate a perfect three-minute pop hit, lose yourself in the vibrant tones, groove-driven and funk-dripping instrumentals, and some of the sweetest sugared-with-attitude vocal lines you will hear this year.

With a polyphonically jazzy rock n roll outro that enabled Nawy to dig her heels into her authenticity, NUISANCE is a debut that no one will be quick to forget. Even with the industry more saturated than it has ever been, there’s no denying Leah Nawy is a promising triple threat with her charisma, talent, and ear for earwormy melodies.

After she finishes her Masters degree in songwriting and production at Berklee NYC, she will be an unstoppable force.

NUISANCE hit the airwaves on the 28th of July; stream it for yourselves on Spotify.  

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Strange Neighbors grooved to a ‘Quiet Beat’ in their latest power pop single

Posted on 21 August 2023
Quiet Beat - Single by Strange Neighbors

NYC power pop outfit Strange Neighbors gave their vocal melodies all the country twang of an early Taylor Swift record in their latest single, Quiet Beat while allowing their retro sonic aesthetic to strip away the past few decades and safely transplant you into the sanctum of the 90s.

Between Aidan’s vocals and Zach’s guitars, there’s a sticky-sweet brand of alchemy that won’t fail to intoxicate you when the jangly chorus, which reminisces with the tones popularised by the Psychedelic Furs, is in full swing.

Quiet Beat is just one of the meticulously manicured singles crafted by the groove-driven outfit which has been spilling colourful aural euphoria onto the streets of New York City since 2018 by staying committed to their MO of orchestrating earworms you would need a concussion to forget.

Quiet Beat will officially release on September 14th; until then, stream and purchase the single via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

FanFixion took synth wave into dark unchartered waters with ‘Jackets Domain’

Posted on 19 August 2023

The US-based artist and producer FanFixion surpassed the synth wave trend with his 3-track project, Bleach Bitten, featuring the ensnaringly glitchy standout single, Jackets Domain.

As the emotions run high, the synth lines soak the darkwave score with atmospheric electricity which bridges the gap between new wave synthpop artists such as The Midnight and EBM icons including VNV Nation and Covenant.

With the inventive use of distortion to the hooky vocal melodies to amplify the intrinsic sense of disquietness and rock nuances bleeding into the hit that will leave your heart in your throat as soon as the chorus hits, it is safe to say that FanFixion has been triumphant in his mission to push synth wave into dark unchartered waters.

FanFixion released his 3-track single, Bleach Bitten, on August 11th; stream it in full via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast