Browsing Tag

Indie Disco

Nostalgia and Indie Swagger Bled Through the Grooves of Megaphoney’s ‘Pixels’

Posted on 22 August 2025

From the opening seconds of Pixels, the sound of a haunted carnival beckons you closer before Megaphoney strikes with lascivious swagger that could only belong to an indie supreme in the making.

Echoes of the Arctic Monkeys’ AM era reverberate across the groove of 70s disco funk, pulling you into an anthem of bare-knuckle scintillation. Rather than relying on blunt-force intensity, Megaphoney uses juxtaposing tones and a heavy emotional arsenal to hammer home the lament of the track: a mordant reflection on how we’ve become slaves to screens rather than participants in scenes. The irony burns sharp, the rhythm seduces, and the nostalgia is weaponised into something both infectious and unflinchingly modern.

Behind Megaphoney is Peter Marchant, a British Indo-Caribbean multi-instrumentalist and producer who plays every part of his creations himself. With songwriting precision that carries a streak of wit and the warmth of 70s hitmakers like Queen and Supertramp, he’s becoming one of the most notable indie provocateurs on this side of the Atlantic. Pixels may mark his debut, but it already carries the weight of an artist fully formed, wielding both social commentary and stylistic decadence with ease. If the indie scene were still fuelled by visceral live moments rather than pixelated distractions, tickets for Megaphoney would already be in short supply.

Pixels is now available on all major streaming platforms – including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ehson Hashemian Dropped Hyper Disco Heat with Indie Anthem Comes and Goes

Posted on 25 June 2025

SoCal’s own Ehson Hashemian just flipped the indie-pop script on its head with his latest single, Comes and Goes. It’s got that kind of hyper-disco energy that hits you straight away; buzzing from the get-go, yet Hashemian keeps the melodies in check, riding them smooth even when those guitar lines and synth pulses could send you spinning.

His vocals land somewhere between suave and sweet; imagine if Alex Turner ditched his ice-cool act and just properly vibed out, no filter—pure charm, no postured swagger. You won’t sit still to this one; it’s an infectiously idiosyncratic anthem that’ll turbocharge your playlists quicker than you can say “repeat button.”

But here’s the beauty of Comes and Goes: it’s not just some fizzy, throwaway bop; beneath the sugar rush, it taps into something deeper, gently reminding us that life’s all about rolling with it, letting things flow in and out naturally rather than obsessing over control. There’s lyrical gold by the smorgasbord tucked inside one hell of a catchy tune.

Hashemian’s been around the block, too—ex-keys and co-writer for Young the Giant back when they were called The Jakes, co-writing the double platinum hit Cough Syrup, and now dropping his fourth solo album, Believe. Safe to say, this guy knows how to lay down a memorable hook or two.

Comes and Goes is now available on all major streaming platforms, including YouTube.
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Review by Amelia Vandergast

Blue Violence. Became the Definitive Sad Boi of Synth Pop with ‘My Feet Are Sad on the Dancefloor’

Posted on 22 April 2025

Blue Violence. turned the emotional weight of disconnection into a dancefloor confession with ‘My Feet Are Sad on the Dancefloor’, the keystone single from his 3-track EP, ‘Ugh…’. With synths set to shimmer and sardonic melancholy laced through the beat, this melancholic indietronica lament spins the disco ball on its axis to reflect a darker spectrum of inner turmoil.

Through anthropomorphised sorrow, Daniel Fischetti—writing and producing as Blue Violence.—exposes the paradox of internal desolation amidst external euphoria. While glitter rains and basslines throb in euphoric unison, his feet remain heavy with the weight of unshakable emotional inertia. There’s funk in the Depeche Mode-esque rhythm and pain in the lyricism, stitched together with the same magnetic gloom found in the works of John Grant.

Hailing from Southern California, Fischetti started Blue Violence in 2019 during a collaboration with producer and engineer Chris Caccamise of CJE Productions. Their work on the debut album Modern Love cemented Blue Violence. as a name worth noting in the shadowy corners of synth pop. Since then, Fischetti has remained self-contained in his sonic pursuits, refining his signature style without sanding away the raw emotional contours.

‘My Feet Are Sad on the Dancefloor’ doesn’t fake the catharsis—it coils around it, examining every nuance of numbness through neon-soaked textures and darkly sweet tones. Blue Violence delivered the funked-up synth pop hit we never knew we needed. He’s the definitive sad boi of synth pop.

‘My Feet Are Sad on the Dancefloor’ is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Low Highs cut to the core of romantic scorn in their psychedelically dreamy alt-indie single, Don’t You Ever

Posted on 3 March 2022

The South Florida residing alt-indie duo, The Low Highs, have released their eagerly anticipated sophomore single, Don’t You Ever. The mellifluous earworm allows dream pop, indie psych and folk-rock textures to pull together in the atmospherically absorbing release that cuts to the core of romantic scorn.

Don’t You Ever captures the disjointing feeling of realising a relationship was filled with empty promises of perpetuity before exploring the confusion that leaves us questioning every exchange and retracted extension of affection as though our interpersonal history has been rewritten with the utterances of a few words.

The Kraftwerk-y style melodic synths and funky indie disco percussion paired with the hypnotically distorted vocals make exploring those torrid emotions infinitely easier. You’d be hard-pressed to find another up and coming outfit bringing a better aura to the airwaves. It’s almost ironic that a song on empty promises was so promising.

Don’t You Ever premiered on January 21st. You can check it out for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Dutch queer pop icon, Tom Tom Park brings cool indie-disco grooves in his pop track, Déjà Vu, featuring Will Burton.

Posted on 28 October 2021

Tom Tom Park proved that he was more than worth a spot on our radar with the release of his sensually hypnotic pop track, Déjà Vu (Tomorrow, Tomorrow), featuring UK vocalist Will Burton.

While the solid danceable beats bring the structure, the moody synths flood the track with a slick yet cosy atmosphere that Tom Tom Park lays his up-vibe indie-pop vocals into. Instrumentally, Déjà Vu delivers the perfect pop formula; but the real magnetism in Déjà Vu comes via Tom Tom Park’s instantly arresting charisma that pulls you into the cool indie euphoria.

Remember how Scissor Sisters gave us no choice in falling in love with them? You’ll find all that affection and more in this vibrant anthem by the Dutch luminary. Coincidently, one-half of the Scissor Sisters’ duo has already given his seal of approval on Tom Tom Park’s last single ‘Adore Me’; who could argue with Jake Shears?

Déjà Vu hit the airwaves on October 22nd; it is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Feeling With You: Pastel Jungle wants that love ‘Overdose’

Posted on 21 April 2021

As the mellow energies transforms your mood with a loving and natural state of mind, Pastel Jungle kindly provide us with one of the best songs of the year so far with ‘Overdose‘.

Pastel Jungle is a UK-based two-piece collective, who cleverly fuse indie-disco with fresh funky rhythms intertwined into this catchy creation, to send us a pulsating feeling of relief into our tired bodies.

They make that genuine vibe that you can’t teach, as they are born with that authentic mindset of keeping it groovy cool. With Kees Phillips on vocals and keys, plus Julius Alcantara on guitar and bass, these two friends have morphed into a duo that keep the music tasting so good in your hungry palate, as they seem to have lots of fun combining forces too.

This is the story of feeling so close to your special soul who truly makes you happy inside, as your stomach twists up and you just know this is the heartbeat you have desired for so long.

The pureness of this indie-disco track has some soothing vocals that bubble into your mind like when you are soaked into a hot bubble bath that is relaxing you all over. The mesmerizing tone has your body in raptures and you just can’t seem to get enough.

‘Overdose‘ from the hypnotizing UK-based act Pastel Jungle, is a superb track that is up there in terms of overall presentation and a sound that gets it all right. This is the type of song to play with your lover, as you gaze into each others eyes and wish that your time together would last forever.

Stream this new track on Spotify and check out the IG for more news.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

The Moontown Project remind us how sweet intemperance can be with their latest single ‘Moon Honey’ featuring Archie Weir

Posted on 29 January 2021

‘Romantic’ encounters may have been reduced to awkward interactions on Tinder during lockdown, but the Moontown Project is here, with their latest 70s disco-inspired single, ‘Moon Honey’ to remind us how sweet intemperance can be.

With their highly-anticipated single, created in collaboration with Archie Weir, The Leeds & London-based indie electronica duo paint vivid amorous imagery by sweeping right across the tonal palette. Moon Honey shows how serious the Moontown Project are about bringing colour to our increasingly monochromatic planet.

If you’ve ever hit an indie disco dancefloor, you’ll know exactly which scenario Moon Honey depicts; that moment when you barely want to think about your life beyond strobe lights, music and strangers who tempt you into hedonism. The deep funky guitar chops and grooves combined with shimmering synths create the perfect platform for the mischievously soulful vocals to float on in the enlivening radio-ready single.

The Moontown Project take inspiration from artists who defy genre constraints such as MGMT and Gorillaz. They’re just as adept when creating a balance between accessibility and cross-genre experimentation. With their tendency to take from techno, electro-funk, house, hip hop and indie, The Moontown Project’s spacey synth-heavy sound is a recipe for commercial success.

The lockdown-born project which consists of Will Swain-Smith (guitar and vocals) and Guy Molony (keys, bass vocals) have already amassed plenty of airplay and adoration on BBC Introducing, London and Amazing Radio. When restrictions are finally lifted, I have no doubt that the Moontown Project will be here to make sure that our moods are lifted in venues. Get them on your radar.

Moon Honey is now available to stream on Spotify.

Keep up to date with the latest releases from The Moontown Project via Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Velvet Shakes – WORLD: Ensnaring Indie Electro Pop

Posted on 17 November 2020

Manchester’s most frenetic Indie Electro act, Velvet Shakes, is set to drop their geography-transcending galvanising track, WORLD. If any new release is going to leave you itching to hit a dancefloor, it’s this one.

The sonic energy is only paralleled by their eclectic ingenuity which pulls in elements of Indie, Disco, Psych, Electro Pop and House. With vibrant Indie guitar licks which soar across a kaleidoscopic tonal palette interlacing with synapse-ticking synths and disco grooves, you’d need to be classed as clinically deceased not to get ensnared with the entrancing rhythms in WORLD.

You’ll have to wait a little longer before you can check out WORLD for yourselves. In the meantime, you can check out their former releases via SoundCloud.

Stay up to date with new releases via Facebook. You’ll definitely want them on your radar for when they’re able to tear up festival stages and live venues once more.

Review by Amelia Vandergast