Browsing Tag

Indie Psych

The JB Project spills vibration-raising soul in his indie psych single, ‘Hole for the Sun’

Posted on 17 February 2022

The JB Project (Justin Beaver) has picked up his trusty sunburst Fender Strat once more to lay down another dynamically psychedelic soft serenade. His latest single, Hole for the Sun, is just one of his constraintlessly constructed recent releases that allow emotion to flow organically. With the warmth that spills from his over-driven chords meeting the emotions pouring through his almost dream-like indie vocals, there’s no denying that Hole for the Sun delivers a transcendent touch.

We couldn’t help but adore the sheer ease of it. Hole for the Sun teases visceral grungey build ups before bringing even more catharsis and soulful humility. With the experimentalism to rival Pavement paired with the colourful accordance of the Beatles and the lyrical panache of Elliott Smith, it’s only a matter of time before the multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and producer breaks into the mainstream with his unapologetically authentic sound. You don’t need his bio to tell you that he has a deeply emotional connection to music. Or that his MO is diluting negativity with his positivity-radiating sound. It is affirmed in seconds after you hit play. We can’t wait to hear what is lurking in The JB Project pipeline.

Hole for the Sun is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Liverpool’s latest luminary, Louie Miles, has released his latest single, Show the World

Posted on 10 December 2021

If Elliott Smith, Dinosaur Jr and the Beatles met in the middle, the sonic result would be starkly reminiscent of Louie Miles’ latest psychedelically warm and hazy single, Show the World. Instead of following the same old tropes with his tracks, he creates songs born entirely of his imagination. Based on Show the World, I would pay hand over fist to take a vacation in his mind. The sweetly psychotropic instrumentals paired with Miles’ magnetic melancholy-tinged vocals is practically an invitation to nirvana.

The Liverpool-based multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer made his solo debut in April this year; before that, he contributed to the Birmingham-based band, Sugarthief and Liverpool’s renowned outfit, Astles. At 21-years-old, Louie Miles already boasts the songwriting maturity that other artists have to wait decades for. We can’t wait to hear what follows.

Show the World is available to stream on all major platforms, including YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Find your spiritual side with Alchemy 3’s multiculturally ambient indie electronica single, Trust in the Process.

Posted on 4 December 2021
Alchemy 3

Sam Harris may have spun heads when he declared that no one has free will, but the spiritual alt indietronica outfit, Alchemy 3, is here to screw them firmly back on again with their stellar slice of multicultural ambient electronica, Trust in the Process.

2021 has shown us that everything and everyone is connected and every action has an equal and opposite reaction, but even the impious in denial of a higher power can find comfort in this psychedelically wrapped hit by the London-based trio whose sonic influence spans across decades, and their lyrical inspiration goes back even further. The poetically meta lyrics flow through the ethereally commanding vocals and resonate like mantras around the tonal bliss spilling from the instrumentals. It’s a stunning release from a collective with equally as stunning artistic motives. We can’t wait to hear what will be next from Alchemy 3.

Trust in the Process will be available to stream from December 4th; you can check it out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Alt-Indie solo artist Bent 290 has released his psychotropic sophomore single, Minds and Makers.

Posted on 22 October 2021

‘Minds and Makers’ is the psychotropic sophomore release from alt-indie solo artist Bent 290 (Dakota Schilling). With hints of Midwest Emo in the vocals, nuances of reggae in anthemic guitars and lashings of electronic psych euphoria, it’s impossible not to warm to the multi-instrumentalist and songwriter’s instantly enamouring expressionism.

If you could imagine what it would sound like if Muse, All American Rejects, and Tame Impala aurally met in the middle, you’ll get an idea of the kind of bitter-sweet soul on offer here.

The project, Bent 290, was born during the 2020 lockdown when Dakota locked himself away in a cabin in North-Eastern Indiana. His debut release broke onto the airwaves to critical acclaim in 2020. After the release of his power-pop hit, we’re sure that only good things will follow.

Minds and Makers is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Yves Steady – Chamomile King: A Hazy Lo-Fi Indie Art-Rock Lullaby

Posted on 10 May 2021
Yves Steady - The Demos by YVES STEADY

For his latest release, East London-based solo artist Yves Steady curated his demos from the past four years and invited listeners on a journey of intimate aural exploration; the best introduction to his artfully psychedelic sound is Chamomile King. The semi-orchestral soundscape resonates like a garagey, drowsy take on Charlatans while feeding in the same stylish, evocative despondence of Dinosaur Jr.

The sweet and steady chords in the choral feat of new wave indie couldn’t possibly hold more catharsis when they are up against the vocals that sit perfectly in the mix without bleeding or dominating the track that will be a hit with indie, psych, art rock, and folk fans alike.

Chamomile King is now available to stream and purchase via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Meskimo extended the conversation around grief with his indie-psych track, ‘The Most Delightful Dirge’

Posted on 6 May 2021

The Meskimo comes to us from the shores of the Bering sea with his latest feat of indie psych, ‘The Most Delightful Dirge’. If you can imagine the Aurora Borealis in futuristically aural form, you’ll start to get an idea of what kind of astral journey The Meskimo will take you on with his psych-tinged art-rock.

Glassy synths, psych-rock percussion, fuzzed-up guitars and the occasional distorted orchestral swell act as your guide through the instrumental soundscape that remains compelling through The Meskimo’s accordant uninhibited exploration. Falling short of dropping DMT, there are few experiences to indulge in that will take you higher than The Most Delightful Dirge; even the title itself leaves your mind open. The mere suggestion that delight can be somehow synonymous with mourning is enough to leave you in a pleasant mind hole for a fair amount of time.

The Most Delightful Dirge is now available to stream via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ebben Phlö have released their bitter-sweet psychedelic stormer ‘Loose Ends’

Posted on 27 March 2021
Loose Ends by Ebben Phlö

Cork-based duo, Ebben Phlö have released their fuzzed-up storming feat of indie psych rock, ‘Loose Ends’;  if you could imagine what it would sound like if a little more kaleidoscopic colour was thrown into the Strokes’ tonal palette, you’ll get an idea of the intensity delivered.

It isn’t every day that you experience such a visceral mentally-modifying single which oozes mainstream appeal, but Ebben Phlö’s hooks which lure you into the scuzzy synth-laden soundscape are as sharp as you’re going to hear on the airwaves today.

If artists garnered hype on their creativity alone, Ebben Phlö would be sitting pretty right next to the likes of Black Keys and Muse right now.

Loose Ends is now available to stream via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Brave New Broken Hearts Club follow in the luminary footsteps of the Legendary Pink Dots with ‘Love Is On Its Way’

Posted on 26 January 2021
Brave New Broken Hearts Club

The musical vehicle for London-native singer-songwriter Neil Phillimore, Brave New Broken Hearts Club new single – released on the 29th January, and the first track from the forthcoming new album – is a delicate, melancholy semi-acoustic number; a tremolo-laden picked guitar part sits atop closed hi hats and Phillimore’s unapologetically character-filled vocals. Think of a ‘Country House’ era Damon Albarn, a North London wash delivering a evocative narrative of tainted love and shattered expectations.

It’s a great track, pretty and self-aware at the same time, downbeat without being downtrodden. Phillimore’s Suggs-like delivery perfectly suits the lyrical content, there’s some beautiful harmonies courtesy of Peckham folk singer Pearl Fish, and the repeating guitar motif adds weight throughout the track. Overall, ‘Love Is On Its Way’ is heartfelt, hopeful, and emotive, a perfect introduction to Brace New Broken Hearts Club – with two more singles scheduled before the release of the debut album later this year, it looks as though success, for sure, is on its way.

Love is On Its Way is available to stream from January 29th, you can pre-save the single on Spotify via this link.

Review by Alex Holmes

Voyce Memos’ forthcoming single ‘West Girl’ is dizzyingly eclectic indie electro rock at its most psychedelic

Posted on 12 January 2021
Voyce Memos

Texan electronic rock artist, Voyce Memos, is set to release their sophomore album ‘Chronology’. We’ve been lucky enough to get a sneak peek of the dizzyingly eclectic standout track, ‘West Girl’.

With popping Post-Punk & New Wave-tinged guitar melodies and Voyce Memos’ soulfully enrapturing vocal timbre, West Girl is a consciousness-consuming exhibition of how transfixing Indie Rock can be when orchestrated under dynamic vision.

The matured high-vibe Indie hit incorporates elements of Post Rock, Synth Rock and Psych. As it runs through, you’ll be hit by aural curveballs from every direction. Even more pertinently, you’ll be inclined to be taken on the rhythmically psychotropic journey time and time again. It isn’t your archetypal Indie Pop earworm, it’s something far more infectious which leaves you inclined to get repeat hits of the euphoria which you’ll easily squeeze out of the melodic hooks.

From funky syncopated guitars to mesmeric garage rock frenetic thrashing, West Girl doesn’t just paint across the tonal palette, it ravenously claws at influences spanning through the decades to create a timeless hit.

West Girl will be available to stream from February 5th along with the rest of Voyce Memos’ forthcoming album ‘Chronology’. In the meantime, you can head over to Spotify to check out their earlier releases.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Gentlemen’s Crow has released their psychologically thrilling experimental Indie single “You Were Never Really Here”

Posted on 15 August 2020

After a successful debut, Floridian Indie artist Gentlemen’s Crow released their romantically enrapturing single “You Were Never Really Here” on August 7th.

Gentlemen’s Crow seems to exude the level of cool which Alex Turner attempted with the latest Arctic Monkeys album. It’s effortless, it’s intellectual, it’s simply mesmerising. With infusions of Psych Blues nuances into the anthemically-charged soundscape, the choruses won’t fail to leave you adrenalized.

As for the lyrics and concept for the track, You Were Never Really Here is a testament to the talent, imagination and wit of the artist. It’s not every day that you encounter a single which offers both a psychological thriller and a fresh-new Indie sound. Gentlemen’s Crow is well worth putting on your radar.

You can check out You Were Never Really Here for yourselves by heading over to Spotify. For more info, you can head over to the artist’s official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast