Browsing Tag

UK Indie

KEEF painted dystopia with psychedelic colour in ‘You and Me Against the World’

KEEF

KEEF’s latest single, You and Me Against the World, pulls you into a kaleidoscopic whirlwind of psychedelic swagger and alt-indie authenticity. From the first note, the northwest England-based quartet, forged in the crucible of a working-class upbringing, transposes the feeling of societal cynicism into a hypnotic, multi-dimensional vignette.

The band’s knack for exploring the dichotomy of despair and hope finds its zenith in this track. KEEF’s unflinching honesty about the bitter truths of existence stings while the glimmers of connection and solidarity salve the wound. The track becomes a sanctuary for those teetering between nihilism and diehard romanticism by unearthing the irreplicable beauty of having someone to walk through the fiery dystopia the world has descended into with

Drawing influence from ’60s psychedelia and indie, KEEF’s sound is a contortion of distinction and innovation. The evocative undercurrents are artfully complemented by the vintage-tinged alt-indie rock riffs that strike a balance between hypnotic magnetism and raw emotion. As an artist unafraid to confront the bitter truths of the human experience, KEEF’s ability to find glimmers of beauty in the din of depravity remains unchallenged.

Whether you’re drawn to the visceral honesty of the lyrics or the multifaceted magnetism of the sound, this single stands as a testament to the band as an unrelenting creative force. For those kneeling at the altar of alt-indie, this is a sonic experience worth surrendering to.

You and Me Against the World will be available to stream on all major platforms, including SoundCloud and Bandcamp, from February 7th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Plastersun have made their hedonically electric debut with their indie post-punk hit, Death by Misadventure:

Sometimes, a band storms onto the scene and instantly demands attention. Plastersun did just that with their debut single, Death by Misadventure, a kinetically dynamic synthesis of post-punk, indie and garage rock that will throw you right back to the early 00s, with its Klaxons-esque anthemic energy and white hot guitars which sear their way through the production which is grounded in gravelly basslines and an infectious percussive pulse.

The track is all swagger and no breaks with a frontman who is clearly as confident as Pete Doherty in front of a mic. If it’s been a while since you found a new indie act to get excited about, make it today and hit play on the euphorically sardonic hit which views hedonic pleasure through a wit-soaked lens.

Hailing from the south coast, this five-piece refuse to bow to convention, delivering intense vocal fire, irresistible low-end hooks, and guitars that spar with each other in a blazing call-and-response. They fuse the adrenaline of The Clash with the offbeat eccentricities of Talking Heads, all while keeping a direct line to raw emotion to the perpetually misunderstood.

Their forthcoming EP, Pleasure Circus, promises to lunge deeper into wild debauchery, the lure of fame, and the hidden intricacies of being human. If Death by Misadventure is anything to go by, you won’t want to miss it. Stay tuned for updates on Instagram & TikTok. 

Death by Misadventure is now available to stream on all major platforms, including YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Find resolve through the rhythm and lyrical reflections in Flame’s seminal alt-indie release, ‘Heat’

The standout single ‘Heat’ from Flame’s alt-rock EP, Pride of the Lamb, which paints in colours from all across the alternative spectrum, ensues with a barrage of folkish rhythmic intensity before establishing a melody in the arcanely beguiling atmosphere.

The seraphic on the senses release transcends sound and moves into the remit of transformative meditation through the ethereal timbre of the lead vocals which refuse to bleed into the instrumentals in true shoegaze fashion as they relay mantric messages, guiding the listener towards transformation.

Flame lights fires through the trailblazing authenticity within their sonic signature, which pairs the textural motifs of grunge with the cathartic consolation of melodic rock as they build insurmountable walls of sound, brick by brick, note by note, while sharing a singular vision of leading the listener away from their ego.

Hit play and feel something primal within you wake in the presence of the Edinburgh-based alt-rock powerhouse who have exactly what it takes to stand at the vanguard of the post-shoegaze revolution in sound.

With one of the most distinct voices on the indie rock circuit, Flame is perceptibly in the minority of artists who favour their expression over commercial appeal, but there’s nothing within their debut EP that says they can’t have both; it’s pure evocative perfection.

Stream Heat as part of the 5-track EP on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Robin Shaw borrowed from Bright Eyes in his acoustic indie single, Bus 2 Nowhere

From the first effervescent notes of the acoustic guitar chord progressions in Robin Shaw’s latest single ‘Bus 2 Nowhere (Acoustic Version)’, your soul sets alight and your senses scintillate to the timbre of the euphonically rugged rhythms. Equally sweet are Shaw’s folk-leaning indie pop vocals, which synergise with the summery melodies.

As a true troubadour to the diehard romantics, Shaw knows exactly how to pull you into his panoramic narrative of infatuation that rings with hints of 00s indie pop nostalgia. If you’re a big fan of bands in the vein of Bright Eyes and The Shins, you’ll be downright sycophantic for ‘Bus 2 Nowhere’.

Before making waves in the music industry, Robin started off as a street dancer at age 16, which included appearances on Britain’s Got Talent. He established himself as a singer-songwriter after an audition in Soho, and began his career with Regent Street Artists, eventually moving to work independently. Now, he records across a variety of studios in West/Central London with his producer, Chris Hall.

Robin Shaw has been a hit with music lovers and critics alike after his tracks have been transmitted on BBC Introducing Norfolk and Suffolk, South Devon Sounds, Islington Radio, Watford VIBE FM as well as reaching Global stations in Ireland, Ohio, Toronto, Helsinki, Canberra, Los Angeles and many more.

With his new release, he’s one step closer to sealing his fate as one of the most accoladed singer-songwriters of his generation.

Stream the Acoustic Version of Bus 2 Nowhere on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Distortion as Dialogue: Abandoned Buildings’ Alt-Indie Release, Microdose, Explores the Depths of Desolation

In the borderlands between post-punk, ambient post-rock and shoegaze lies the West Yorkshire five-piece, Abandoned Buildings; their latest diaphanous-in-spite of distortion howl into the void, Microdose, is the ultimate introduction to their unfeigned introspection.

After a quiescent intro of reverb and chorus-laden guitar, the track pulls you into a vortex of thematically affecting instrumentation that embodies the emotional underpinnings as much as the lyrics and vocals which paint a portrait of pain and isolation in strokes of vulnerability which forces you to meet the candour projected through the artfully visceral progressions.

Released ahead of the sophomore album, Eroding Light, which will drop on September 20, Microdose marked Abandoned Buildings as one of the most promising up-and-coming outfits on the alt-indie scene in 2024. Their creative vision which reinvents shoegaze fused with the way they reflect stark realities through the complexity of emotion is unparalleled. Don’t pass up on your Microdose fix.

Microdose will be available to stream on all major platforms from August 9th via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Rhine Valley prescribed nostalgia-tinged serenity in their indie summer serenade, Instincts in the Red

If you want respite from the artists driven by delusion and to tune into an artist who grooves to the sound of his own nostalgia-licked mellow melodies, hit play on the latest single, Instincts in the Red, by Rhine Valley and discover one of the most underrated artists on the airwaves.

The 21st-century answer to the Zombies’ 1965 hit, Summertime, filters through a sepia-tinged lens which captures the heat of the sun-soaked season within the rhythms which ebb and flow beneath the artist’s idyllic vocal register; the harmonies easily reach euphony while injecting soul into the soundscape that is as laidback as Elliott Smith on Xanax.

Rhine Valley, easily one of the most self-effacingly grounded artists in the music industry, used his bedroom-recorded lo-fi number to candidly reflect on life and the embarrassment of his streaming numbers. By using the tribulations of operating as an independent artist sans a trust fund or nepo connections, he spearheaded the indie music movement with unflinching authenticity.

The song’s mellow indie vibe is perfect for fans looking for something genuine and grounded, it is a true reflection of an artist who can capture the beauty in the mundane and the plight of grassroots music with swathes of tongue-in-cheek panache to spare.

Instincts in the Red will be available to stream on all major platforms, including SoundCloud, from July 24.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

AFTERDRIVE buried indie landfill under the immensity in their latest anthem, Gold Dust

AFTERDRIVE

The Ipswitch indie-rock breakthrough band, AFTERDRIVE, hit the wheel and blazed beyond contemporary trends with their latest single, leaving outfits in the vein of the 1975, M83, and The Neighbourhood in the ‘Gold Dust’ of their viscerally textured hit.

Ben Watts’ distinctive vocal inflections relentlessly hit raw nerves with the projections of vulnerability in the bitter-sweet release which embodies the band’s determination to bring small-town boredom blues to an international stage.

The instrumental evocative artillery shows little mercy; after showing melodic restraint within the verses, the choruses cascade into augmented alchemic chaos as the alt-indie-rock guitars construct walls of sounds to encase you within the brooding atmosphere of the intense narrative of affliction as the upbeat synths resonate as the last feign of hope in the outpour of ennui.

After their debut single, Stick Around, met critical acclaim and received regular airplay from BBC Introducing and more success was sealed with every subsequent release, we have no doubt that Gold Dust will seal the artist’s fate as one of the biggest names in the UK indie scene.

Gold Dust will be available to stream on all major platforms from June 7th. Discover ways to listen via the official AFTERDRIVE website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

London’s Forsylver became indie royalty with their latest release, Promethazine Queen

Launched to a capacity crowd at 93 Feet East in Shoreditch, the latest single, Promethazine Queen, from London’s hottest breakthrough indie outfit, Forsylver, is the perfect introduction to the expansively influenced outfit who have hit the ground running straight out of the gate.

With a vocal style that shifts between invokes the sticky-sweet euphonic magnetism of The Feeling harmonising atop the flares of funk in the eclectic indie-pop-rock tapestry to Arctic Monkeys-reminiscent cutting commentaries Forsylver’s distinctive style emboldens the sincerity within Promethazine Queen. From the Daft Punk-esque riot of a middle eight to the jangle pop guitars to the complex time signatures in the rhythm section, Promethazine Queen is a perfect circle of expression and innovation.

Instead of following trends, the fourpiece, fronted by Joe Ewer with Will Farrow carving out the funk-pop guitar chops, Alex McKenzie feeding the rhythms on bass and Shunya Matsumoto giving the percussion a Radiohead-art-rock flair, are etching their innovation into the tapestry of the future of indie.

Forsylver may have only been on the scene since late 2023, but they’re already an unreckonable force. With plenty more planned for 2024, they should be the epicentre of every indie fan’s radar.

Promethazine Queen was officially released on May 3rd; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Vouchers struck a raw nerve with the melodic malaise in their alt-post-punk seminal release, Dead History

OYEZ! by The Vouchers

The Vouchers’ standout single, Dead History, from their debut album OYEZ! doesn’t break the post-punk mould; it is a sublime continuation of the disorder initiated by Joy Divison, infused with the melodic malaise of Dinosaur Jr.

Driven by the creative synergy of Mark Langston, Tom Brown, and Matt Clifton, the three-piece intertwines satirical observational poetry with a distinctive North East twang, resulting in unapologetically raw, eloquently monochromatic chemistry.

Dead History captures the essence of The Vouchers’ distinct approach; the track is a sonic labyrinth where angular hooks meet the cold tonalities of an ennui-laden atmosphere, and sparse lyrics become poignant bursts of clarity. The minimalist lyricism of Dead History might initially seem understated, but every word hangs in the air of the release that ticks all the right post-punk boxes.

If you’re looking for a new indie band to get behind, you’ll need to keep the pace as The Vouchers make their inevitably rapid ascent.

Stream and purchase Dead History on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Doolallys augmented the tribulations of banality in the indie rock anthem of the year, How Long Will This Go On?

Imagine how affecting a synthesis of the most stirring elements of Editors, Audioslave, and Arcade Fire would be, amplify the infectious appeal of that amalgam to the nth degree, then you will get an idea of what awaits you when you hit play on the single, How Long Will This Go On? From The Doolallys.

If any guitar-based outfit with deadpan lyricism deserves to reach the same heights of success as The Reytons, it is this Brighton-based trio, which is already making all the right waves in the industry.

After winning over BBC Introducing in 2018 and snagging a live radio slot in 2019 before honing their sound into a cultivated augmented with anthemics sonic signature, The Doolallys got to work on their upcoming debut EP; months after wrapping up the recording, the band suffered the tragic loss of their founding member and bassist Connor Kilbane in October 2022. After a hiatus, the band decided to honour Connor by moving ahead with the EP; if How Long Will This Go On, is a taste of things to come, it won’t just be a part of the band’s legacy, but UK indie’s legacy. Between the aching relatability in the lyrics which speak of relentlessly monotonous banality and the kinetic chemistry that cuts through the release, How Long Will This Go On deserves a perpetual place in the indie charts.

How Long Will This Go On is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast