The Big Indie Playlist: Curated by Fuzz Lightyear
Once again, it’s been a busy one. With tens of thousands of new tracks hitting streaming services each and every week, it would be literally impossible to keep up. But here on the Big Indie Playlist, we’ve boiled it all down to the must-hear songs of the week.
Across the worlds of albums, EPs and singles, this week was a hectic one and one full of gold. Flat Party dropped the sleazy single they’ve been teasing for a while now, meanwhile Theo Bleak launched a new and tender era. Sam Fender shared a new track contemplating fame while Hannah Grae makes a fresh run at grabbing it with her powerful new single, ‘Bitch’.
Over in EP land though, a favourite of this week’s releases came from Leeds’ Fuzz Lightyear. Given that they’ve just put out such greatness, we assumed their listening habits must be pretty great too, so we handed control of the playlist to them to recommend a handful of their own top new tracks.
From indie to pop, punk to folk and so on, there’s something for everything here. All you have to do is hit play.
Must-Hear: Curated by Fuzz Lightyear
Bug Teeth – ‘Thin Circle’: “Somewhere between Stereolab, Aphex Twin, and MBV lies Leeds’s best band Bug Teeth – who coincidentally release their debut album the same day as our debut EP. Their latest single, ‘Thin Circle’, is a hauntingly patient track that bleeps and bloops its way into a hypnotic trance.”
Crimewave – ‘Semaphore’: “Washed out, futuristic, and mind-bending. The kind of music that will always be ahead of its time.”
Bloed – ‘Bad’: “If you are wanting something fit for a cyberpunk murder spree, then the latest album from Belgian band Bloed is for you. ‘Bad’ is the highlight.”
TURNSPIT – ‘CINDERELLA GIRL’: “Leeds’s coolest duo TURNSPIT shared ‘CINDERELLA GIRL’, which even though it’s only their second single, comes out as one of the coolest tracks of the year. Like if Bjork was goth and raised by Boy Harsher instead of the Icelandic.”
SILVERWINGKILLER – ‘JING’AN TEMPLE’: “If you’ve ever seen SILVERWINGKILLER live, you know there’s no one around who can match their energy. If you’ve ever liked even a single second of The Prodigy, you’ll love every second of SWK.”
Pearling – ‘Treasure’: “Glasgow’s hidden treasure Pearling recently released Treasure, one of the slickest tracks about loneliness and yearning to come out in recent years. Perfect music for an afters where you’re not quite done dancing yet but are very much sobering up.”
Tony Bontana – ‘Battered Chips’: “One of the coolest leftfield rappers in the UK right now, Birmingham’s Tony Bontana released a track that’s somehow so hazey yet pounding and driven. A true master of his craft.”
Another Country $$$$ – ‘Cursed Frame’: “Another Country $$$$ genuinely one of two good bands to start in Manchester. They bring together the best of every type of dance music out there and are one of the best live bands out there right now.”
The best new music of the week
Theo Bleak – ‘Megan In New York’: The perfect song for the cold setting into the darker nights, Bleak announced her next project all about grief with this memory-steeped track. [3.5/5]
Nieve Ella – ‘All My Mess’: A simple song that needs nothing else, Nieve Ella is stripping it all back here, letting the lyricism of this introspective tune take centre stage in its painstaking vulnerability. [3/5]
Flat Party – ‘C4mgrrl’: Who’s ready to get a little sleazy? Flat Party go all in here with a track about a guy cheating on his partner with cam girls online. It’s as dark and seductive as it sounds, powered by an absolute belter of a chorus. [4/5]
Cliffords – ‘Marsh’: The power of the Irish music scene never fades. Cliffords are one of the latest names you should be paying attention to, and ‘Marsh’ might just be their most powerful offering yet as singer Iona Lynch sounds incredible. [3.5/5]
Sam Fender – ‘I’m Always On Stage’: Finally, Sam Fender has offered up this beautiful little b-side he’s played live a few times. Reflecting on his career and his complex feelings on public life, it’s lyrically stunning. [4/5]
Westside Cowboy – ‘Can’t See’: They just keep on getting better. Westside Cowboy are going from strength to strength as they’ve announced they’re joining Geese on tour and dropped another taster of their upcoming EP. [3.5/5]
Dellaxoz – ‘Retrograde’: If you want to hear some interesting and hooking guitar lines, hit play on Dellaxoz’s new EP with this dreamy track opening it all up. [3.5/5]
Man/Woman/Chainsaw – ‘Only Girl’: If you ask around the music scene at the moment which band other bands are obsessed with, Man/Woman/Chainsaw always come up quickly as their own peers are just as hooked in as their fans. With a song as dynamic as this, it’s easy to understand why. [4/5]
STONE – ‘Sweet Heroine’: Need a good old fashion rock rager? Hit play here and turn it up as Liverpool’s STONE are pros at delivering pure headbangers. [3/5]
David Byrne – ‘Shirt’: Everybody say thank you to David Byrne for delivering this random track about slogan t-shirts, i-phones and, erm, religion being in his pants. As enigmatic as ever, the artist remains a true individual. [3/5]
Drugdealer – ‘The News’: If you like your music to make you feel like you’ve stepped into a time machine and landed back in the ‘60s or ‘70s, you should get to know Drugdealer as this new song has exactly that teleporting power. [3/5]
Hannah Grae – ‘Bitch’: There is nothing I love more than an artist shaking off the industry, going independent and delivering this finest work yet. Stepping out of the pack, Hannah Grae truly finds her voice here with a perfect mix of wit and savagery, humour and honesty. Got some rage to get out? One singalong will sort that out. [4/5]
Flip Top Head – ‘Trilateral Machine’: Brighton’s greatness strikes gold again. Flip Top Head are one of the city’s finest, and this new track is a beauty with instruments that seem to waltz and dance together. [4/5]
Ninush – ‘I Don’t Mind’: “Ninush is magic,” Pem told us a few weeks back, and she’s right. This next single from the artist proves that perfectly as the simplicity strokes the brain just right with beautiful harmonies. [3.5/5]
Gifthorse – ‘13 Going On 30’: Sometimes it can feel like a lot of singers sound the same, but no one could ever say that about Gifthorse’s Naomi Mann. Cinematic with a twee edge, this is a movie soundtrack dream. [3.5/5]
