The Big Indie Playlist: Curated by Green Gardens
I know this could be said every single week, but this week especially was hot with incredible new releases from across the whole musical spectrum. Don’t be fooled by the title, The Big Indie Playlist is all genres welcome.
This week alone brought about one of the most hotly anticipated records of the year. Made to raise money for War Child, a huge all-star cast got involved in Help (2), sharing covers and new exclusive tracks from some of the biggest acts around. With a new Cameron Winter track, a stunning cover from Olivia Rodrigo and some incredible collaborations, it’s not one to miss.
But beyond that, in both the world of huge stars and up-and-comers alike, greatness was delivered. Harry Styles shared his fourth album, while Let’s Eat Grandma’s Rosa Walton announced her debut solo album. Gretel continued charging towards her record release, while Basement returned after an eight-year hiatus.
Over in Leeds, Green Gardens shared two new and stunning tracks. To see what’s been inspiring them, we caught up with the band to get their own current on-repeat songs.
Must-hear: Curated by Green Gardens
Niall Summerton – ‘Morning’: “We all absolutely love Niall’s music. I think he records it in a room at home or in a church, or in a field somewhere. So glad to hear it back. Soft and kind music”.
Rotting – ‘Lead Lining’: “I think we’re all just so into this music that exists perfectly, not overworked, just sounds exactly as it should”.
Swelt – ‘Dust’: “We’re playing with Swelt in Portsmouth this month on tour. These new songs are so up our street. There’s a record coming too, which I think is going to be wicked. Slowcore and post-rock, but also just good songs”.
Bug Teeth – ‘My Stupid Tree Frog Daughter’: “The Bugs have just released a totally beautiful record, Micrographia. It feels really totally unique and exciting, but gentle and full of love too”.
Zosia – ‘I will give my heart to you’: “Very cool lo-fi folk songs. I think music where a room or a tape machine is part of the band sounds so beautiful”.
Old Saw – ‘Blood Sumac’: “There is this whole scene of ambient country folk music which comes hot off the heels of primitive guitar music from the last century that I just can’t get enough of. Like John Fahey or Robbie Basho with a laptop”.
Bludud – ‘I Can See the Rat King Forming’: “Another band we’re really excited to play with on the upcoming UK tour. In fact, all of the bands we’re playing with are so wicked it’s been hard to choose exactly which songs to have in this list. This song is so cool, I’m really excited to hear more from them. I like how it’s been recorded. Lots of good space in the right places”.
The best new releases of the week:
Maximilian – ‘I Know You’: Most songs are now recorded through a weirdly disconnected process of separate takes and tracks. For his song about community, Maximilian didn’t want to do that. So he shoved the whole band in the same room and recorded ‘I Know You’ live, resulting in a track that feels warm with love. [4/5]
Devon Ross – ‘Fourth Time Around’: Like a sonic altar to her gods, Devon Ross shared a four-track EP of covers from the greats, including this gorgeous Bob Dylan track, applying her beautifully angsty vocals and shoegaze tone to this waltzing Blonde On Blonde track. [3.5/5]
Tooth – ‘Medicine’: Had a bad week? Grab your headphones, put your coat on and head out the door, sometimes around 7pm, for a moody twilight walk with this new single from Tooth blasting in your headphones for a needed dose of pure grunge angst. [3/5]
Gretel – ‘Fire Blooming Trees’: Gretel’s upcoming album sits as one of the most exciting debut releases planned for this year, as the artist has been working and developing towards this moment for a good while now. With the quality of her songs only ever rising, it’s clear that she’s ready now, and the intrigue held on this new single proves it. [3/5]
Rosa Walton – ‘Sorry Anyway’: Let’s Eat Grandma fans rejoice, one half of the project returns. It’s been a good while since we heard from the band, but now Rosa Walton is back, announcing a solo album and sharing this new single out on her own. It has the band’s ever-pioneering and forward-thinking energy, but with a maturer edge free from the tethers of the band she grew up in. [2.5/5]
Sofia And The Antoinettes – ‘Vespa’: Sofia and the Antoinettes are exactly the kind of force the music world doubts. She seemingly came out of nowhere with an instantly high production value and budget; a handful of her songs steal lines from other songs as if they toe the line between referential and plagiarism, but the flipside is that each and every release is great. Sofia’s vocals have so much passion behind them that they’re instantly emotionally infectious regardless of the question marks. [2.5/5]
The Itch – ‘Drugdealer’: We’re moving closer and closer to the release of The Itch’s long-awaited and hotly anticipated debut album from one of London’s most obsessed-over units. Ever the eclectic act, they seem to morph into something new with each song, and on ‘Drugdealer’, they’re presenting an outright love song in the style of Ultravox. Fascinating as ever, great as always. [3.5/5]
Amy Taylor – ‘Nobody’s Son’: The second the team behind the new Peaky Blinders movie put Grian Chatten in charge of the soundtrack, it was clear he’d call in some incredible names. The soundtrack is a speed run of acts on fire, featuring some great work from the Fontaines gang. But as always, the second Amy Taylor of Amyl and the Sniffers is involved, the limelight will be stolen by her greatness. [3.5/5]
Heart and Mouth – ‘I Spy’: You have to admire the band that fully cut the crap and go right in. Heart and Mouth are a great example of that, as two tracks in, they’ve announced their debut album, wasting no time at all to go direct to the LP. But when both singles have so much intrigue to them, why mess around? [3/5]
Basement – ‘Wired’: It has been eight years since Basement’s last album, but finally, the band is back. Sharing two teaser tracks, it’s the title tune ‘Wired’ that holds the brightest spark, instantly having us hooked for more. [3/5]
Fcukers – ‘If you wanna party, come over to my house’: You heard the band. You can always rely on Fcukers to deliver a party tune right when you need one, always there and ready to soundtrack weekend pre-drinks, house parties, sweaty basements and beyond. [3/5]
Anna Calvi, Dove Ellis, Nilufer Yanya and Ellie Rowsell – ‘Sunday Light’: I mean…come on. On the Help 2 records, the greatest collaboration is right here in this meeting of truly incredible minds, bringing together acts from different corners of golden indie greatness. Inevitably, it’s stunning. Four of the most impressive voices in music right now on one track? It’s transcendent. [4.5/5]
Green Gardens – ‘Greeting’: And from our playlist curators themselves, Green Gardens shared two new tracks this week. On ‘Greetings’, the band picks up pace slightly, keeping their typical intricacy in tow and not compromising on intrigue or layers, it simply has a lighter step. Although really, ‘Greeting’ and ‘I Am Kind’ should be treated as one and the same, listened to in their pair. [4/5]
