The Big Indie Playlist: Curated by Nell Mescal
I say this every week, and I’m going to say it again: this week was a big one. Perhaps the biggest so far this year as the music world offered up some new greatness across every genre. Putting all the best in one place, welcome to The Big Indie Playlist.
Indie, rock, pop, folk, country, jazz and beyond. From the traditionally to the utterly unclassifiable, the timeless to the trippy, there’s something for everyone this week. As the summer begins to draw to a close, we’re finally getting the payoff of long waits as some of the year’s most hotly anticipated records landed this week from Wolf Alice, Laufey and Water From Your Eyes.
But we also gained some new things to look forward to as Nell Mescal and Florence and the Machine announced new projects, while artists like Wednesday and Luvcat provided another teaser of upcoming releases that make the excitement even stronger.
From some of the biggest names around to rising stars to note, artists of all scales were busy this week. But don’t just take your tips from us; we’ve also roped in Ms Mescal herself to provide her own suggestions for songs you should pay attention to.
Track of the week
Nell Mescal – ‘The Closest We’ll Get’: Nell Mescal seems to have figured it out. After her last few releases saw her production levels stepping up, her new chapter brings her back to the root of her power. Seemingly realising that her greatness lies in the core of her work, her angelic vocals and her poignant lyricism, the announcement of her next EP sees her stripping it back to the best of her.
‘Carried Away’ launched that, but ‘The Closest We’ll Get’ skyrockets it. Music doesn’t come purer than this. Just Nell, a small band and sharp lyricism about the desire to be allowed to love someone and the longing to dive in, it’s a reminder now just of Mescal’s talent, but of the age-old proverb that sometimes less is more, especially when the simplicity can be this beautiful. [4.5/5]
Must-Hear: Curated by Nell Mescal
As we’re busy obsessing over her tracks, we passed the mic to Nell herself to share the love on the songs she loves.
Cass McCombs – ‘I Never Dream About Trains’: A song for the true yearners, me included. “I never lie in my songs, and I never dream about trains.” I think he’s a genius; the melodies will stay with me awhile. Time to go on a walk and cry to this song.
Lucy McWilliams – ‘I Know It’s Hard’: A fellow Irish songwriter whose voice I could listen to forever. So pretty and delicate – the harmonies kill me.
Big Thief – ‘Los Angeles’: I want to live in this soundscape they created, I have this song on a loop. There’s something so carefree yet so thoughtful about everything they do. I’m a very, very big fan – possibly the biggest.
Folk Bitch Trio – ‘Hotel TV’: I love everything about this song. The way their voices have been recorded is so beautiful, and every melody has stuck with me.
Ethel Cain – ‘Dust Bowl’: When I need to stop and feel everything all at once, I put on Ethel Cain. This song in particular stopped me in my tracks.
Florence Road – ‘Goodnight’: Obsessed. So fun, so good, so cool. I love Florence Road. Iconic bridge, so catchy. I love being Irish.
The best new music of the week
Wolf Alice – ‘Just Two Girls’: Each and every song on Wolf Alice’s new five-star record deserves a place here, but ‘Just Two Girls’ is so infectious, it demands it. [4.5/5]
Florence and the Machine – ‘Everybody Scream’: Florence Welch howls her return on this hypnotic and powerful analysis of being an entertainer. Announcing a brand new record, we’re instantly excited. [4.5/5]
Sydney Ross Mitchell – ‘The Winner’: I swear no one writes about longing with the uniqueness that Sydney Ross Mitchell manages in her work. Each song takes on such a fascinating angle from which she analyses universal feelings, and ‘The Winner’ is no different. [4/5]
Lola Kirke and Willow Avalon – ‘Maps’: Two modern queens of country taking on an indie song. That’s a recipe for greatness if I’ve ever heard one before and when that song is as poignant as ‘Maps’, and when one of the voices is as moving as Willow Avalon’s unique timbre, it’s golden. [3.5/5]
Luvcat – ‘Blushing’: Got a crush? Put this on immediately. In another absolutely stellar single, Luvcat nails the dizzying feeling of infatuation, including the self-reflection in the deeply moving bridge where she traces back over her career so far with goose-bumping impact. [4.5/5]
Been Stellar – ‘Always On My Mind’: Wrapping up a string of singles for the summer, Been Stellar have undoubtedly reaffirmed their one-to-watch status, especially with this new one which feels timeless. [4/5]
Wednesday – ‘Bitter Everyday’: As they build up to the release of their new album, Wednesday are another act on a golden run of singles. On ‘Bitter Everyday’, the instrumental gets heavier but Karly Hartzman sounds great as ever. [3.5/5]
Bar Italia – ‘Fundraiser’: Another cult act working towards a new record are Bar Italia, and on this new one, there’s a slight Britpop energy in the gobby vocals. [3/5]
Nation Of Language – ‘In Your Head’: Sounding like something off the Drive soundtrack, this new one from Nation Of Language is truly cinematic and utterly hypnotic. Save it for your 3am afters on Sunday morning while the substances fizz out of your brain. [3.5/5]
Water From Your Eyes – ‘Nights In Armour’: To celebrate the release of their record, Water From Your Eyes hosted a karaoke party in London. For my own personal celebrations, I must go out and do the world’s most niche, and likely bad, rendition of this song in front of a baffled bar of strangers. Who’s coming with? [3.5/5]
Nourished By Time – ‘Automatic Love’: If you take one piece of advice all week, let it be this – go and listen to the Nourished By Time album. [4/5]
Laufey – ‘Mr Eclectic’: Writing new jazz standards for the modern age, Laufey’s new record is destined to be adopted into history’s songbook as Gen-Z contemplations meet totally timeless instrumentals. [4/5]
Off The Beaten Track – Left-field, sounds curated and written by Ben Forrest
Group A.D. – ‘Twist’: Leeds’ latest leftfield masters have emerged, in the form of Group A.D. and this stellar single perfectly captures the spirit of their sound. Forged from an incredibly expansive range of influences, the track draws upon everything from old-school Anatolian psychedelia to the golden age of post-punk, culminating in an utterly infectious effort from the rapidly rising outfit. [4.5/5]
Cookin’ On Three Burners – ‘Cookin’ The Books’: You would be forgiven for thinking that this slice of funk and soul mastery is an obscure deep-cut from back in the heyday of Hammond organ, but it is, in fact, the latest effort from Australian trio Cookin’ On Three Burners, released via Soul Messin’. With those infallible Hammond tones, and a particularly good guitar solo, the instrumental anthem is a perfect summer floorfiller. [4/5]
Myra Barnes – ‘The Message From The Soul’: Soopastole treat us to a long-awaited reissue of this funk masterpiece, originally released on King Records back in 1970. Barnes’ vocals are still as compelling as they always were, and those blaring horns certainly haven’t lost their lustre in the past five and a half decades. If you missed it the first time round, now’s the time to right that historic wrong. [4/5]
Nimbiss – ‘Paradise’: Swish, sparkling 1980s soul-disco goodness from the short-lived Chicago outfit, released on seven-inch vinyl for the very first time by the Izipho Soul label. Those original releases are becoming harder and harder to come by, but the infectious grooves of that ‘80s soul sound continue to command dancefloors around the world, so don’t hang about. [4/5]
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out New Music Newsletter
All the latest New Music from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.