The Big Indie Playlist: Curated by Pem
The nights are dark, the weather is colder, Far Out HQ is talking about the Christmas party and ignoring the looming topic of end of year lists. The year is drawing to a close, but still, artists are sharing newness. Gathering it all in one place, welcome to the Big Indie Playlist.
There is no slowing the music world. Even as people start hibernating for winter, artists are busy. This is a hectic season for tours and gigs as bands hit the road with a last wave of energy for 2025.
They hit streaming services too as new album, EPs and singles are delivered week after week. This week, Rosalia shared her hotly anticipated new record Lux, while artists like PVA look forward to 2026 releases with new teaser tracks.
Across indie, rock, alt-pop, folk and beyond, all genres are still buzzing. To get an insight beyond our own, we called in Far Out favourite artist Pem to share the new tracks that are on-repeat in her own playlists, seeing which up and comers she’s backing.
All put in one handy place, all you have to do is hit play.
Must-Hear: Curated by Pem
Rosalia (feat Yves Tumor + Björk) – ‘Berghain’ : “Absolutely unhinged, I adore.”
Dorothy – ‘I want to be out on the sea’: “Heka, Saint Jude + Marco Pini = trio of dreams. Textured and unsettling, sinking in deep water but in the good way. I’m excited for more please.”
Smerz – ‘Easy Astrid Sonne Edit’: “Still fully on the Smerz train. Astrid Sonne’s edit is all glassy and elastic – I do like Astrid. (The Clairo one is also perfectly sleepy.)”
Jerkcurb – ‘Hungry’: “I listened to Jerkcurb a lot as a teen so I’m so glad he’s back. It’s moody, soothing and kinda sexy? I want to dance slow.”
Ninush – ‘the end’: “Ninush is magic. Playful, hypnotic, slightly dizzy melodies. Everyone should go and listen to Ninush please!
Deathcrash – ‘Triumph’: “Devastating and cleansing in the best way. I am full.”
The best new music of the week:
Pem – ‘to earth will you tell me when we land’: This week there was a huge supermoon, and Pem released a perfect soundtrack for all the celestial and heightened emotions you might be feeling. [4/5]
Aimee Fatale – ‘Apple Of My Eye’: Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes. After one single and a long time of being teased with the potential Fatale holds, this sexy, bratty guitar tune unleashes it with full power and vintage glamour. [4/5]
Getdown Services – ‘Don’t Cheese Me Off’: “My body is a temple full of Lucozade and shit”, yep, they’re back. Sharing a follow up to 2024’s Crumb EP, Getdown Services deliver Crumb 2 with more ridiculousness and bigger beats. [3.5/5]
Witch Post – ‘Twin Fawn’: I don’t know how many times I can tell you to listen to Witch Post. If you’re still not on board, you’re only denying yourself as the combination of Alaska Reid and Dylan Fraser is cinematic, gripping and grungy. [3.5/5]
Prince – ‘Hello’ (Fresh Dance Mix)’: Yes I am putting a new Prince mix in the playlist. This was the first thing I listened to this morning and this redo of an old b-side is so funky and fun, it demands to be on the playlist for any weekend boogieing. [3.5/5]
PVA – ‘Enough’: Dark and seductive, this new one from PVA is a sexy little insight into their new album that lands early 2026. Already, we’re locked in. [3/5]
Pebbledash – ‘Isn’t It Always’: Each and every week, the power of Ireland’s music scene is proven over and over. Pebbledash is another name you should know as the Cork unit share something gloomy but gorgeous. [3/5]
Khurangbin – ‘White Gloves ii’: The question on everyone’s lips – is it possible for Khurangbin, the most summer sounding band of all time, to work in the winter? With this new release, the answer comes through clearly; yes. [3/5]
Elanor Moss – ‘Again, My Love’: I saw Elanor Moss live last year and I don’t think I’ve ever been so hypnotised by an artist and the beauty of their voice. Moss’ vocals, her guitar playing and her lyrics are so beautiful it almost burns as eyes prick to tears. [4/5]
She’s In Parties – ‘R.E.M’: Every listen to Absolute 80s and wonder to yourself, why does no one make music like this anymore? Wonder no more, She’s In Parties deliver exactly what you’ve been mourning. [3/5]
Looney Bergonzi – ‘Hole Food’: Bristol’s newest unit deliver another weird little release that is great, but you can’t quite put your finger on what is great about it as the off-kilter energy just hooks you in. [3/5]
Unflirt – ‘Next To You’: If you like euphoric and emotional alt-pop, Unflirt’s new EP, Fleeting, needs to be on your to-listen list immediately with this track being a gorgeous highlight. [3/5]
Stella Donnelly – ‘Love And Fortune’: I love a simple, stripped back and storytelling Stella Donnelly track and on the titular tune from her new release, she delivered exactly that with painstaking, heartaching bittersweet emotions. [3/5]
The Itch – ‘Space In The Cab’: This sounds like a eurotrash tune. Take from that what you will, love it or hate it, but listen to it once and you will want to go out dancing. [3/5]
Rosalia – ‘Magnolias’: To not listen to Rosalia’s new album Lux from start to finish at least once this weekend would be a crime, but if you skip to one track, go to the end as names like Matt Maltese and Sophie May have writing credits on this angelic closing tune. [4.5/5]
Off The Beaten Track – Left-field sounds, curated by Ben Forrest
Noura Mint Seymali – ‘Lehjibb’: Ushering in the sonic journey of her masterful new LP, Yenbett, this early effort perfectly captures the unique appeal of the Mauritanian songwriter, blending the traditional griot sounds of her homeland with a contemporary approach and unending penchant for experimentation. [4.5/5]
The Bush – ‘Smack’: London’s latest disco-punk duo The Bush span multiple genres and generations on this earworm of a debut release, built upon the foundations of golden age disco and soul, but with an unwavering punk attitude and sudden bursts of infectious abrasion which make it easy to stick it on repeat. [4.5/5]
Rare Pleasure – ‘Let Me Down Easy’: It hasn’t been long since Rare Pleasure’s forgotten disco masterpiece ‘Let Me Down Easy’ was reissued on seven-inch wax by South Street Disco, but London’s Miles Away have one-upped that by compiling a release in tribute to New Jersey’s Cheri Records centred around that track, reintroducing a wealth of similarly underrated disco gems to the airwaves – even if ‘Let Me Down Easy’ still remains the ultimate champion. [4/5]
