The Big Indie Playlist: Curated by WineMom
It’s official.
We’ve now passed the spring equinox, meaning that the good weather should hopefully follow suit through the sun’s open door. With good times ahead and good songs in abundance, welcome to The Big Indie Playlist.
With the start of a sunnier season, we also enter one of the busiest periods in the musical calendar. More so than any other year in recent memory, this March and incoming April are hectic with greatness as artists of all shapes and sizes deliver new tunes, EPs and albums ahead of the quickly approaching festival season.
This week saw some huge returns, like the big one from Paul McCartney as he announced a new album. It also saw the release of some exciting EPs from rising stars like Florence Road and Witch Post. Across pop, indie, folk and beyond, there’s something new for everyone.
To broaden our horizons, we also called upon WineMom to see what the Irish up-and-comers have been listening to lately as they share their own new single.
Must-Hear: Curated by WineMom
Reese picked:
Rua Rí – ‘Johnny Workman‘: “Saw this guy supporting Barnburner in Whelan’s and was instantly obsessed. Such a fantastic songwriter, it sounds so familiar but so new at the same time. Have a great feeling about him, hope to hear more of his releases soon!”
Modern Woman – ‘Dashboard Mary’: “Have been obsessed with this band for ages. I was so sad when they took most of their stuff off Spotify, but they are releasing new singles for their upcoming album, and I am beyond excited. Such an incredibly huge and punchy sound”.
Millie picked:
Pippa Molony & Rory Sweeney – ‘The Foggy Dew’: “Pippa Molony and Rory Sweeney delivered a hauntingly beautiful rendition of ’The Foggy Dew’ right in time for Paddy’s Day weekend. Pippa’s feathery vocals, accompanied by Rory’s Lankum- style production on this track, leave you feeling that the cover belongs on a movie soundtrack”.
Rosanna picked:
Chameleon – ‘Best of my Life’: “I’ve been listening to Chameleon’s new song ‘Best of my Life’. Gives me a lot of Dijon and Bon Iver vibes with a kinda Simple Minds twist. Definitely for a song to walk home to when you are not feeling your oats”.
Fontaines DC (Sinéad O’Connor cover) – ‘Black Boys on Mopeds’: “I really like the Fontaines cover of the Sinead O’Connor song. It’s hard to take on any Sinead O’Connor song, but Grian does it justice with his dreary vocals and rough guitar adds so much to the rawness of the song”.
Matthew picked:
Burglar – ‘Lovey’: “Lovey is a colourful, chilled-out slacker rock tune that sits in the back of your mind all day”.
Calum Agnew – ‘Bad Boy’: “A moody, slow burn testament to what modern Irish soul sounds like”.
The best new music of the week:
Sophie May – ‘My Kind Of Freak: The ultimate Sophie May love song that captures her wit, humour and unique approach to universal sentiments. Send it to your crush. [4/5]
Paul McCartney – ‘Days We Left Behind’: As Paul McCartney announced a brand new album, a tear comes to the eye at the idea of him reflecting back on his childhood and early friendship with the Fab Four. This opening song is so tender and lovely, I can already feel myself welling up. [4/5]
Squirrel Flower, Babe Haven and Billie Marten – ‘Wheels’: Gather up all the most beautiful voices in modern music and whack them on one song? Yeah, it’s bound to be incredible. This fresh country tune is so insanely luscious, it’s like velvet on the ears. [4/5]
Suki Waterhouse – ‘Back In Love’: The world needs to wise up and stop underestimating Suki Waterhouse. Time and time again, she delivers music that exists completely in her own lane with no clear reference or realm but her own unique imagination and lyrical tone. This new offering might just be the best of it yet. [3.5/5]
Florence Road – ‘Hanging Out To Dry’: After supporting Wolf Alice around Europe, not only did Florence Road secure their spot as a key one to watch, but lead singer Lily Aron proved her power as one of the most exciting and powerful new voices in rock. On this new EP, all that potential is front, centre and golden. [3.5/5]
Snail Mail – ‘Tractor Beam’: Snail Mail never misses when it comes to delivering fresh, lyrical-led tunes with 1990s influences. On ‘Tractor Beam’, that golden mix of modern indie, shoegaze and ‘90s pop-tinged grunge is great as ever. [3/5]
Bonnie Kempley – ‘Big Machine’: After gaining a lot of hype a few years back, Bonnie Kempley took some time off to figure out their path. Now reemerging, the break has paid off in a refreshed sound that refuses to distract from her beautiful vocals. [3/5]
WineMom – ‘Way Of Life’: Fresh from our playlist curators, Dublin-based WineMom are proud to make outright bangers designed to get a crowd singing along. Singer Rosanna Harrington’s voice is so rich and powerful that it sounds great on each and every track, but this one especially has the chops to be an anthem. [3.5/5]
Lava La Rue – ‘Girl Is A Knife’: For the longest time now, Lava La Rue has been one of the UK’s fiercest creative forces across so many lanes. But as they focus back in on their solo music career, their recent run of tunes has been their strongest work to date, and ‘Girl Is A Knife’ is sharp and strong with a dirty, delicious guitar line. [3.5/5]
Witch Post – ‘Witching Hour’: Witch Post only going from strength to strength. They’ve nailed that delicate balance between timelessness, nostalgia and newness as the collaboration between American Alaska Reid and Scottish Dylan Fraser brings so much to the table, but all of it works. Mostly, it’s the contrast in their two vocals on this track that gives it the magic. [4/5]
Billiam – ‘Asbestos And Me’: Aussie egg-punk hero Billiam returns with a fittingly angular ode to asbestos, driven by garage rock adrenaline and an earworm synthline that will still be rattling around in your head long after the song’s sub-two-minute runtime has passed. [4/5]
Parker Fans – ‘Enemies’: If this week has damped your spirits and worn you out, the new EP from Parker Fans is a must-list. The opening tune, ‘Enemies’, alone is enough to reinvigorate and send you off on the hunt for a fun weekend. [4/5]
Off The Beaten Track – Written and curated by Ben Forrest
The Kanpai Quartet – ‘Sguardo Celestiale’: Retro-styled jazz-funk recorded live at Abbey Road Studios, this new seven-inch cut from Palace Records sounds as though it could have been intended for the soundtrack of some obscure Soviet-era sci-fi flick, in the best possible way. [4/5]
Blademasters – ‘King’s Knight’: A new instrumental outing from Blademasters – the brainchild of Surprise Chef’s Lachlan Stuckey and Cantrips’ Patrick Ryan – this seven-inch cut of laid-back, cinematic funk harks back to the golden age of library LP experimentation and coveted funk soundtracks from back in the 1970s. [3.5/5]
JuJu Rogers – ‘Elohim’: Berlin-based, bass-heavy, and awash with the timeless appeal of funk and soul grooves, this new track from Rogers unites two sides of his cultural heritage, touching upon everything from classic funk to searing punk rock and old-school hip-hop, without ever feeling particularly overbearing. [3.5/5]
The Jammers – ‘Can You Keep It Up?’: Electronic disco infection dug out of the archives by Chicago’s Past Due Records, this 12” single was recorded back in the early 1980s by boogie heroes Jammers, and reportedly intended for their second album, which never materialised. Even as a stand-alone track, though, ‘Can You Keep It Up?’ is an excellent reminder of the magic of the Salsoul icons. [4/5]
