The Big Indie Playlist: The best new music of the week
It has been a big week for music. Old stars returned while new ones emerged. Some of the year’s mostly highly anticipated albums landed, and some new artists shared tracks of real promise. Boiling down all the need-to-know information, here is your one-stop new music shot.
This week saw the release of The Last Dinner Party’s hotly awaited debut album, Prelude To Ecstasy. Seemingly having the world gripped, it earned both our album and track of the week accolades thanks to its theatrical energy.
Elsewhere, Billy Joel announced his comeback and shared a new single. Bombay Bicycle Club had us feeling nostalgic too, as they reunited with Lucy Rose, a vital collaborator on their early works, for a new track. Del Water Gap and Holly Humberstone also shared a strong collaboration for fans of feel-good indie.
Rising stars like Holly Macve, Dolores Forever and Cruush delivered new tracks. Margot Liotta shared a beautiful folk number, while Enjoyable Listens is ready to soundtrack wild weekend nights.
If you’re looking for your new favourite album, head to our weekly Alternative Album Chart. But for a quick fix of new music, dive into the Big Indie Playlist.
The best new music of the week:
Track of the week:
The Last Dinner Party – ‘Burn Alive’: There is perhaps no song as important in any artist’s career as the opening track to their debut album. It’s the ultimate statement of intention, opening the curtains on the first serious project. On Prelude To Ecstasy, The Last Dinner Party immediately set their sights on grand things. After an orchestral prelude acting as an overture, ‘Burn Alive’ is an endlessly powerful opener to one of the year’s most exciting releases.
Starting slow and sensual, bottling all the mystery and melodrama of the band, it quickly bursts open into indie pop greatness. “I am not the girl I set out to be”, lead singer Abigail Morris sings, yet she seems set to become a real frontrunner in the music world if the band continue building as they are. [5/5]
Instant Classics – the best new release of the week:
Paramore – ‘Burning Down The House’: Paramore covering Talking Heads was always going to be great. Their take on the classic as part of a new A24 covers compilation album delivers on all the fun of the original, tackling the track with the enthusiasm and energy it deserves. [5/5]
Royel Otis – ‘Murder On The Dance Floor’: It seems one cover can change everything. After covering this Sophie Ellis Bextor classic for Triple J’s Like A Version, Royel Otis have the world paying attention thanks to this infectious indie take. [4.5/5]
Bombay Bicycle Club + Lucy Rose – ‘Willow’: Whenever Bombay Bicycle Club and Lucy Rose get together, it’s magic. Her angelic vocals are such an essential part of some of their best hits, as Rose’s vocals meld perfectly with lead singer Jack Steadman’s. More so than any of their other recent tracks, ‘Willow’ feels like a return to form. [4/5]
Billy Joel – ‘Turn The Lights Back On’: The ‘Piano Man’ is back. This new cut might not be his finest work, but it is a new and exciting piece of his endlessly strong musical legacy. With the same strong, sentimental feel captured in all his work, it’s a worthy new track. [4/5]
On The Rise
Margot Liotta – ‘In My Bones’: The perfect soundtrack to a moody evening walk or a sombre night at home, Liotta seems to have studied at the school of Adrianne Lenker or Phoebe Bridgers. This delicate track is simply beautiful. [3.5/5]
Del Water Gap + Holly Humberstone – ‘Cigarettes & Wine’: Two of indie pop’s biggest successes of recent years come together for this feel-good track. It is a sweet, danceable ditty of a love song; the vibes are great. [3.5/5]
EFE – ‘Truth Truth’: Singing out of Dublin, EFE delivers good old-fashioned indie rock on ‘Truth Truth’. When the breakdown hits, and the energy ramps up, this rager is packed with catharsis. [4/5]
Holly Macve – ‘Time Is Forever’: It’s a powerful move to have Lana Del Rey feature on your EP, and that still may not be the best track. ‘Time Is Forever’ usurped ‘Suburban House’ as Macve’s finest work yet as her wistful sound expands into something bigger with real Mazzy Star energy. [4/5]
Dolores Forever – ‘Someday Best’: Everyone needs a feel-good, fun track to dust the cobwebs off. Dolores Forever provides perfected indie pop with catchy rhythms and silly lyricism about loving yourself and just eating the pasta if you want it. [3/5]
BADBADNOTGOOD – ‘Take What’s Given’: Straddling the worlds of jazz, soul, hip-hop and sometimes electronic, BADBADNOTGOOD aren’t afraid of some genre-blending. But on ‘Take What’s Given’, the energy is pure nostalgic greatness, sharing a great song with real soul. [4/5]
Cruush – ‘Headspace’: A key one of watching coming out of Manchester at the moment is Cruush. Sharing something darker and infinitely more interesting than the city’s tired indie scene, their shoegaze leaning alt-sound on ‘Headspace’ is captivating. [3/5]
First Round – Best debut single of the week
Suon – ‘Planeten Dantza’: The first single from Suon is an intriguing cut. Merging Spanish guitar sounds with electronic details and a Radiohead-inspired vocal line, ‘Planeten Dantza’ has a lot going on, and all of it is good. [4/5]
Off The Beaten Track – Deep dives and left-field cuts
Enjoyable Listens – ‘Tear Up The Pictures Of My Kids’: Depeche Mode meets Orville Peck meets Pet Shop Boys, Enjoyable Listens has a distinct energy. Theatrical to the furthest degree and delivered with a wink and cheeky grin, it’s an addictive one. [4/5]
Emma Bradley – ‘Love You From Afar (demo)’: Sometimes, to revive themselves, an artist needs to step away for a second. Emma Bradley has plenty of music out on Spotify, but her latest YouTube demos feel like an artist rediscovering their love of their craft and building from the ground up again. Well worth a deep dive to find. [4/5]
