The Big Indie Playlist: The best new music of the week
Another week, another bumper batch of new releases. As always, the music world has been busy churning out hits across every genre imaginable. To ensure you don’t miss out amidst the noise, we’ve done the digging to find the top new tracks we think you should hear.
While this week saw major album releases from the likes of Yard Act, Everything Everything, Faye Webster and more, that’s none of our business. If you’re looking for long plays, head over to our weekly Alternative Album Chart. Right here, we’re delivering an instant fix of the best new hits as we dive into the top singles released this week.
Some major players dropped new tracks as St Vincent made her long-awaited return, Bob Vylan continued their political march and Spanish duo Hinds returned. Elsewhere, new artists shared songs that feel like instant classics, as Willow Avalon does her finest Dolly Parton take, and Bodega go a bit Björk.
It was also a hugely promising week for debut singles and releases from new artists. We’re putting artists like Emma Bradley, Kai Bosch, Annie-Dog and Lane Hartley on your radar now, so you can say you liked them before they got big.
Everything in one place, all you have to do is hit play and dive into the Big Indie playlist to hear the best new sounds across indie, rock, folk and beyond.
Track of the Week:
Kai Bosch – ‘Funny’: Harbouring the kind of obsession that only comes from heartbreak, ‘Funny’ is a new anthem for silent seething. The perfect soundtrack for choking back tears or holding in a scream on public transport, it’s dedicated to Londoners forced to share a tube line with someone who ripped their heart out.
As spoken word, post-punk spirited verses spiral like an anxious mind, and the mid-section collapses into an emotional heap. Refusing catharsis just like the situation itself, Kai Bosch has well and truly managed to translate a feeling into music here. Not only is it endlessly catchy, but the tight two-minute run time is moreish, keeping it on repeat. [5/5]
Instant classics – The top tracks of the week:
St Vincent – ‘Broken Man’: Sound the alarm, St Vincent returns. Self-produced by the artist Annie Clark, this teasing track is back in full force. Packed with suspense and darkness, its slow creep to a roaring climax doubled down on St Vincent’s vast and cinematic style. As the opening to a brand new era and a long-awaited comeback, ‘Broken Man’ is a seductive opener. [4.5/5]
Bob Vylan – ‘Makes Me Violent’: Back with another political banger, Bob Vylan continue to be the gutsy mouthpiece of a generation. This time, they’re tackling the government’s crackdown on protest while the world gets more and more worthy of outrage. [4/5]
Amanda Bergman – ‘Wild Geese, Wild Love’: A gorgeous folk number floating out of Sweden, Amanda Bergman has managed to bottle pure peace on this new release. Simply made with a beautiful voice and a delicate guitar line, let this soundtrack your soft Sundays. [4.5/5]
Cage The Elephant – ‘Out Loud’: Once the soundtrack of our first loves with ‘Cigarette Daydreams’, Cage The Elephant are back and matured on this lovely piano ballad. Built for a big emotional singalong, it’s time to learn the words ready for your next shower cry. [4/5]
Chastity Belt – ‘Chemtrails’: Borrowing from the 1990s riot grrrl era or the northwestern emo scene, Chastity Belt deliver another dark and rumbling guitar number. Continuing to be a tight band with sharp lyricism, this track is no different. [4/5]
Willow Avalon – ‘Gettin’ Rich, Goin’ Broke’: Here’s one to get stuck in your head. Willow Avalon transforms into 1970s Dolly Parton on this outright, old-school country tune. Sung with the most delicious warble in her falsetto, it’s a fresh gloss on a song that feels like it could be a classic. [4.5/5]
On the rise – The best new music of the week:
Hinds – ‘Coffee’: The Spanish band are back and have brought a new earworm with them. We’re not sure what they’ve laced this song with, but something in their vocals seems to force fun into you through your headphones. [4/5]
Bodega – ‘City Is Taken’: There is something Björk inspired in this undeniably appealing track. Sung with a dynamic vocal line and a real bounce in its step, Bodega are merging punk spirit with a fresh artistic flare. [3.5/5]
Van Houten – ‘Only Wanna Be With You’: On a golden run of singles in the lead-up to their debut album, this new cut is no exception. Despite being only two minutes long, their latest track showcases a heavier rock sound that demands to be played loud. [4/5]
The Lovely Eggs – ‘My Moody Wave’: Kitsch and twee in the best way, this track could have been plucked straight from the 2000s when Zooey Deschanel was the ultimate dream girl. It’s so nice to hear a Lancaster accent on a record, so this goes down a treat in our heavily-northern team. [3/5]
Sarah Julia – ‘Mount Fuji’: This sister duo feel set to quickly rise in the folk world thanks to their tight, beautiful harmonies and poetic lyricism. Hailing from Amsterdam, they’re like the Netherland’s answer to First Aid Kit. Only their second song, ‘Mount Fuji,’ is full of promise. [3.5/5]
Homeshake – ‘Basement’: It’s so nice to have Homeshake back and releasing music as he shares his first tracks since 2022. ‘Basement’ is a dark lo-fi track that strips back his earlier sound but leaves the same spirit and talent intact. [3/5]
Emma Bradley – ‘Topanga’: How often do we hear a heartbreak track from the perspective of the dumper? Emma Bradley dares to be the bad guy on her beautiful new cut ‘Topanga’, an anthem for people with avoidant attachment styles and a fear of commitment. With live strings and a classic piano ballad heart layered with perfectly balanced production elements, it’s expertly made. [4/5]
The Blinders – ‘All I Need’: The Blinders’ have come a long way from the outright, raging punk of their debut album. On their latest record, ‘All I Need’ stands out as a considered number with the spirit of Nick Cave meeting Slowdive. [3/5]
Dog Unit – ‘Consistent Effort’: Another new act racing towards the release of their debut, Dog Unit make instrumental music you actually want to listen to. ‘Consistent Effort’ has the spirit of an indie anthem, just without the singalong words. [3/5]
First Spins – The best debut singles of the week:
Lane Hartley – ‘Man On A Bed’: The world will never be too full of beautiful lyrics. Lane Hartley seems to know that as he shares his debut track ‘Man On A Bed’, a song you can imagine a lounge band playing in some film somewhere. [3.5/5]
Martial Arts – ‘Warsaw’: I caught a Martial Arts gig once and have thought about it since. Saying a band has great live energy feels like a cop-out sometimes, but for their debut single, they’ve genuinely managed to bottle it and build on it. [4/5]
Silver Skylarks – ‘Power Moves’: If you said this song was from the 1970s, we’d believe you. Nostalgic in the best way but still fresh enough to deserve your attention, it’s a great one to spin while you get ready for a night on the town. [4/5]
Annie-Dog – ‘The Pressures Of The Heart’: With the production prowess of Pinkpantheress, the indie spirit of Beabadoobee and a freshness that seems utterly her own, Annie-Dog is bursting into the music world with real promise on this debut single. [4/5]
Off The Beaten Track – Left field cuts and global sounds:
Perilymph – ‘Un Instant ou Deux’: Making psychedelic sounds over in France, Perilymph rival King Gizzard on this fantastical new track. Sung in their mother tongue, there’s a romanticism that beautifully contrasts the futuristic instrumental. [3.5/5]
Daisy Rickman – ‘Feed The Forest’: Leaning into the folklore of her home, Daisy Rickman is making pure folk out of Cornwall. Casting off any additions of pop or indie, this is music to run off into the woodlands and dance around a tree to. [3.5/5]
Aziza Brahim – ‘Duaa’: Merging her Western Sahara roots with her travels between Barcelona and other European cities, this new track weaves a global network of influences. Brahim’s voice floats angelically over the top with so much soul. [3/5]
Jahari Massamba Unit – ‘Otis’ Tambourine’: The group call their project an “occasional” thing, meaning that when they release anything, you know it’s going to be worth it. Mixing jazz and hip-hop with a more future-seeking feel, ‘Otis’ Tambourine’ is a perfect piece of instrumental music to whack on to improve the vibes of the day. [3.5/5]
