The Big Indie Playlist: The best new music of the week
Another week, another huge influx of music. It’s impossible to keep up as hundreds of thousands of new tracks land on Spotify every week from artists of all shapes, sizes, genres and styles. But that’s where we come in, cutting through the noise to deliver the must-hear new music directly to you in one playlist.
This week was an especially busy one. One of the most hotly anticipated releases of the year landed in the form of English Teacher’s stand-out debut, This Could Be Texas. Earning a perfect five-star rating from us and our album of the week crowd, it was a tough job trying to pick just one track to add to the playlist.
There were also new offerings from major names like The Lemon Twigs, Crowded House, The Mysterines and more. Liverpool favourites STONE announced their long-awaited debut, as did Manchester’s Abbie Ozard, giving us something to look forward to later in the year.
Up-and-coming artists also put in a shift, delivering some incredible new tracks across indie, rock, folk, pop and beyond. Mouse Teeth got poetic on the stunningly life-affirming cut ‘Playing The Hermit’, while Nell Mescal is out to break hearts on ‘Yellow Dresser’.
If you’re looking for long plays, head to our weekly Alternative Album Chart to find your new favourite record. But for a quick fix of the best new hits, all put in one place, so you simply have to hit play. Welcome to the Big Indie Playlist.
The best new music of the week
Track of the week
The Lemon Twigs – ‘How Can I Love Her More?’: The Lemon Twigs‘ latest single sees them delve deeper into The Beach Boys groove than ever before. Thankfully, it is, frankly, one of the finest grooves in music history, so this delve pays dividends. The D’Addario brothers offer up sweetness, sanguinity, and just a hint of something slightly sinister with performative aplomb, crafting a cracking soundtrack to the summer.
Horns provide a background, while Pet Sounds-styled layering blurs the keys and modality, creating something that is seamlessly catchy. Further exemplifying their compositional mastery is a middle eight that adds intrigue to the weeping melody. The 1960s are a spell of art worth celebrating and The Lemon Twigs do it in such a way that feels gloriously fulfilling. [5/5]
Instant Classics – The biggest new songs of the week
Crowded House – ‘Teenage Summer’: As I’m writing this, it’s 20 degrees and sunny in London. Spring is here, summer is looming, and Crowded House want you to find a crush to seal the deal and embrace the giddy energy of the upcoming season. [3/5]
English Teacher – ‘I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying’: It’s a tough task trying to pick just one track from our five-star album of the week. Unrelenting instrumentation and ranting, rambling vocals make ‘I’m Not Crying’ a stand-out track, an impressive feat to achieve amidst the sheer consistency of quality on This Could Be Texas. [4.5/5]
Camera obscura – ‘Liberty Print’: Camera Obscure declare that whimsy never goes out of style. With their typically kitsch sound, ‘Liberty Print’ is dreamy and hazy in the best way. [3.5/5]
Suki Waterhouse – ‘My Fun’: Suki Waterhouse starred in Daisy Jones and the Six and seemingly never got out of the 1970s costume. This new track is nostalgic, spontaneous and as fun as the title suggests. [4/5]
Stone – ‘My Thoughts Go’: Finally, the Liverpudlian lot, Stone, announced their debut album this week. Offering up this track as a first insight, ‘My Thoughts Go’ is anthemic and huge, set to sound amazing this festival season. [4/5]
The Mysterines – ‘Sink Your Teeth’: Prepping for the release of their sophomore album, we love what we’re hearing from round two of The Mysterines. ‘Sink Your Teeth’ takes a big bite out of a grungier, sexier sound. It’s tasty. [4/5]
On The Rise – Tracks to note from ones to watch
Mouse Teeth – ‘Playing The Hermit’: I’ve had this track on repeat since Monday, and with each new listen, a different line sticks out. As a song in two halves, the first is a tender ballad on isolation. But as the music crescendos and then bursts to life, the poem is so incredibly life-affirming it will bring a tear to the eye. For only a second single, ‘Playing The Hermit’ is mature, unique and adventurous. Mouse Teeth is one to take note of. [5/5]
Jesse Jo Stark – ‘Skeleton’: While her debut album was maximalist and big, the latest releases from Jesse Jo Stark are stripped back and simple. ‘Skeleton’ lets her vocals and lyricism sit in the limelight for this bitterly emotional cut. [3/5]
Sophie May – ‘Tiny Dictator’: Sophie May knows this song could be controversial. Dealing with her experience with Pure O, a type of OCD, she lets her intrusive thoughts take over the pen for this savage look at how her brain works. [3.5/5]
Esme Emerson – ‘Show You (Truck Song)’: This is exactly what I want to listen to as the weather begins to brighten and the days stretch longer. Only the second single from the brother-sister duo, the pair feel like they could become an indie outfit to pay keen attention to. [4/5]
Abbie Ozard – ‘Anything For You’: Manchester’s Abbie Ozard announced her debut album with this infectious indie cut. While the verses are a slow burn, the chorus hooks you right in. [3.5/5]
Ellur – ‘Boys’: There is something about Ellur’s voice that I love. There is such a unique depth to it that makes her work feel so rich and luxurious. This new cut is no different. [3.5/5]
Wunderhorse – ‘Midas’: A huge new track from Wunderhorse right here. At only two minutes long, this short but sharp track packs a real punch as the band announce their return with plenty of dedicated fans still waiting and surely more to come with a track of this quality. [4/5]
Goat Girl – ‘Motorway’: Much like a long motorway drive, this track is chugging and rolling. It’s a road trip, not a sprint, as it refuses to fully crescendo into anything but keeps you hooked regardless. [3/5]
Nell Mescal – ‘Yellow Dresser’: The specificity in Nell Mescal’s songs is so hypnotic. That’s especially shown on her new cut ‘Yellow Dresser’, a classic indie ballad that bursts to full-band life with the chorus. “I don’t know how to love you anymore,” she sings, and hearts worldwide break with her. [4/5]
Rat-Tails – ‘Flowers’: Rat-Tails feel like one of the most interesting bands in London right now. Daring to do something different to their peers and existing in their own weird, Lynchian world, ‘Flowers’ is another soundtrack for that. [3.5/5]
Volk Soup – ‘The Commisorator’: Need to blow the cobwebs of the week away? Hit play on this one. Leeds’ Volk Soup are a chaotic gaggle of horns and synths here, but a catchy one. [3.5/5]
Off The Beaten Track – Global sounds and left-field cuts
Keaton Henson + Daniel Herskedal – ‘Try’: Announcing his new album in a typical mysterious fashion, Keaton Henson has shared this deeply emotive instrumental piece alongside Daniel Herskedal, a Norwegian jazz tubist. While instrumentals can often be overlooked, this is too beautiful to skip. [4/5]
Joe & The Shitboys – ‘PLEASE SEEK HELP’: On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, there’s this. Under one minute long and more a storming chant than a song, Joe & The Shitboys are getting right to the point. [3/5]
Lefteris Volanis + Dimitris Pagidis – ‘Mesaeon’: Pop and jazz merge into something beautiful on this new track by two Greek artists. [3.5/5]
Cuca Roseta + Seu Jorge – ‘Até A Fé Se Esqueceu’: I’m not sure we can really deem this ‘off the beaten track’ when Seu Jorge is one of Brazil’s biggest and most beloved names. But this new collaboration with the Portuguese singer Roseta is beautiful. [3.5/5]
