The Big Indie Playlist: the best new music this week
There must have been something in the water this week because musicians came out in their droves to deliver new songs, with so many of them being incredible. This week alone, it feels like a whole new heap of contenders has been added to the competition for song of the summer. Putting them all in one place for your easy judgment, welcome to the Big Indie Playlist.
The greatness came in from artists on all levels. At the top, established names like Mac DeMarco, Alice Phoebe Lou and Nick Lowe offered up newness. Grammy-winning Laufey shared a gorgeous cover of a classic standard, while Role Model and Lizzy McAlpine linked up as the two leaders of the Ones-to-Watch league.
But impressive tracks also came in from the world of smaller artists, all of which deserve more attention. Paris Paloma continued her rise to the top with another folk-horror epic, while Martin Luke Brown released the most devastating heartbreak song that’s been heard in some time. Names like Dutch Mustard, October and the Eyes, bby, ELLiS-D, and more are all ones to note, and they are sharing new music that’s bound to level them up.
If you’re looking for your new favourite album, head to our weekly Alternative Album Chart for a ranking of this week’s new LPs. But for a quick fix of new hits, listen to all the best singles of the week in our bumper playlist.
The best new music of the week:
Track of the week
The Howl and The Hum – ‘Dirt’: Sam Griffiths, or The Howl and The Hum, has always had a knack for finding unique vantage points for being feelings. Their fan favourite track, ‘Hostages’, considered heartbreak from the moment when the stuff is exchanged, and the breakup is over, leaving two old lovers to just be strangers. Their new piece ‘Dirt’ feels like a sequel to that, looking at it from a distance and wondering, ‘What now?’
“I know all your passwords, and you know mine as well / We’ve seen each other’s bodies at their worst and their best,” Griffiths sings as if picking through the rubble of what’s left and questioning what he’s supposed to do with it. As the music swells to a big Springsteen-like climax, it’s a grippingly unique track that continues to Griffith’s lyrical power and the band’s unending potential as they race to release their sophomore album. [4.5/5]
Instant Classics – The biggest new releases of the week
Laufey – ‘Where or When’: As part of a new compilation tape, Grammy award-winning jazz artist Laufey unleashes another perfect ballad. Reimagining the standard taken on by Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, she continues to lock in her position in their grand lineage of classic, crooning stars. [4/5]
Alice Phoebe Lou – ‘The World Above’: Fan favourite songwriter Alice Phoebe Lou returns with a folk-twanged new offering. It’s exactly what would be expected of Lou: stunning, angelically sung and glowing with sunny energy. [4/5]
Mac DeMarco and Ryan Paris – ‘Still What I’m Looking For’: A delicious love song of the rarest variety: a simple celebration of contentment with a long-term companion. The gentle strumming sweetness arrives at an effortlessly catchy chorus that proves more moreish than Pringles. [4/5]
Role Model and Lizzy McAlpine – ‘So Far Gone’: Two of the biggest names to note in the world of indie-pop have teamed up here as Role Model and Lizzy McAlpine create something beautiful. ‘So Far Gone’ is truly the hidden treasure on Role Model’s debut album, Kansas Anymore. [4/5]
Nick Lowe, Los Straitjackets – ‘Different Kind of Blue’: A wise old ditty from the glorious days of AM radio, cut by one of Britain’s finest songsmiths. [4/5]
Los Bitchos – ‘Kiki, You Complete Me’: It’s impossible not to love Los Bitchos unless you hate fun and good vibes. ‘Kiki, You Complete Me’ delivers their signature high energy, boogie-ready sound that should soundtrack ice-cold cocktails this weekend. [4/5]
On the rise – New releases to note this week
Pale Jay – ‘The Garden’: One of music’s many masked crusaders of late, Pale Jay ploughs on with his modern soulful R&B. It might not be his greatest vocal take to date, but the groove remains serene. [4/5]
Paris Paloma – ‘The Warmth’: Ever since her single ‘Labour’ blew up, Paris Paloma has been on a rocket trip to the top. But with each new track, she proves why she deserves it. ‘The Warmth’ is no different, with vivid folk-horror vibes and delicious sonic layering. [4/5]
Bby – ‘Kinky’: Bby might have just put in solid content for the song of the summer with this infectious indie bop that races into battle with a high-octane guitar line that begs to be on repeat. [4/5]
Fat Dog – ‘Wither’: For festival goers across Europe, prepare to have this song soundtrack some scenes of total and utter carnage at Fat Dog’s live sets. Delivering more unrelenting power that captures the band’s unruly energy, it’s exactly what their frantic fans are desperate for. [4/5]
Imogen and the Knife – ‘Paris Night’: A Geordie just wrote the best song about Paris since Francois Hardy back in the 1960s. This track should populate romantic French-themed playlists everywhere, offering a moment of cinematic escapism. [3.5/5]
Martin Luke Brown – ‘Tug Of War’: A heartbreak track is nothing new, but occasionally a new one comes along and stands out. Martin Luke Brown’s new contribution to the genre is so beautiful, with sharp, heart-aching lyrics and a vocal performance that feels brutally honest. If you’re fresh from a breakout, proceed with caution… [4/5]
October and the Eyes – ‘Rubber Gloves’: The new EP from October and the Eyes feels like a prime example of the greatness that comes from an artist with a clear vision being left alone to bring it to life. ‘Rubber Gloves’ is a real stand out, with the energy of Patti Smith, PJ Harvey and all the other grand women of punk. [4.5/5]
ELLiS-D – ‘Carousel’: David Byrne meets David Bowie in a goth club to have a dance with Ian Curtis. ELLiS-D’s sound is a culmination of incredible influences but delivered with an electric freshness. ‘Carousel’ is simply the latest display of his talent. [4/5]
Dutch Mustard – ‘Loser’: Dutch Mustard’s shoegaze sound linked up with Bill Ryder-Jones’ talent for poetic lyricism for this co-written offering. I’ve caught Dutch Mustard a few times in support act slots, but this track deserves the headline spotlight. [3.5/5]
Drug Church – ‘Demolition Man’: Marking the announcement of their fifth album, Prude, Albany legends Drug Church have released ‘Demolition Man’. Featuring the band’s typical crunching guitars, hooky melodies and frontman Patrick Kindlon’s wry social commentary, it’s the first sign that the follow-up to 2022’s Hygiene is to be a stellar one. [4.5/5]
First spin – Debut single of the week
Elliot James Reay – ‘I Think They Call It Love’: This surely is not a new debut single in 2024. This has to be some crooning track from the 1950s that the girls will twirl their hair and scream at. Elliot James Reay was born in the wrong decade but sounds just as incredible in this cruel modern world. [4/5]
Off The Beaten Track – Left-field sounds
Zeca Pagodinho, Seu Jorge – ‘Saudade Louca’: A shot of tequila, a dash of triple sec and lime, all shaken with some ice and poured into a salt-rimmed glass. That’s what this song sounds like. [4/5]
Emilia Sisco, Cold Diamond & Mink – ‘Lemon & Lime Sours’: Another summer-dipped track comes from this rising Finnish vocalist with a piece that is rich in retro soul energy. [3/5]
