The Big Indie Playlist: The best new releases of the week
Another week has come and gone in a flash and with it, hundreds of thousands of new songs. Each week, there is more new music released than anyone could ever keep up with. Some good, some bad and some truly great, The Big Indie Playlist is hear to make sure nothing golden is missed.
It feels like everyone in the world is announcing an album or a project to come later in the year. Quickly adding to the lists of hotly anticipated releases, each new bit of news typically comes along with a teaser of what’s to come. On the build-up to LPs dropping in a few months, Samia and Blondeshell both offered up great new tracks this week, keeping that excitement going, while acts like Sam Fender and The Murder Captial finally shared their whole eagerly awaited records.
But there were also some surprise releases. Fontaines D.C. wasted no time giving their fans more as they shared a new stand-alone single. Suki Waterhouse did the same as she followed up her 2024 record with ‘Dream Woman’, a seductive new number. Peace is also making their fans happy as the record they released on a password-protected website back in 2023 seems to finally be making its way onto streamers.
From pure indie to pure folk, emotional outpourings to tracks to dance to, heavier numbers to soft singing, there’s something for everyone here. If it’s a new favourite album you’re looking for, head to the Alternative Album Chart. But right here, we’re delivering a quick fix of the best new hits.
The best new music of the week
Track of the week:
Greta Isaac – ‘Way Too Much’: Greta Isaac’s new EP Productive Pain is less of a project and more of an overflow. Recorded live to tape at Middle Farm, a studio the artist sees as a kind of second home after crafting the entire FIZZ album there as part of the band, the EP is an outpouring of tricky emotions that demanded to be picked apart and analysed. Designed to be listened to in one sitting, I’d highly recommend that as Isaac shares the whole project in one video below.
But at the centre, ‘Way Too Much’ stands as an emotional climax. After ‘Stuck On The Ceiling’ and ‘I’m Sad & I’m Angry & I’m Scared That You Hate Me’ feel like the slow opening up of a therapy session, ‘Way Too Much’ is the breakthrough moment that often comes disguised as a breakdown. “How can someone feel like way too much and not enough?” Isaac essentially screams in the final moments as the music crescendos, and the lack of answers to their various questions and contemplations demands some form of catharsis. [4.5/5]
Instant classics – The biggest new releases of the week
Samia – ‘Lizard’: Working towards the release of her third album in April, ‘Lizard’ is fun, glitchy and returns to the signature vocally affected sound Samia has always played with on her projects. [3/5]
Suki Waterhouse – ‘Dream Woman’: After her debut album, Memoir Of A Sparklemuffin, more than proved her worth as an artist beyond being brushed off as a ‘Model, Actress, Whatever’ as she sings of, this follow-up single is further evidence. Moody, cinematic and led by her unique vocals, it’s a seductive odyssey of a song. [3.5/5]
Sam Fender – ‘TV Dinner’: On Sam Fender’s new album, this is the song you should listen to very closely. As the lyrics unpack Fender’s complex feelings towards his platform, the way the music industry feeds off pain and his fear that he might not survive it, it’s a staggering and powerful piece. [5/5]
Perfume Genius and Aldous Harding – ‘No Front Teeth’: Put these two artists together and beauty was inevitable. As two deeply unique and atmospheric performers, this duo song combined the best of both for something truly gorgeous. [4/5]
Fontaines D.C – ‘Amazing To Be Young’: Ready to soundtrack a year’s worth of memories, this new Fontaines D.C song is sure to make any moment feel like a movie montage as a true ode to the beauty in the chaos of youth. [4/5]
Must-hear – New releases to note this week
Sunday (1994) – ‘Doomsday’: Every single song Sunday (1994) put out feels like a whole movie in a neat little radio-ready package, and ‘Doomsday’ is no different. Powered by some rich and gorgeous guitar moments, it’s another cinematic masterpiece from the band. [3.5/5]
Blondshell – ‘Two Times’: Blondshell has such a way with words when it comes to unique ways to express tricky feels. Always defying cliche, this somewhat love song is a perfect example of that. [4/5]
Eliza Niemi – ‘Melodies Like Mark’: Unique, folky, left-field but stunningly emotive, Eliza Niemi’s music captures all of that, and this new track shows it well. With each new song, her musical mind becomes more colourful and intriguing. [3.5/5]
Peace – ‘Swimming With Dolphins’: Actually, this song came out in 2023 when Peace shared a new record on a password-protected website only. But now, this track from that record, Utopia, is finally on streamers and sounds as great as ever, as the band truly never miss. [3.5/5]
The Murder Capital – ‘A Distant Life’: A stand-out moment from our album of the week, the focus is firmly on the lyricism here as the band roars around the great central vocal performance. [4.5/5]
Witch Post – ‘Dreaming’: Back in November, Witch Post’s debut single ‘Chill Out’ was so powerful it immediately made people pay attention. Now on their third release, as they announce their debut EP, ‘Dreaming’ keeps the hype going, with a slight musical nod to the Blondie song of the same name. [4/5]
Rosie Alena – ‘Babies’: A truly stunning song. Rosie Alena’s voice sounds heavenly, the lyricism is heavy with feeling, and the orchestral details of the song elevate it all to greatness. A love song about the end of love; it’s a special one. [4/5]
Spitzer Space Telescope – ‘Midwest Tribute Song’: From any artist signed to the Broadside Hacks label, you can expect some interesting, atmospheric, pure folk. This song from Michigan-born, London-based artist Dan MacDonald is no different as a song that feels like the work of a time traveller, not of a new 2025 one to watch. [3/5]
Lowblock – ‘Give It Away’: Each week, we try to give you one song to blow the cobwebs away, and this week, it comes from Lowblock as their debut single sees them kick down the doors to the music world. Meeting in Sheffield but now playing in London, ‘Give It Away’ seems to capture the best of the two scenes; Sheffield’s loud and rowdy DIY ethos and London’s electric energy. [3/5]
Martin Luke Brown – ‘Back 2 Ya!’: Martin Luke Brown’s entire new album, Man Oh Man!, is a worthy lesson as a beautiful contemplation on masculinity, heartbreak and friendship. But ‘Back 2 Ya!’ is a standout as he speaks directly to his old FIZZ bandmates and that era of their lives and careers, and they each returned to their solo projects. [3.5/5]
Independent Spirit – Independent release of the week
Radio Anorak – ‘Sword Of Moses’: Going almost immediately from your debut gig to releasing your debut album is a bold move, but that’s the beauty of being independent – you can do what you want. Radio Anorak wasted no time as their first-ever gig was only in December, supporting The New Eves. But when listening to this debut album, and especially this standout track, it’s easy to see why they skipped the whole rigmarole with a vision as tight and clear as this. [4/5]
Off The Beaten Track – Left-field sounds, curated and written by Ben Forrest
Sababa 5 & Sophia Solomon – ‘Shehzadi – शहज़ादी’: Another limited release from London’s Batov Records which defies borders and genre conventions. Indian-born vocalist Sophia Solomon imbues the lush track with her effortlessly gorgeous Bollywood-influenced vocals, while Sababa 5 injects the track with their distinctive Middle Eastern groove. [4/5]
Collignon – ‘Terra Nigra’: Taken from their latest offering, Bicicleta, this song sees the Portuguese trio delve into the expansive world of retro synthesisers. Within the mix, you can hear everything from the Afrobeat of William Onyeabor to the infectious samba of South America. It is a trip that is certainly worth taking. [4/5]
Abramo & Néstor – ‘Dig It!’: Another slice of retro mod coolness from London’s Original Gravity label, ‘Dig It!’ evokes old-school R&B floor-fillers like Booker T’s ‘Green Onions’, while retaining a sense of modernity and originality. [3.5/5]
