The Big Indie Playlist: The best new releases of the week
And that’s March done. Slowly, spring comes as we all desperately crawl to summer and festival season. This week, it feels somewhat close, partly due to the nicer weather but mostly due to the mass gaggle of hits thrown our way that feel dangerously like potential festival anthems or soundtracks for brighter days. Gathered into one place, this is the Big Indie Playlist.
This week saw the release of several long-awaited albums. Lucy Dacus shared her emotional opus, Forever Is A Feeling, while Perfume Genius remained as cinematic as ever on Glory. Some artists are keeping up waiting, though, as Black Country, New Road, Little Simz, and Samia are all still teasing us, keeping us anticipating upcoming album drops.
But in equal measure, this week also brought about some happy comebacks. CMAT made her return ready for a brand new era, as did Black Honey. Elsewhere in the world of new music, there is fresh greatness across everything from punk to folk, alt-pop to indie and beyond.
If it’s a new favourite album you’re looking for, head to our weekly Alternative Album Chart, where all the best LPs are gathered. But right here, our business delivers a quick fix of the best new hits all in one place, so you simply have to hit play.
The best new release of the week
Track of the week
CMAT – ‘Running/Planning’: CMAT announced her third album and everyone cheered. And with ‘Running/Planning’ as the comeback track, it’s already written in the stars that this new record will be a good one.
Following on from the lyrical sharpness of 2023’s Crazymad, For Me or the stand-alone single ‘Aw, Shoot’, ‘Running/Planning’ uses her signature wit to dive into something deeper. Unpacking the never-ending social pressures packed onto women, CMAT said, “Running/Planning’ is about having to chase your own tail to be good enough to exist.” But with a more sombre delivery, CMAT’s vocal performance is as vibrant as ever, continuing to solidify her status as one of the best voices we have. [4.5/5]
Instant Classics – The biggest releases of the week
Lucy Dacus – ‘Lost Time’: The entirety of Lucy Dacus’ new album is great, but this closing track is an emotional sucker punch as she boils all the emotions of the record down into this sharp track mourning the lost time missed before surrendering to love. [4.5/5]
St Vincent – ‘DOA’: A St. Vincent delivery is always a joy. Plucked from the soundtrack of the upcoming A24 movie Death Of A Unicorn, this one merges her signature high-tension, high-octane sound with a cinematic edge. [3.5/5]
Black Country, New Road – ‘For the Cold Country’: One week away from the release of their new album, Black Country, New Road get pastoral, keeping intrigue high about how the entire project might shape up. [3.5/5]
Little Simz – ‘Free’: Britain’s finest poet offered up something new as Little Simz is also working towards an album release. On ‘Free’, she muses on love and the right way to do it all. [4/5]
Perfume Genius – ‘Hanging Out’: While definitely not a single, ‘Hanging Out’ stood out as our top pick from the new Perfume Genius release, delivering the same kind of sonic mystery that has always lingered around the artist. [4.5/5]
Must-Hear – New releases to note this week
This Is Lorelei and MJ Lenderman – ‘Dancing In The Club’: A huge moment for a certain niche of music fans. The Lendermaniacs will eat this one up, and we’re included in that. [4/5]
Samia – ‘Pants’: It’s such a treat to have Samia back releasing music, as her angelic voice and sharp poetry are never not beautiful. But ‘Pants’ is something special as it’s richly wistful and gorgeously made. [4/5]
Black Honey – ‘Psycho’: Welcome back to Black Honey. Returning with more high drama rock, ‘Psycho’ continues this cinematic energy, especially alongside the song’s incredible music video. [3.5/5]
Emma-Jean Thackray – ‘Maybe Nowhere’: This is something fun. Endlessly groovy with so many layers and textures at play, Thackray’s vocals dance over the top of a gripping sonic nest that instantly hooks you in. [3.5/5]
The Army, The Navy – ‘Dirty Laundry’: The intro to this song is what i imagine sirens sound like as they coax sailors into the water. But as the duo dives into the lyrics, it becomes a sharp and emotive take on letdowns and being taken for granted. [3/5]
Medium Build – ‘White Male Privilege’: Medium Build only just released an EP but is already back. Takeaways is a gorgeous new project, taking three songs from previous releases and stripping them back to his true country-folk roots and, in turn, making them all the better. [3.5/5]
Little Strange – ‘Bad Days’: The Manchester music scene can be a little hit or miss with so many looming legends often haunting even new music coming from the city, but Little Strange hit it out of the park on this one. Tense, cinematic and then booming to life by the end, it’s the sort of song that deserves bigger and bigger venues. [3.5/5]
Milkweed – ‘Pangs Of Ulster’: I’m a simple music journalist. I see Broadside Hacks Recording, and I know it’s going to be great. The label is home to the most interesting folk around right now, and this new Milkweed track is proof of that, as it leaves you feeling haunted. [4/5]
Lilo – ‘Blood Ties’: The title track to Lilo’s record is gorgeous, but so is the entire record. Allow yourself the time, listen from start to finish, and thank us later. [4/5]
Independent Spirit – The best unsigned track of the week
False Futures – ‘Fire Movement’: One of the finest acts on the London live scene right now, False Futures have more than translated that to their recording with this debut release. It’s a perfect balance between something timeless and classically indie, but with mix-ins of something different to keep it fresh amongst the masses. With so many guitar bands around, it’s often hard to know who to give your time and effort to, but from the sounds of ‘Fire Movement’ and the b-side, ‘Alister’s Conundrum’, False Futures are one to care about. [4/5]
Off the beaten track – Left-field sounds, curated and written by Ben Forrest
Salin – ‘Rammana’: Blending traditional sounds with the contemporary influences of R&B, disco, and soul, Bangkok-born drummer and songwriter Salin Cheewapansri captures an incredible energy on the title track of her newly released album. A rammana is a type of drum typically used in traditional music in Thailand and surrounding nations, but its expansive history as a percussion instrument is conveyed beautifully within this track. [4.5/5]
Pedro Mizutani & Skinshape – ‘Criaturas da Noite’: Rio De Janeiro is a world away from Swanage, England, but this collaboration between Brazilian musical prodigy Pedro Mizutani and London-based Skinshape is a match made in heaven. A frustratingly short exploration of lush MPB rhythm, the infectious nature of Mizutani’s voice makes the June release date of the full album, Mostrando os Dentes, seem depressingly far away. [4.5/5]
The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble – ‘Gemini’: Afro-funk is alive and well in 2025, and the upcoming album release by San Diego’s 9-piece instrumental outfit is a prime example of that fact. The album’s title track is a notable triumph of brass-heavy jazz-funk infused with the timeless groove of Afrofunk and elements of Latin jazz. [4/5]
Voodoocuts – ‘Latin Drummer’: Uluru Records’ latest act of musical defiance, ‘Latin Drummer’ sees Italian DJ and producer Voodoocuts craft a compelling breakdance single with heavy reliance on Latin rhythms in addition to modern hip-hop breaks. Everything a great dance record should contain is present in this seven-inch slice of Latin-infused excellence. [4/5]
Kibbi Gibbon – ‘Still Dreamin’’: Using a range of vintage equipment, German hip-hop producer Georgy Whistler – under the name Kibbi Gibbon – crafted this smooth, spaced-out synth-funk with a suitably deep bassline, that transports the listener to a sun-soaked land of funk wonderment. [3.5/5]
