The Big Indie Playlist: The best new releases of the week
All of a sudden, summer is over. This week, the Far Out team had a conversation about turning the heating on, so it’s suddenly vividly clear that the glory days of the sunny season are over. But to cushion the blow as the weather worsens, a huge batch of incredible new tracks came out this week for another great instalment of the Big Indie Playlist.
The title is deceptive. All genres are considered here. This week saw the release of some pure folk from Mermaid Chunky, another club banger from Charli XCX, glitchy electro-pop from FKA Twigs and plenty of great guitar music from bands and artists of all scales and sizes.
It also saw the long-awaited release of some stand-out records, as well as the return of artists the world hasn’t heard from in a while. Ben Howard made a comeback with a track that feels like a real return to his former glory, Self Esteem launched a brand new era with ‘Love Second Music First’, and Suki Waterhouse established herself as an indie-pop force to not be underestimated with her new album.
But if it’s a full record you’re after, head to our weekly Alternative Album Chart for the best of the long plays. Right here, we’re serving up a quick fix of the best new hits as we place all the top songs of the week into one easy playlist.
The best new releases of the week:
Track of the week
Luvcat – ‘He’s My Man’: After the huge breakout success of her debut single, ‘Matador’, Luvcat is back. On this new track, she takes your hand, welcomes you into her twisted, cinematic world and settles you down at the kitchen table. Around you stands a gothic abode where a lovestruck and obsessive wife lives with her husband, who seems to mysteriously be getting sicker and sicker…
As if Lana Del Rey sang a 1990s Nick Cave murder ballad, ‘He’s My Man’ makes a love song out of a horror movie plot. Her voice sounds gorgeous with some stunning folkish lilts to it, while her band swell around her with theatrical rock power. Everything serves the story at heart as Luvcat croons an ode to her man as she slowly poisons him so he’ll never, ever leave her. [4.5/5]
Instant classics – The biggest releases of the week
Suki Waterhouse – ‘Gateway Drug’: With the release of her latest album, Memoir of a Sparklemuffin, Waterhouse defies anyone who dares to still shrug her off as just a model/actor playing where she doesn’t belong. Instead, this record is realised, thorough and glorious, with this opening track starting the quality off high with a powerful rock instrumental. [4/5]
Self Esteem – ‘Love Second Music First’: A new era of Self Esteem is upon us. Following ‘Big Man’, ‘Love Second Music First’ feels like a modernist and layered return to tracks like ‘(Hobbies)’ or ‘Rollout’ where her voice sits strong amongst a busy background. [3.5/5]
Charli XCX + Troye Sivan – ‘Talk Talk’: Thought Brat summer was over? Well, Charli XCX just declared Brat autumn with this new remix featuring Troye Sivan as the pair prep to head out on tour together. As with each of these feature remixes, it always feels impossible to improve on the original track, but they manage it as this new version is endlessly more fun. [4.5/5]
Ben Howard – ‘How Are You Feeling?’: Now there’s a throw back name. For anyone who fell off the Ben Howard train back in the 2010s, it’s time to climb back aboard as this new track is genuinely interesting and hauntingly beautiful. [4/5]
FKA Twigs – ‘Eusexua’: FKA Twigs returns with a glitchy, textured new track reminiscent of her earliest EPs. Maintaining the same Bjork-ish tendencies that colours all her work, Twigs’ angelic voice soars on this new song. [3.5/5]
On the rise – New releases to note this week
Flat Party – ‘All Been Done Before’: For anyone looking for a new guitar band to get behind, Flat Party are one to watch. Their lyricism is always so original, with a nice dose of humour for good measure, and ‘All Been Done Before’ is a perfect example of their strengths: solid instrumentation, a great frontman vocal and a splash of silliness. [4/5]
Jacob Diamond – ‘Two Years Of Breaking Up’: OK, Diamond’s album is two weeks old now, but after a support slot at Julia Jacklin’s London show, it’s new to us, and we’d never forgive ourselves if we didn’t put you onto this incredible track. [4.5/5]
Nilüfer Yanya – ‘Binding’: For those in the know, Yanya has been one of the most exciting names in British indie for quite some time now. But with her latest album My Method Actor, she deserves to shoot to star status. [4.5/5]
Angie McMahon – ‘Beginner’: There are some voices that would sound heavenly no matter what they were singing. McMahon has one of them but also happens to be an amazing songwriter, so it’s a win-win. [4/5]
Deadletter – ‘Auntie Christ’: Deadletter’s new album closes with its most versatile and distinctive track, which feels truly intoxicating with a unique instrumental build. [4/5]
Friedberg – ‘Hardcore Workout Queen’: Reminiscent of Wolf Alice, this new one from Friedberg has the chops to be a new indie anthem, deserving to be played loud from festival stages. [3.5/5]
Hank – ‘Pull It Off’: London-based troupe Hank just dropped one of the most interesting EPs of the year with this stand-out track being a unique build of strong guitar lines, whispering and woozy vocals and a looseness that is infatuating. [4/5]
Hataałii – ‘Go Ahead and Try’: With some disco-inclined reverb and a hooky drum beat yet maintaining a decidedly experimental streak, this standout track from Hataałii’s new album is a good example as to why it’s a must-listen new LP. [4/5]
Hello Mary – ‘Bubble’: We’d put every song from our album of the week in here, but this deeply cinematic cut is a true standout. Hoisted on the back of the acoustic pattern and ghostly dovetailing vocals, this is a track that you cannot resist washing over you. [4.5/5]
Cumgirl8 – ‘Ahhhh!hhhh! (I Don’t Wanna Go)’: Each week, we try to deliver one track that will dust off the cobwebs of the week and bring in the weekend spirit. Despite being a song about not wanting to go out to the party, this might just be the fuel needed to get you to put your shoes on and head to the dance. [4/5]
Julie Dawson – ‘I Get Lost In This House’: Newdad’s vocalist just dropped her solo album and, as expected, it’s completely stunning. This hazy, shoegazey number is a standout amongst a golden tracklist. [4.5/5]
First spin – Debut single of the week
Viola Odette Harlow – ‘Human’: This isn’t Harlow’s first rodeo. Previously known as Glüme, she’s struggling off her own moniker for something decidedly more cinematic. Gliding through her experiences within the entertainment industry with a poetic flare and angelic vocal, it’s deeply moving and expertly done. With more sure to come, it feels like Harlow is set to level up from what came before in this new, more honest, era. [4/5]
Off the beaten track – Left-field sounds
Mermaid Chunky – ‘Medeval’: On their new debut album slif slaf slof, Mermaid Chunky join the wave of new artists who are utterly dedicated to the pure folk revival. This track especially feels plucked straight from the Wicker Man soundtrack, as if it should be sung around some kind of ceremonial bonfire. Cinematic isn’t a strong enough word. This feels less like a song and more like a spiritual experience that sends you back into the rural past. [4/5]
Juniore – ‘Elle Est où?’: French indie pop favourites delivered a great new record this week, with this track being a clear standout thanks to the kind of Parisian coolness that we all wish we had. [4/5]
