The Big Indie Playlist: The best new releases of the week
2024 is racing to a close. Suddenly, conversations are turning to the tunes that could be in the running for track of the year, and the team is beginning to try to narrow down their picks for 2024’s best albums. Still, artists are putting out late-stage contenders, and more and more newness is offered. Compiling all the best into one place, The Big Indie Playlist doesn’t miss a beat.
With the year beginning to wrap up, the music world is busy with artists either opening up new eras with the announcement of new albums coming in early 2025 or finally releasing long-awaited projects. Sam Fender did both as he announced his third album and finally shared the first teaser of what that will sound line in the form of ‘People Watching’, an epic, storytelling song from North Shields’ own Bruce Springsteen.
Across all genres and scales of fame, artists were putting their best foot forward. The Kooks returned with a sunshine-dripped indie tune, and Olivia Dean presented a love song that already feels deserving of timeless status. In the new music realm, Divorce, Mary In The Junkyard, Flat Party and more all prove why their hype is very real, while Chloe Qisha and Wallice share longer projects that demand your attention.
If it’s the long plays you’re looking for, head to our weekly Alternative Album Chart to find your new favourite record. But right here, we’re focussed on a quick fix of the best new hits across indie, rock, shoegaze, folk and beyond.
The best new music of the week
Track of the week
Bdrmm – ‘John On The Ceiling’: Hull’s finest are back and slicker than ever. On ‘John On The Ceiling’, Bdrmm present something endlessly more mature and interesting as their shoegaze sound gets a glitchy, high production edge. It’s clear that the band are taking pointers from more electronic influences, inspired by a party outing to Field Day and their time supporting electro artist Daniel Avery.
The result is something pulsing, tense and cinematic. It sounds like a drunk Uber when the streetlights are flashing through the dark night, and you’ve just sent some emotionally risky texts. [4/5]
Instant classics – The biggest new release of the week
Lovelytheband + The Kooks – ‘Jeanie’: The Kooks are back as they pair up with the California indie troupe Lovelytheband. With the British band’s foolproof indie and the American lot’s sunshine-dripped, pop-informed sound, the result is a catchy little number that could just trick your brain into thinking it’s summer again. [3/5]
Sam Fender – ‘People Watching’: A long-awaited release finally came through this week as Sam Fender launched a brand new chapter for his upcoming third album. ‘People Watching’ feels vast and epic in its storytelling as Fender continues to solidify his status as the northeast’s answer to Bruce Springsteen. [4/5]
Elton John and Brandi Carlile – ‘Never Too Late’: I swear Elton John has said he’s retiring about 50 times now, but still, here he is. Made for the new documentary Elton John: Never Too Late, this track isn’t much to write home about, but it’s Elton John, so it’s worthy of a shout anyway. [3/5]
Olivia Dean – ‘Touching Toes’: With one of the most gorgeous voices in music at the moment, Olivia Dean pairs her golden vocal chords with beautiful lyricism, too, for a tender, stunning love song. [4/5]
On the rise – New tracks to note this week
Flat Party – ‘Paranoid/Delicate Dawn’: Flat Party’s entire new EP is worthy of a listen, but this track is a real stand-out as the band gets adventurous and bold with their sound. [4/5]
The Man The Myth The Meatslab – ‘Effortlessly, I Feel Everything’: The Man The Myth The Meatslab popped up on my TikTok, and I’ve never been more grateful for my FYP algorithm. This track feels like a Bon Iver B-side or an entire indie coming-of-age moving in one song. [4.5/5]
Chloe Qisha – ‘Scary Movie’: Chloe Qisha has the killer combination of a gorgeous voice, intriguing lyrics and stylish flare, making her debut self-titled EP a great listen with ‘Scary Movie’ as a shining example of her potential. [3.5/5]
Medium Build – ‘Dad’s 4Runner’: With each new track revealed ahead of the release of his new EP Marietta, Medium Build was solidifying his one-to-watch status more and more. Now the project is out, ‘Dad’s 4Runner’ continues to build on the hype that’s very real. [3.5/5]
Warmduscher – ‘An Introduction By Irvine Welsh’: As the opening track from our album of the week, this is something so special and interesting as a surreal tale by Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh detailing a DMT-induced out-of-body experience. It’s a perfect way to represent the sound of Too Cold to Hold and introduce the trip that is the record. [5/5]
Divorce – ‘Antarctica’: If you’re not already, you should be paying attention to Divorce. With their debut album coming in early 2025, now is the time to get on the hype train nice and early, and with songs this interesting, it’s an easy ride to get on board with. [4/5]
Mary In The Junkyard – ‘This Is My California’: Continuing on the excitement built by their debut EP This Old House, Mary In The Junkyard proves once again why they’re one of the most intriguing new acts in the UK at the moment as lead singer Clari-Freeman Taylor’s voice is so unique it seems to cut straight to the heart. [4/5]
Wallice – ‘Flash In The Pan’: Wallice’s debut album The Jester came out this week as another long play that demands attention. But to get a taster before diving into the full meal, ‘Flash In The Pan’ is a great display of her lyrical power and instrumental intrigue. [3/5]
Polly Money – ‘I’m Not Proud’: As the unofficial fifth member of The 1975, Polly Money spent the majority of the last couple of years touring around the world on guitar duties for them. So it’s no surprise that her solo project is hooky, interesting and packed with potential. [4/5]
Mood Bored – ‘All The Time’: Great band name, great song. Inspired by Requiem For a Dream, luckily, the track is slightly more upbeat than the harrowing film. [3/5]
First Spin – Debut single of the week
Witch Post – ‘Chill Out’: The partnership of Scotland’s Dylan Fraser and American artist Alaska Reid launch themselves into the music world with ‘Chill Out’. It’s two parts that feel like they shouldn’t work as Reid feels more shoegaze, acting as the softer counterpart to Fraser’s punk-tinged indie rock. But somehow, the contracting sounds work, creating a genuinely intriguing opening track. [4/5]
Off The Beaten Track – Left field sounds (Written by Ben Forrest)
Ganavya – ‘Om Namah Sivaya’: Calming, spiritual jazz from the New York-born, Tamil Nadu-raised vocalist and multi-instrumentalist. Taken from her newly released album Daughter of a Temple, this song is a perfect blend of spiritual, meditative jazz and the musical traditions of South Asia. [4/5]
Los Africanos – ‘Together People (Pamoja Watu’): Spain’s Vampi Soul label treats audiences to a reissue of this obscure and insanely rare Latin funk gem originally released in 1974. Taking inspiration from James Brown’s ‘It’s A New Day’, the band added their own cumbia spin on proceedings, sounding as fresh today as it did upon its initial release. [4/5]
Artu – ‘Maresia’: Take a psychedelic trip into the land of the Brazilian MPB scene, with this new release by Artu, via Toronto label Local Dish. Artu adds a sense of melancholy and emotion which is often omitted from the landscape of MPB-psych, particularly within the modern era. [3.5/5]
