Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.
Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week we got the the epic sonic departure from Deafheaven, the announcement of a new Bedouine album, and a pair of lo-fi hits from Hovvdy. Check out the rest of the best new indie music below.
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Deafheaven – Infinite Granite
The new record from San Francisco black metal heavyweights Deafheaven doesn’t sound very much like black metal at all. Instead, Infinite Granite is a genuine departure, a straight-up shoegaze record that starts the band on a completely new path. Where singer George Clark previously leveled up the intensity with his harsh vocals on past records, Infinite Granite has him trying on a more melodic vocal, while the rest of the band is keen on shimmering expansive, reverb-soaked instrumentals.
The Joy Formidable – Into The Blue
Veteran Welsh rockers The Joy Formidable have been more or less prolific since the 2011 release of their breakthrough album The Big Roar. The band has just released their sixth LP in ten years, Into The Blue, which certainly doesn’t lack in the group’s penchant for big guitars and pummeling percussion, all buoyed by Ritzy Bryan’s entrancing, ethereal vocals.
Alien Boy – Don’t Know What I Am
If you, like me, have been yearning for more distortion-infused alternative rock like peak Smashing Pumpkins, Portland quartet Alien Boy are here to scratch that itch. With a pedal board comparable to that one Bloc Party had at Riot Fest a few years ago, the group’s latest album Don’t Know What I Am cranks the amps up to 11 and delivers the sludgy alt rock goods.
Angel Olsen – Aisles EP
While we wait patiently for the follow-up to 2019’s All Mirrors, Angel Olsen has shared a short-form release to tide us over. The Aisles EP is a collection of five relatively faithful covers of ’80s tracks, including “Forever Young” and “The Safety Dance.” That being said, Olsen does offer up some of her stylistic brooding interpolation to truly make the songs her own.
James Blake – “Life Is Not The Same”
A few weeks after announcing his forthcoming album Friends That Break Your Heart, James Blake has shared another new single. The yearning and eerie “Life Is Not The Same” is about “finding peace with who you are and where you’re at regardless of how well other people seem to be doing,” Blake explained in a recent statement.
Bedouine – “The Wave”
It’s only been four years since Bedouine’s stunning self-titled debut forced its way into the rotation. After following it up with the equally wonderful Bird Songs Of A Killjoy in 2019, Azniv Korkejian is now prepping her third full-length. The announcement of Waysides arrived with “The Wave,” a tranquil, grief-fueled new single that welcomes us back into Korkejian’s world.
Hovvdy – “Junior Day Lease”
Austin lo-fi heroes Hovvdy are preparing to drop their fourth full-length album True Love later this year. We’ve already heard the album’s driving, beautiful title track, and now the duo is back with more tunes. “Junior Day Lease” is what Rachel Brodsky described for Uproxx as a “mellow, late-summer jam,” a track that Will Taylor explained is about “being in a daze on a fast day in a new town. Falling enamored with the people you’re with and the setting you’re in. Letting things move around you, rather than trying to control them.”
Teddy Grossman – “Power In Pain”
With his debut album Soon Come later this year, Teddy Grossman has shared another fresh new track. “Power In Pain” combines sonic elements of both Americana and R&B, evoking some of the best American songwriters. The track was written more than three years ago, ruminating on the transformative power of community in the face of human struggle.
Yellow Shoots – “Body Bag”
Just a few weeks after releasing their latest effort The Green Album, Yellow Shoots are back with a new bonus track. “Body Bag” is a haunting and complex response to personal loss, utilizing a soft, pulsing beat and a mixture of acoustic and electric guitars to create a unique sonic environment. Featuring contributions from Ryan Mitchell Grey, “Body Bag” serves as a tribute to Yellow Shoots’ uncle, who passed away from Covid.