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 new music from Angel Olsen, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Will Butler, and more.
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Angel Olsen — Big Time
For her sixth studio album Big Time, Angel Olsen pivoted to country music to make sense of her grief. Adopting a dusty slide guitar and slight twang, Olsen makes sense of the emotional whiplash of both her parents’ passing over 10 dazzling tracks. Songs like “Dream Thing” see Olsen lulling into a dream world while others like the title track “Big Time” has her basking in the warm glow of a new romance.
Horsegirl — Versions Of Modern Performance
Drawing inspiration from experimental artists like Sonic Youth and Brian Eno, Chicago teen rock trio Horsegirl delivered a gritty and witty album that subverts modern-day indie rock expectations. The shoegazey Versions Of Modern Performance combines danceable guitar tones and deadpan lyrics on tracks like “Anti-Glory” and “Billy.”
Queen Of Jeans — Hiding In Place
Fans of bands like Hop Along and Waxahatchee will be on board for this Philly trio’s latest EP Hiding In Place. The four-track effort gives a taste of the band’s melodic rhythms and lead singer Miri Devora’s impressive vocal range. Inspired by the music she’d listen to in lockdown, Hiding In Place is the band’s most pop-inspired effort yet.
Kid Bloom — Highway
After sharing a stage with the likes of The Neighbourhood, The Regrettes, and Lennon Stella, Kid Bloom combines groovy bass and vibe-heavy synths on his debut album Highway. Citing inspirations such as Tame Impala and Travis Scott, Highway is brimming with introspective lyrics and swirling psychedelic melodies on blissed-out tracks like “Cowboy” and “Like I Never Left.”
Yeah Yeah Yeahs — “Spitting Off The Edge Of The World” Feat. Perfume Genius
Returning for a new era of music for the first time in nine years, Yeah Yeah Yeahs shared the glistening track “Spitting Off The Edge Of The World” featuring Perfume Genius. Taking their music in a more wistful direction, the synth-heavy song is meant to examine our collective looming anxiety about climate change.
Tim Heidecker (feat. Kurt Vile) — “Sirens Of Titan”
Comedian/musician Tim Heidecker teamed up with Kurt Vile for the meandering ballad “Sirens Of Titan,” which is set to appear on his upcoming LP High School. The slice-of-life track runs through ephemera of his youth like water beds, report cards, and live newscasts about the Gulf War.
Will Butler — “A Stranger’s House”
Now that he’s officially out of Arcade Fire, Will Butler is sharing a taste of his upcoming solo work with the heart-tugging track “A Stranger’s House.” The track samples a fussing baby and is a haunting ballad about feeling the weight of the world.
Phoenix — “Alpha Zulu”
The last we heard from French band Phoenix, whose 2009 album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix was a predominant staple of 2010s indie culture, was on their 2017 LP Ti Amo. Now, the band is back in the studio working on their next album, which they’ve previewed with the upbeat indie-pop number “Alpha Zulu.” Featuring electrifying keys, it seems like the band are leaning into their danceable melodies.
Turnover — “Wait Too Long”
Gearing up for a West Coast tour this summer, Turnover share the shimmering number “Wait Too Long.” Peppered with swirling, bedroom pop melodies, lead singer Austin Getz shared his inspiration behind the track: “‘Wait Too Long’ is about expectation from yourself and others about what life is supposed to be like. Finding that balance of being motivated and inspired by what’s around you without it feeling like something pushing you down.”
Florist — “Sc-fi Silence”
Sharing another look at their upcoming majestic self-titled album, Florist debut the tender and confessional ballad “Sci-fi Silence.” Opening with hazy, atmospheric synths, the band infuse floating melodies into the lulling track. “Sci-fi Silence is a love song about the mystical forces that attract us to one another and the spaces in-between words that can hold profound communications,” singer Emily Sprague said.
Flasher — “I’m Better”
Flasher’s new album Love Is Yours is right around the corner, so to celebrate, the band shares the rocking number “I’m Better.” Combining cascading rhythms and frenetic instrumentals, Flasher deliver a dynamic track about forging a new path forward. “‘I’m Better’ is about leaving a toxic relationship and finding joy, freedom, and self-assurance on the other side,” the band said.
Young Guv — “Cry 2 Sleep”
It’s only been a few months since Young Guv, the moniker of versatile songwriter Ben Cook, released his album Young Guv III, but the prolific musician is already prepping its follow-up. Gearing up for the release of Young Guv IV, Cook shares the comforting track “Cry 2 Sleep.” The timeless and meandering track details the fall out of a relationship over glistening melodies.