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 Sharon Van Etten, Perfume Genius, Hatchie, and more.
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Soul Blind — Feel It All Around
Hudson Valley grungy group Soul Blind have finally crashed into the scene with their long-awaited debut. Their 2018 tracks “Crawling Into You” and “Falling Asleep” were delightful slices of hypnotic, heavy shoegaze, as was their 2021 EP Third Chain. But Feel It All Around watches them going all in for 11 relentless, immersive songs that take influence from ’90s rock while still transforming it into something new and exciting. Standouts include “Bruise The Sore” and “Everyday Evil,” but it’s best to listen to the LP in full.
Sharon Van Etten — We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong (Deluxe)
Sharon Van Etten’s We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong was a gorgeous, sprawling release earlier this year, and we’re lucky enough to get an expanded version. The deluxe features new tracks, the newest being “When I Die,” an existential earworm that’s as gorgeous as it is contemplative.
Manchester Orchestra — “No Rule”
Manchester Orchestra are still kicking it and they haven’t lost any of their spark. Andy Hull’s vocals are eternally enchanting, and his storytelling only strengthens with time. Their new song “No Rule” reckons with mortality with striking lines full of imagery: “Taking your very last breath / You are guided away from the garden / Hanging your arms on his neck / You said, ‘I love you,’” he sings.
Alex Lahey — “Sh*t Talkin”
Alex Lahey’s new song “Sh*t Talkin” has the texture of an early 2000s movie. The buoyant guitars, her pop-star vocals, the edgy, anthemic chorus with the simple but infectious hook: “Oh, sh*t talkin all the way home.” It’s for blasting on a drive with friends, going a little too fast and spreading a little too much gossip.
Hatchie — “Nosedive”
Hatchie’s new trippy track “Nosedive” is a whirlwind of color and mayhem. it’s packed with sputtering, hallucinogenic sounds and her voice comes in like a guiding force for the listener. A chaotic music video intensifies the sensory overload. The lyrics heighten the nonsense: “Wasted youth is a tragedy when you’re in the driver’s seat / Pray for someone to take control while you ignore your basic needs,” she sings.
Sega Bodega — “Kepko”
Similarly, Sega Bodega’s “Kepko” doesn’t hold back on disorientation. Harmonies strike from all angles, making voices sound like foreign instruments; a jittery beat quakes and quivers, keeping the listener on edge but unable to stop detaching. At a little over three minutes, it’s a crazy journey.
Runnner — “Bike Again”
“Bike Again” by Runnner is a tender, twangy ballad that begins with evocative, fragmented storytelling: “Telling myself that it’s time to get out / Fell off my bike again / It’s so embarrassing / How much I want to call you now,” Weinman says, his airy voice blending in with the weightless strumming of an acoustic guitar. The song ascends into a warm, sonorous outro with horns and a piano, all blending to make a wall of sound that feels bigger than itself — it feels like looking out at the ocean and being comforted by its enormity.
Fever Ray — “Carbon Dioxide”
Fever Ray go all in with “Carbon Dioxide,” an eccentric electronic anthem with attention-grabbing vocals and unforgettable sonic landscapes. At nearly five minutes, every second is packed, making for a memorable track.
Fleet Foxes — “A Sky Like I’ve Never Seen”
For the movie Wildcat, Fleet Foxes unveiled the sprawling ballad “A Sky Like I’ve Never Seen.” It’s a relaxing ode to nature: “There’s an ocean on the line / In it empty and it dream / There’s a sun above a sky like I’ve never seen / A sun above a sky like I’ve never seen,” and has the warmth of a sunny day.
Perfume Genius — “4 Minute Warning” (Radiohead cover)
Covering the legendary band Radiohead is not easy. You know a good amount of fans are going to be pretentious about it, regardless of what it sounds like. However, Perfume Genius’s rendition of their song “4 Minute Warning” hits the spot. It’s patient, genuine, and spellblindingly present.