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 Portugal The Man, Boygenius, Arlo Parks, Momma, and more.
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Boygenius — “Not Strong Enough”
The breezy “Not Strong Enough” has visceral imagery from the get-go: “Black hole opened in the kitchen / Every clock’s a different time / It would only take the energy to fix it,” Phoebe Bridgers sings. Against colorful guitars, Julien Baker paints another vivid scene: “Drag racing through the canyon / Singing ‘Boys Don’t Cry.’” It culminates with a stunning chant of: “Always an angel / Never a god,” one of probably many powerful moments on their forthcoming debut The Record.
Portugal. The Man — “Dummy”
Also summoning The Cure’s classic hit “Boys Don’t Cry” is Portugal. The Man with their new single “Dummy.” “Worried about the impending nuclear war? ‘Dummy’ is an ode to The Cure,” John Gourley explained in a statement. “For all those hopeless doomers out there waxing poetic on the end times while dancing to Boys Don’t Cry. All my troubles seem so far away. Thank you for waiting, it feels good to be back!” “Dummy” is the perfect apocalypse anthem for weirdos, and a great return to music in general.
Arlo Parks — “Impurities”
The second single from My Soft Machine, the forthcoming album of Arlo Parks, is an enticing taste. “Impurities” explores love as a cleansing force; her soft voice is hypnotizing as she repeats, “When you embrace all my impurities,” building anticipation before revealing, “And I feel clean again.”
Momma — “Bang Bang”
One of the most important parts of “Bang Bang” by Momma is its origin story: “Allegra and I ended up getting COVID at the same time, so we decided to isolate, get drunk, and write together,” Etta Friedman said in a statement. “Within a night, we had demoed a hot-sounding song about great sex.” With sultry vocals, a deep bassline, and straightforward lyrics, the track is an infectious anthem about desire.
Gordi — “Broke Scene”
Sophie Payten, who goes under the moniker Gordi, has a knack for powerful, thoughtful ballads. “Broke Scene” is an intimate inquiry into self-destruction: “Why do you keep burning your house down? / Can you see you’re burning your house down?” she sings against a sparkling sonic backdrop, pulling the listener into a mesmeric world.
The Menzingers — “Bad Actors”
It’s a big day for fans of pop-punk from Pennsylvania. Scranton-based group The Menzingers have unleashed “Bad Actors,” a single to follow their 2019 record Hello Exile. Their sound is as celebratory and infectious as ever with playful riffs and theatrical vocals. “It’s one of the last songs we wrote for the album and finished it in the studio,” said frontman Tom May in a statement. “It’s an ode to a dear old friend that passed.”
Miya Folick — “Mommy”
Miya Folick’s “Mommy” is more delicate than the bombastic single that came before it, “Get Out Of My House.” This haunting ballad reckons with familial ties, her voice intimate against eerie guitars as she tells a detailed story: “My mother keeps secrets like a ghost / I ask her what her parents were like / She says that she doesn’t know.”
Scowl — “Shot Down”
Though Scowl’s last single “Opening Night” strayed from their usual unhinged hardcore sound, “Shot Down” instantly dives right into that ferocious territory. Rapid riffs and Kat Moss’s growls kick off the track, leading to a brief break in the catchy chorus as Moss sings, “Walk out, wanna walk out on you / I wanna freak out / Don’t wanna let down.”
Drug Church — “Myopic”
Drug Church’s explosive post-hardcore rarely misses. “Myopic” is an immediately immersive anthem, inspiring headbanging with heavy guitars and Patrick Kindlon’s theatrical vocals speaking in declarations: “Apologies / Are a wedding night fling / Sometimes it’s best to exit quietly.”
Washer — “King Insignificant”
Idiosyncratic indie-rock duo Washer are back with their first material since 2017’s All Aboard. “King Insignificant” is a remarkable return, retaining their signature charm: “The next round is on the house / Turn up the jukebox loud / But you won’t see me twist and shout,” Mike Quigley sings.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.