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 Goose, Sparklehorse, Angel Du$t, Meet Me @ The Altar, and more.
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Hotline TNT — “I Thought You’d Change”
To follow their hypnotic single “Protocol” from last month, Hotline TNT is back with “I Thought You’d Change,” which is maybe even more poignant than its predecessor. Taken from the forthcoming album Cartwheel, “I Thought You’d Change” is propelled forward with energetic, staticky guitars that invoke nostalgia.
Sparklehorse — Bird Machine
Sparklehorse is back with a posthumous album following Mark Linkous’s death in 2010. The songs are warm but cutting; they manage to simultaneously comfort the listener and disturb them at the same time. His voice is timid and heartbreaking as he lulls, “Oh, where were you, my kind ghosts / When I needed you?” on “Kind Ghosts.”
Dirt Buyer — “Gathering Logs”
Dirt Buyer, the project of Joe Sutkowski, is getting ready for the release of Dirt Buyer II. Following the invigorating “On & On” and the haunting “Fentanyl” is “Gathering Logs,” which showcases Sutkowski’s knack for eerie atmospheres that are all-consuming and addictive.
Angel Du$t — Brand New Soul
If Angel Du$t are one thing, they are fun. They are devoted to making a good time for listeners, packing in as much exuberance as they can in a short time. Brand New Soul is a little shorter than a half hour, but each song bounces with playful guitars and infectious melodies.
Meet Me @ The Altar — “Strangers”
Meet Me @ The Altar are back with “Strangers,” an anthem that bandleader Edith Victoria said is about “experiencing the nagging self-doubt that fuels imposter syndrome or accuses you of not being strong enough to endure what life has a tendency to throw at you.” Still, an upbeat atmosphere keeps the song lively and catchy.
Liza Anne — “Shania Twain Is Making Me Cry”
“Shania Twain Is Making Me Cry” by Liza Anne is a disarming, honest song about heartbreak that captures the pain of the loss: “Shaking you feels impossible / And missing you is palpable / And wanting you is undeniable,” she sings. She sounds hopeful regardless of the tears.
Soul Glo — “If I Speak (Shut The F*ck Up)”
Last year, Soul Glo unleashed their fiery album Diaspora Problems, and now they’re back with the raucous “If I Speak (Shut The F*ck Up).” It’s as tumultuous as ever and bandleader Pierce Jordan said it’s about “channeling one’s voice and perspective through art or another creative expression.”
Goose — Autumn Crossing
Autumn Crossing by Goose is a collection of three lengthy songs that dig deep into emotion. Delicate and introspective, it takes the listener on an immersive journey. “Failure creeps back again / I guess that’s just the shape I’m in,” Rick Mitarotonda admits against pensive guitars.
Geese — “Jesse”
That’s right — both Goose and Geese have new music out this week. Geese’s track, “Jesse,” is a thrilling celebration with an equally magical music video. Against mystical instrumentation, lyrics are sung like they’re casting a spell: “Three bullets left honey, I got your six / And one more for your lips, love can be so ugly / Dead boy voices in the wind / Spirits dancing in the darkness, rocking like ships.”
James Blake — Playing Robots Into Heaven
James Blake is back with his sixth studio album Playing Robots Into Heaven. The singles “Loading” and “Big Hammer” were fitting introductions to the atmospheric excursion; the record pulsates and hypnotizes. “Night Sky” envelopes the listener in its beautifully weird embrace; “Tell Me” builds into a glitchy journey.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.