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 incredible debut album from Anjimile, another promising preview of Bartees Strange’s debut, and the first taste of a new EP from Pup. Check out the rest of the best new indie music below.
AG Cook – Apple
After the 49-track 7G earlier this year, AG Cook is dialing back the intensity just a bit on his latest release. By focusing on fewer tracks, Apple concentrates everything AG Cook does well into just 39 minutes, making for an extremely enjoyable experience.
Anjimile – Giver Taker
While Anjimile’s debut album was written during a period of intense personal reflection, the music never gets weighed down by the seriousness of the lyrics. The resulting effort is an album that sounds quite unlike anything else in recent memory, channeling elements of Sufjan Stevens and more into something unique and truly special.
Knuckle Puck – 20/20
The new album from Knuckle Puck snuck up on me. Always a sucker for pop punk, the riffs and choruses on 20/20 strike a sweet spot, showcasing the band’s growth as songwriters as they work on the loud-soft dynamic that is anchored by Joe Taylor’s melodic, cutting vocal.
Into It. Over It – Figure
The latest from emo staple Into It. Over It is about reconciling with poor decisions made, processing, and moving forward stronger. Although the lineup is different, the band still locks in for impressively tight and intricate instrumentation for which Into It. Over It has become known. It’s a welcome return for a band that has been more or less quiet since 2017.
Sault – Untitled (Rise)
In the span of just 18 months, Sault has dropped four albums, each of them more diverse and confrontational than the last. Untitled (Rise) is the latest in this line, with an incredibly wide range of incorporated music that fits smoothly and seamlessly, courtesy of an incredibly adept DJ. Untitled (Rise) is an immersive world, one you won’t soon want to walk away from.
Okkervil River – A Dream In The Dark: Two Decades Of Okkervil River Live
Live shows have been an important part of the Okkervil River story since the band’s inception. Now, the Texas band has released a live album that compiles all of their best performances from the last twenty years. Spanning 24 tracks, A Dream In The Dark tracks the band’s live evolution, and is truly a sight (sound?) to behold.
Pup – “Rot”
2020 couldn’t be a better fit for these perpetual Canadian pessimists. “Rot” is taken from the band’s new EP This Place Sucks Ass, which perfectly encapsulates the mindset from which many will be entering the listening session. However, in classic Pup fashion, the track serves as a reprieve from the world around you, forcing a smile onto your face as you remember the days of yesteryear when you could sway in a sea of people, singing along to the band’s modern punk onslaught.
Baldi/Gerycz Duo – “Frog Congress At Dawn”
You might know Dylan Baldi and Jayson Gerycz from their work in Cloud Nothings. What you might not know is that they got their start in freeform jazz. “Frog Congress At Dawn” finds the duo revisiting their past hobby in quarantine, spanning nearly 13 minutes with very little compositional structure, but in a way that still seems to work and flow toward the finish line.
Told Slant – “Family Still”
Born out of Brooklyn DIY, we haven’t heard from Told Slant since 2016’s Going By. “Family Still” is the first preview of The Flashlight And Walk, Felix Walworth’s new album under the name Told Slant. It doesn’t take very long to remind us what was so special about the project in the first place, though the new music takes on a more hi-fi approach that makes it a perfect soundtrack for the coming fall months.
Tomberlin – “Hours”
Featuring not much more than a looped acoustic guitar, light percussion, and strings, “Hours” puts on full display Sarah Beth Tomberlin’s captivating vocals. On the new Projections EP, Tomberlin is at the top of their songwriting game, with lyrics that dig deep and don’t let go.
Sunflower Bean – “Moment In The Sun”
It feels like Sunflower Bean has been buzzing for the better part of the 2010s, with several high-profile festival appearances across the globe and two albums under their belt. Where the trio’s previous efforts felt inspired by bands like Sonic Youth and Diiv, “Moment In The Sun” takes on a pop-oriented approach that can be aligned with a band like Haim or Wet. It’s not yet tied to an album, but shows a promising future for the young band.
Bartees Strange – “Kelly Rowland”
On his debut album Live Forever, Bartees Strange channels an incredibly array of influences. “Kelly Rowland” is the latest taste of the album, taking samples from both Rowland and Nelly’s “Dilemma,” and delivering what Derrick Rossignol calls for Uproxx “smooth, aural comfort.”
Will Butler – “Bethlehem”
Generations, the new solo album from Arcade Fire’s Will Butler is only a few days away, and “Bethlehem” is a punk-inspired final preview of what we can expect from the LP. With distorted guitars and heavy drums, “Bethlehem” is the most lively track we’ve heard from Butler since he assisted on “Month Of May” a decade ago, a very promising sign of what’s to come on the full album.
Flowerkid – “Miss Andry”
After listening to the new single from Flowerkid, it’s easy to see why they would have struck up a relationship with Billie Eilish’s management team. “Miss Andry” is a track that takes on heavy topics of mental health with minimalist alternative rock instrumentation that feels simultaneously nostalgic but also uniquely modern. It’s an impressive new entry from the 19-year-old, undoubtedly making them an artist to watch in the coming months.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.