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 very best of the indie releases from the past seven days. This week we got the long-awaited and thoroughly satisfying new album from Fiona Apple, the debut solo album from Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien, and a set of demos from Big Thief to benefit their touring crew.

While we’re at it, if you want more music recommendations curated by Steven Hyden delivered directly to your inbox every week, sign up for the Indie Mixtape newsletter.

Fiona Apple — Fetch The Bolt Cutters

It’s been eight years since we last heard from Fiona Apple. On her new album, Apple sets a new high bar for herself by showing “how she has pared her music down to the barest essentials, while also deepening and broadening her lyrics, finding fresh nuances that eschew easy answers or reductions,” writes Steven Hyden for Uproxx. “She’s furious and forgiving, full of love and hate, and capable of both eviscerating and soothing her subjects.” This is Apple at her very best, and comes at a time when we needed it the most.

Ed O’Brien — Earth

The debut solo album from the Radiohead guitarist slowly took shape over much of the 2010’s while O’Brien was still unsure of whether he wanted to pursue work outside of Radiohead. “The resulting work is about what you might expect from the guy in Radiohead who is still enamored with the emotionally direct, guitar-centric rock music that the band made in the ’90s,” writes Steven Hyden for Uproxx. That said, rather than just taking inspiration from his band’s past work Earth is instead imbued with a sense of community that O’Brien has experienced while attending music festivals and other mass gatherings as a fan.

Lido Pimienta — Miss Columbia

With 2016’s La Papessa, Lido Pimienta became the first-ever Spanish speaking artist to win the Polaris Prize, a prestigious Canadian award. Now, she is back with another electro-pop collection with Miss Columbia. Here, the album features tracks in both Spanish and English, leaving Lido Pimienta primed and ready for a breakout year in the States.

Big Thief — Demos Vol 1

Last year we got two full-length records from Big Thief, both of which stemmed from a moth of recording in a cabin in Topanga Canyon, California. “34 demos came from those sessions, some of which went on to appear on the aforementioned albums,” explains Derrick Rossignol for Uproxx. Now, the band has shared a handful of those unreleased demos to benefit their touring crew that is out of work due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis. In addition to a few Big Thief tracks, the EP also features full-band recordings of two songs that ended up on Adrianne Lenker’s solo album, Abysskiss.

Steve Gunn — Livin’ In Between

Only a year removed from his excellent LP The Unseen In Between, Steve Gunn has released an EP of miscellaneous cover songs recorded over the last few months. The three tracks show Gunn’s eclectic music taste, spanning from Neil Young to The Misfits and display his ability to translate songs perfectly into his wheelhouse to the point that they don’t stand out much from his other work.

Florence And The Machine — “Light Of Love”

The latest in a line of tracks to benefit healthcare workers during the ongoing crisis, Florence And The Machine’s “Light Of Love” is taken from the same sessions that yielded the 2018 album High As Hope. As with many of Florence Welch’s best songs, “Light Of Love” can be categorized as an “anthemic ballad,” according to Derrick Rossignol for Uproxx.

Bon Iver — “PDLIF”

Justin Vernon has been intermittently sharing new music over the last few weeks, the first arriving during a Bernie Sanders livestream, and now as an official release on streaming services. “PDLIF” stands for “Please Don’t Live In Fear” and comes as a benefit track for healthcare workers. “The song is based on a sample of Alabaster DePlume’s ‘Visit Croatia,’ and it features contributions from Jim-E Stack, BJ Burton, Kacy Hill, Rob Moose, and Michael Lewis,” explains Derrick Rossignol for Uproxx. Maybe the time in isolation will yield a new full-length Bon Iver project sooner rather than later.

Jamie xx — “Idontknow”

The first Jamie xx solo single in five years is not necessarily a new song — it has been a staple of his live sets for at least a year. But now, the producer has shared the track officially, with a physical release coming later this year. Carolyn Droke for Uproxx writes that “Idontknow” is a “revved-up track,” marking the beginning of a new era for the producer, and one that we can’t wait to dive into.

Hayley Williams — “Why We Ever”

It seems that a week doesn’t go by without a new track from Hayley Williams. With her debut solo album Petals For Armor now just around the corner, “Why We Ever” recounts and introspective period in her life. “i was at the lowest point i’d been in some time,” she wrote in a statement. “my sadness shows. now i look back and credit this night as being the beginning of a new season of my life, where i hold myself accountable for learning to love better.”

The Front Bottoms — “Everyone Blooms”

After sharing the standalone single “Camouflage” back in December, The Front Bottoms have returned with another new track. “Everyone Blooms” is the latest export from the band as they finish up work on the follow-up to their 2017 album Going Grey. “This year has been a disaster, but we are pushing forward with positive and creative energy,” the duo said in a statement. “We poured ourselves into making ‘Everyone Blooms’ and are really proud of how it turned out. We hope you like it.”

Retirement Party — “Runaway Dog”

Retirement Party are proving themselves as one of the most exciting bands coming out of the DIY scene right now. On “Runaway Dog,” the guitars are bigger and the songwriting more direct and insightful, showing a band poised and ready to level up. “Over the intricate production, vocalist Avery Springer uses the narrative of a loss of a dog as a metaphor for breaking out of old, unhealthy habits and finding new meaning in motivation,” writes Carolyn Droke for Uproxx.

Diet Cig — “Who Are You?”

Diet Cig’s new LP Do You Wonder About Me is quickly approaching, set for a May 1 release. Thematically “Who Are You?” is directed at “anyone who’s ever received a completely self-serving apology from someone who’s hurt them,” vocalist/guitarist Alex Luciano wrote in a statement. “I learned that healing doesn’t wait for an ‘I’m sorry’ to appear, and it can feel silly to have one arrive when you’re completely over it. This song takes these bad feelings and turns them into a fun upbeat jam to dance around in your kitchen to!”

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

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This is my kinda hiking.

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No matter your budget, these are gifts your mom will love.

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They cut right to the bone.

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For many fans, their first exposure to Wale was through the DMV rapper’s 2009 Lady Gaga collaboration “Chillin’” but Wale says a sequel may never happen and explained why on Twitter. During another one of his infamous Q&A sessions on the bird app, Wale reminisced on an ill-fated meeting in which he tried to make a connection with a potential famous fan, but missed out on the opportunity. After one of his followers advised him to try to work with Gaga again to raise his profile, Wale explained why such a collaboration was unlikely — at least in the near future.

“Y’all got to understand these fantasy features work two ways,” he explained. “Pop people don’t wanna work wit us unless we sittin in that top 40 or unless it’s a white rapper.”

While it’s true that pop-rap crossovers have become much more commonplace than they once were (Royce Da 5’9 was villified for working with burgeoning pop star Willa Ford, once upon a time), Wale may have a point. Most of the crossovers that have taken place in recent years often involve a rapper who’s charting highly — think Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Drake, or Kendrick Lamar — or a pop star who is either still on the rise or experiencing a decline in popularity — remember when Britney Spears employed Iggy Azalea for the failed “Pretty Girls?” Even at the time “Chillin’” came out, Lady Gaga wasn’t yet the massive international star she’s since become, allowing Interscope to A&R that connection between their two most recent acquisitions.

With regard to the other part of Wale’s assertion — look, Eminem had Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, Kehlani, and Pink on Revival and it wasn’t even good.

There’s an obvious reason why these collaborations only ever take place between the highest-charting rappers and their pop counterparts. The only reason for either side to even collaborate outside of their genre is to increase their reach and if you’re going to gamble, wouldn’t you want the highest return on the investment — i.e. a large fanbase of potential listeners? Songs with features tend to be bigger hits, but only if both sides bring something to the table. So, sorry “Chillin’” fans, but you’ll probably have to wait for Wale to climb back into Billboard‘s good graces before Lady Gaga picks up the phone for a second take on their hit collaboration, which is a real shame.

For old times’ sake, press play on the “Chillin’” video above.

Wale is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Prior to the NBA season getting paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philadelphia 76ers found themselves in a tricky spot. Already not living up to the sky-high expectations that some had for the squad, Philly lost star guard/forward Ben Simmons to a nerve impingement in his back. As is oftentimes the case when a Sixers player gets hurt, the team said that progress was being made but did not have a strict timetable for his return.

The ongoing hiatus has apparently been helpful for Simmons’ back. According to a new piece by Jackie MacMullan of ESPN, the time away from basketball has meant that Simmons has essentially recovered, and should the season restart, Philly expects him to be able to take the floor.

Via ESPN:

This is what Simmons must navigate, a cauldron of controversy — whenever play resumes. The hope of a mid-April return for the playoffs has been deferred, although sources tell ESPN that Simmons will be good to go as his lower-back impingement has all but dissipated. “If the season resumes,” says a team source, “we’re expecting to have him.”

A 100 percent healthy Ben Simmons changes things for the Sixers, as he’s served as the team’s best point guard and most versatile defender. Despite their 39-26 record, which puts them in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, the talking point surrounding the team all year has been that their size and physicality would make them a tough out during the postseason. We’ll see if we even get a postseason at this rate, but if that happens, at least Philly can take some solace in knowing that Simmons would be able to take the floor without any major issues.

If Kanye West’s love for the fast-food chain Chick-Fil-A wasn’t apparent enough from his song “Closed On Sunday,” the rapper has teamed up with the company to help those in need. After the fast-food chain showed their appreciation to the rapper for the lyrical shout out, the organization and the rapper are doing what they can to support LA’s vulnerable populations. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Kanye worked with a charity organization to provide over a quarter million Chick-Fil-A meals to food banks.

According to a report from Fox News, Kanye has been working with the fast-food chain for quite some time now. The rapper’s partnership has resulted in the donation of over 11,000 meals a day since March. But more than providing meals, West donated a hefty sum of money to the Christian charity organization Los Angeles Dream Center.

The charity’s founder Matthew Barnet said that thanks to West’s donation, the organization was able to scale up its philanthropic work. “The Los Angeles Dream Center has transformed into the Grand Central Station of food distribution and other basic essentials. I’m so grateful that our team has stayed healthy, and that we’ve found a safe way to meet the urgent needs within our community. I can’t say thank you enough to the various donors who’ve made this a reality,” Barnett said. “This is what a neighborhood, a community, and a church should always look like.”

Up-and-coming singer/songwriter Skullcrusher is attempting to find meaning in life’s mundane activities through music. The newest signee to indie label Secretly Canadian, Skullcrusher shares the track “Places/Plans” ahead of her eponymous debut EP.

Armed with an acoustic guitar and her soaring vocals, Helen Ballentine touts “Places/Planes” as “an exploration of the ways you become yourself when you aren’t looking.” Ballentine channels what she’s learned in her years of playing instruments into the 3-minute track, all while examining important questions. “Does it matter if I’m a really good friend? That I’m there when you call and when your shows end?” she asks herself on the gleaming track.

In a statement, Ballentine said she derived the song’s meaning from solitude. “I thought a lot about my self-worth during this period of uncertainty,” Ballentine said. “‘Places/Plans’ attempts to communicate the beauty and vulnerability of being alone and what it means to let someone else in to see that. It feels like the thematic core of the EP. It is a song for being alone in your room, lying on the floor with a book and the window open, but also for letting someone in to lie with you.”

Above, listen to “Places/Plans.” Below, find the Skullcrusher EP cover art and tracklist.

1. “Places/Plans”
2. “Trace”
3. “Two Weeks In December”
4. “Day Of Show”

Skullcrusher EP is out 6/26 via Secretly Canadian. Pre-order it here.