BEST INDIE SONGS – WEEK 41

From Kim Kardashian's Paris robbery, to Hurricane Matthew, to Sunday night's presidential debate, the last seven days were certainly packed full of #drama. Luckily the week didn't prove to be a total hot mess, though, as some really, really, REALLY good (!) music also came out during it – music that BitCandy has once again compiled into a handy playlist for your listening pleasure. So without further ado, turn the volume up and hunker down (sorry, I've been watching WAY too much CNN) with yet edition of Best Indie Songs featuring Bon Iver, Cruel Youth, Cosmos & Creature and more.

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BON IVER – 29 #STRAFFORD APTS

10 days after its release, and I'm still getting my head around the beautiful weirdness that is Bon Iver's 22, A Million, but if you pushed me for a favorite song, then I'd probably say “#29 Strafford APTS.” A sweeping acoustic ballad that provides an alien-like spin on Justin Vernon's more traditional breed of folk and Americana, it comes paired with a video that sees the track's inscrutable lyrics splayed out across Illuminati-esque imagery.

CRUEL YOUTH – DIAMOND DAYS

Cruel Youth, the duo comprising of husband-wife duo and former X Factor villains Natalia Kills and Willy Moon, continue to repent this October with “Diamond Days.” Fans of Lana Del Rey, Marina And The Diamonds and Amy Winehouse are sure to approve of the soul-laced Hollywood sacore ballad and its cinematic accompanying video, which sees Natalia playing the ultimate tragic leading lady while rocking a killer tiara-and-sunglasses combo.

DRUGDEALER (FEAT. ARIEL PINK) – EASY TO FORGET

After “Suddenly,” his moonlit collaboration with Weyes Blood, Michael Collins of Drugdealer returns with “Easy To Forget.” A sun-kissed acoustic ditty over which lo-fi king Ariel Pink delivers some inimitable croons, it comes paired with a video that sees actress Christiana Von Neissen driving through the late-summer streets of California. “She sort of embodies a spirit of Los Angeles that I've come to love,” says Michael.

BONZAI – I DID

Ahead of going on tour with Flume in November, Dublin singer-songwriter Bonzai jackhammers her way into the blogosphere's neural pathways this month with her latest single “I Did.” Taken from her forthcoming EP, the aptly titled Lunacy, the song is a brain-melting, organ-rearranging slice of off-kilter electronic pop that should probably, definitely come with some kind of seizure warning. #Banger

XYLØ – DEAD END LOVE

BitCandy has been all XYLØ since day one, but still they continue to stagger us with every release. On their latest single “Dead End Love,” we get to hear the brother-sister duo experiment with a more edgier sound. Featuring Paige Duddy's vocals brooding atop a gritty, almost industrial beat, this ode to doomed romance would suggest that dark pop domination is only around the corner for XYLØ.

COBI – PROPHET STORY

It can't be easy to follow up a debut single as strong and powerful as “Don't You Cry For Me,” but Cobi does exactly that on “Prophet Story.” “This song is about a prophet who carries the weight of the world on his shoulders,” says the absurdly attractive troubadour of the acoustic ballad, which hears Cobi's soulful rhapsodies paired with deft fingerpicking. “He's often treated like a vagrant, an outcast from society.” For fans of: Hozier, James Bay.

RAY HODGE – I AM KING – CURATOR ROBERT DUFFY

Rising singer Ray Hodge takes us to church and slingshots us up to Heaven on his debut single “I Am King.” Lifted from his forthcoming EP Braveheart, the song is a transcendent soul ballad that acts as a showcase for the New York City crooner's show-stopping voice. The video is a must-watch, too, comprising of a stripped-back performance that allows for the spotlight to fall on Ray and his commanding, Black Lives Matter-inspired message.

LUNA SHADOWS – HALLELUJAH CALIFORNIA

In March, Luna Shadows unveiled “Hallelujah California,” a love letter to her adopted home of Los Angeles that (obviously!) won us over in a instant, and this month, the self-described “girl writing sad songs under palm trees” returns with the video. Featuring Luna exploring the West Coast with tattooed twins in tow, the monochromatic aesthetics are an all-too-perfect accompaniment to her dream-inducing electronic pop.

VHS COLLECTION – FLOATING

VHS Collection (James Bohannon, Conor Cook and Nils Vanderlip) are here to help you get up and out of bed this Monday morning with “Floating.” The latest single to be shared from the New York City trio's second EP Stereo Hype, “Floating” is an energetic blast of electronic pop that brings together stadium-sized synths and danceable vocals. Think Phoenix if they were fronted by Beck and you're almost there.

COSMOS & CREATURE – YOUNG

Cosmos & Creature, the Los Angeles duo comprising of BitCandy favorites Brandyn Burnette and Molly Moore, are taking the pop world by storm this fall with their debut single “Young.” A certified thrill ride through infectious-as-hell vocals, thoughtful lyrics and dancefloor-ready beats, “Young” has already clocked up almost half a million plays on Spotify and is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

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Until next week, why not check out our Indie Pop and Chill tabs for more music?! x

“Photo” by Paulina Jadeszko is licensed under CC0 1.0 (cropped and resized).

About Jess Grant

When Jess Grant isn't writing on music, she can be found playing it – on her guitar, on her ukulele, and on her recently acquired mandolin. Playing it hideously, she ought to add. Jess also studies. She studies the English language, to be precise. Jess is currently on her way to a degree in the subject, and enjoys starting and never finishing novels, screenplays, and poetry in her spare time. She also likes dogs. Lots of dogs.