BEST NEW INDIE POP - WEEK 29

A word of caution to all of you reading this week’s edition of our favorite indie pop songs: there is a 99% chance that today’s list will be on repeat all summer long. The artists who we are serving to you today offer all sorts of fabulousness. Perk up your ears because you’re about to receive a playlist that doesn’t mess around. It’s all business with zero mediocrity, something I am sure you will all appreciate being that most columns floating around the internet hold little to none authenticity, but that’s a rant that I’ll leave for another day. Let’s get started and hit play on Lana Del Rey, Dillon Francis, KolaJ, and other musical gems.

LANA DEL REY - SUMMER BUMMER FT. ASAP ROCKY, PLAYBOI CARTI

In true Lana Del Rey fashion, her single, “Summer Bummer,” comes in the form of melancholic love. Dragged out beats by T-minus add to the forever sad signature sound of Lana. The real enjoyment here comes when A$AP Rocky and Playboi Carti add their guest vocals "WAT? WAT? WAT!" Perhaps the collaboration will have earned her a few new listeners, or have left others in a lackluster state. But for those craving more of Lana Del Rey, her fifth album, Lust For Life, drops July 21 -- that’s this Friday!

LEIKELI47- MISS ME

There is something inspiring about Leikeli47. The masked rapper slaps us with a summer banger. Her  F**k off attitude is very much present in “Miss Me.” With no time to adjust your brain the MC comes out at full force. “Charged up like a Tesla/Out here masked up like a Mexican wrestler/This a gift from God baby, I’m just a messenger/Elevator flow, 47 gon’ level up/Lord knows/I been through hell to put it on/So if a war dem want, mother trucker, then bring it on/Sometimes I can’t believe I’m the one they was sleeping on.”

CHANCE THE RAPPER - NPR MUSIC TINY DESK CONCERT

This is more of a compilation of art rather than the single songs we post. As long time fans of both the Tiny Desk Concert series and Chance The Rapper, hands down this is one of our most favorite performances. Chance opens up with one of his originals, “Juke Jam,” from his album Coloring Book, followed by a heartfelt poem, and closing off with “They Won’t Go When I Go” by Stevie Wonder. Immerse yourselves in the above clip.

ALT J - DEADCRUSH

We live in a time where everything seems to feel sub par. Thankfully though we have the existence of alt - J who break all sorts of what the f**keries. Though the weird ass video is great as a stand alone, the whole thing comes together with the heartfelt lyrics dedicated to the band members' dead crushes. Sure it’s weird, but perfectly acceptable being that I wouldn’t mind dating Roald Dahl. Their third studio album, Relaxer, is out now. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to it, find yourself a dark place and enjoy.

KESHA - WOMAN FT. THE DAP-KINGS HORNS

Kesha continues to own the ground she stomps on. She’s tearing it up and is not holding anything back with her new found freedom. Let’s just hope she owns her words of being a mother-f**ker because the world needs more glitter and shimmer.

WHITNEY WOERZ - IDEA OF HER

Age is just a number, right? But when you’re only sixteen years old and trending, it sure leaves me scratching my head wondering where I went wrong. The high schooler's single, “Idea of Her,” comes from forthcoming EP release Iridescent and as listeners will soon find out … her effort as a singer-songwriter firmly puts her on the map. This has the sound of a promising future.

DILLON FRANCIS - SAY LESS FT. G- EAZY

What’s this you’re seeing? Oh, you know, just another typical warehouse party that ends with a bang. The video for the track that came out in April is guaranteed to be better than any summer blockbuster this year. Watch all the way through, and be sure to dance your faces off. And for those who can’t get enough of the single, you can take a listen to the remixes of “Say Less” here.

ASHE - USED TO IT (STRIPPED)

You bet your arses that we will be showcasing a ton of indie newcomer Ashe. This is the stripped down version of her well received and loved single, “Used To It.” Removing the extra noise found in the original really gives the track a different spin. It goes from a dancefloor sound to a heart-rending intimate affair. This is something we can get used to.

RATIONALE - LOVING LIFE

Rationale releases a beautiful new sound in “Loving Life” and yes we are loving it and life is a bit more bearable with this around. It’s something fresh and totally unexpected. According to the artist, "'Loving Life' was inspired by the arrival of summer and the idea of making memories with people closest to me." I guess we have summer to thank for this magnificent piece.

KOLAJ - FIRST TIME WITH YOU

Kolaj’s single, “First Time With You,” takes me back to when Mariah Carey ran off with Wentworth Miller in “We Belong Together.” Perhaps the duo took some influence from Mimi (who hasn’t?!) but they manage to make their take in this genre very much their own and it sounds guuuud. If you are ready to get whisked away then this right here is for you.

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That’s all for this week in indie pop. We will be back with more next week.

“Photo” by Aziz Acharki is licensed under CC0.

About Beca Arredondo

Beca Arredondo is easily unamused with all things not related to her interests. On her good days you can catch her avoiding the California sun and glued to her Mac plotting the next big thing. If you happen to run into her on the street and notice her wearing headphones do NOT disturb her. She is not responsible for any possible damage. Aside from the above she's very sweet and perky and responds well to good music and food.