NEW INDIE MUSIC - WEEK 52

This is it, you guys! The final edition of We Are: The Guard's New Indie Music of 2019. From Norman Fucking Rockwell! to MAGDALENE to Father of the Bride, it goes without saying that it's been an absolutely fantastic year for indie music. It's been a total pleasure being able to share it with you over the last 12 months, and I'm not sure about you, but I can't wait to see what's in store for us in 2020 (Did someone say Frank Ocean?!). Before all of that, however, let's see the decade out in style with a fresh batch of songs. Featuring Lana Del Rey, Bombay Bicycle Club, James Blake, and more, this playlist has something for everyone. Merry Christmas and see you in 2020, people!

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LANA DEL REY – NORMAN FUCKING ROCKWELL

American sweetheart Lana Del Rey closes out the most critically successful year of her career with the video for “Norman fucking Rockwell.” Directed by Chuck Grant, the fantastical 14-minute clip sees Lana lazing on a hammock and hanging out with the ladies of the canyon, with “Bartender” and “Happiness is a butterfly" also featuring in the visual.

BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB – RACING STRIPES

Just in time for Christmas, Bombay Bicycle Club are back today with the winter waltz “Racing Stripes.” The third single to be unveiled from their forthcoming album Everything Else Has Gone Wrong is a song of hope that sparkles like snowbanks as Jack Steadman and guest vocalist Billie Marten sing in the closing moments: “This light'll keep me going.”

JAMES BLAKE – I'LL COME TOO

James Blake teams up with the BAFTA Award-winning Planet Earth editor Matt Meech for the video for the string-swept Assume Form cut “I'll Come Too.” Featuring unseen footage from the BBC Natural History archive, the clip depicts a love story of sorts between a penguin and an albatross, with the visual making for a truly touching, heartwarming watch.

THE FRONT BOTTOMS – CAMOUFLAGE

It's been a minute since we last heard from The Front Bottoms, but the New Jersey natives are back today with “Camouflage.” The one-off single was written following a period of reflection for the band, with frontman Brian Sella poetically riffing on everything from mental breakdowns to relationships over a crisp production that feels like a return to form.

DENM – THE CHRISTMAS SONG

DENM presents “The Christmas Song” like you've never heard it before on this soulfully synthy take on the Nat King Cole classic. We Are: The Guard's Indie Christmas is out now.

TEN FÉ – CANDIDATE

Following on from the release of Future Perfect, Present Tense earlier this year, Ten Fé return today with the immediately infectious “Candidate.” With a Stones-esque riff and a dose of cowbell supporting Ben Moorhouse's low-slung croon, “Candidate” is a louche, hooky rocker that Ten Fé say is about “wanting the person you're with to commit to you.”

BENTEN – WITHOUT YOU

Introducing Benten, the mysterious producer who's making trip-hop great again with his debut single “Without You.” Featuring the translucent vocals of Madeleine Mayi, “Without You” is a contemporary answer to the Bristol sounds of Tricky, Portishead, and Massive Attack, with a shuffling, sumptuous groove allowing Benten to deliver on his digital vibes.

KYSON – ONE & OTHER

Kyson gets in touch with his inner child on his dreamy “One & Other.” Featured on the Berlin singer-songwriter's forthcoming self-titled “sonic memoir,” “One & Other” is a nostalgic chugger about how we tend to revert to immature, naive behaviors when we fall in love, with the composition carrying with it a curious, playful sense of ethereal romance.

MAXIME. – OLD FAST

Having made his debut on We Are: The Guard earlier this year with the charming “empty,” maxime. returns today with “old fast.” Featured on his recent album whatevernowiscalled, “old fast” reveals a darker, grittier side to the Canadian's sound, with a thudding bassline and hip-hop scratches backing maxime. as he meditates on his post-breakup melancholy.

ERYN MARTIN – SK8FASTEATASS

“Skate fast eat ass/White girl super trash.” How's that for an opening couplet?! Eryn Martin is proving that she's one to watch on her hypnotic latest single “SK8FASTEATASS.” Over a darkly skittering trap beat, listen as the Canadian pop star cranks up the attitude on the cut, with her captivating vocals instantly standing out from the crowd. “Sk8er Boi” who?!

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Photo by Roberto Nickson on Unsplash

Jess Grant is a frustrated writer hailing from London, England. When she isn't tasked with disentangling her thoughts from her brain and putting them on paper, Jess can generally be found listening to The Beatles, or cooking vegetarian food.