TOP INDIE SONGS – WEEK 37

HI GUYS! While you were busy soaking up the last of the sun over the Labor Day weekend, I was stuck in my bedroom searching for the top indie songs on the blogosphere. The things I do for you, eh? If you're sad about summer ending, don't be! Fall is one of my favorite times for music. Is there anything better than snuggling under the duvet with a mug of hot chocolate and your faithful headphones? I think not! If you're hungover after drinking too much over the three-day holiday then you might want to do exactly that today while listening to the following tracks from JR JR, Slim Twig, The Beach and more.

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JR JR – GONE

In July, I challenged you to “try resist skipping along the pavements and swinging from the lampposts” to “Gone” by JR JR. As this Los Pérez-directed video proves, that's a downright impossible proposition – even for the most despondent of souls. “When it came to making a video that represented the song visually, we elected to not be the focal point of things – but rather to allow Los Pérez to make what we think is a darkly beautiful visual piece that captures the tones of the song perfectly” JR JR told NPR. I couldn't agree more!

SLIM TWIG – FADEOUT KILLER

DFA signee and all-round weirdo Slim Twig turns pseudo-sprinter in the video for psych pop groove “Fadeout Killer.” To quote David Rendall, the director behind this Lynchian odyssey: “It's about a runner running a race against no one. He finds himself pulled between two worlds – one real and one ethereal.” I don't get it either, but when the music is this deliciously scuzzy, does it really matter?

THE BEACH – MAYBE?

With its impassioned battle cries and stomping percussion, “Maybe?” is The Beach's most direct song to date. This sense of gritty realism is carried through into the accompanying video from director Rollo Hollins. Starring a bunch of young detainees handcuffed to a table and under police interrogation, it's a cinematic and dramatic watch that really brings out the angst at the heart of the lyrics.

HAUNT – BLINDS

Purveyors of new wave Haunt explore the darker side of the genre on “Blinds.” Recorded at The Fortress in Los Angeles, the song hears the enigmatic duo exchange their neon-streaked synths for a tinkling piano to create an Ariel Pink-esque ballad that's guaranteed to give you goosebumps as it repeats, “And I'll never fade away/We'll shine brighter than yesterday.”

WORLD CHAMPION – AVOCADO GALAXY

“Oh baby my gorilla/Take you for a killer!” Forget alarm clocks – Sydney duo World Champion are sure to get you up and out of bed this Monday morning with their infectious debut single “Avocado Galaxy.” Not the kind of sound you'd expect from Future Classic, I admit, but can you blame them for being unable to resist this psych pop party? BRB, going to dance my ass off!

MONTAIGNE – CLIP MY WINGS

DAMN GIRL! I didn't expect that voice to blast out from my speakers when I hit play on this song. Don't be fooled by Sydney chanteuse Montaigne's gamine looks. She may be tiny but her pipes certainly aren't. “Clip My Wings” can only be described as a baroque pop symphony. The ultimate antidote to Taylor Swift mediocrity, Montaigne is exactly what the music world has been waiting for.

HER – FIVE MINUTES

“Five Minutes.” That's all mysterious French duo Her need to have you naked by the end of this song. Okay, well – three minutes, forty-four seconds, to be precise. Suck it, Justin Timberlake! Comprising of little more than some finger snaps, a jagged guitar and some oh-so-arousing harmonies, dim the lights and let this minimalistic groove get you in the mood for love.

RILEY PEARCE – BRAVE

It has been a while since a song moved me to tears, but something about “Brave” by Riley Pearce really hit home. The honesty of the lyrics, the fragility of his vocals, the melancholy of those trumpets – this is an artist pouring everything into their music and not being afraid of making themselves completely vulnerable in the process. I have no doubt the 22-year-old Perth troubadour is one to watch this fall.

CAPE LION – BROTHER

Introducing Cape Lion, a duo from Sweden who specialize in 80s-infused synth pop. Recalling the work of Tears for Fears with a contemporary twist (think the Drive soundtrack), “Brother” is by far my favorite of the four songs on their SoundCloud – although I highly recommend you check out the rest of them when you need to brighten your day. After all, who doesn't love Sweden and who doesn't love the 80s? I rest my case!

HONNE (FEAT. JONES) – NO PLACE LIKE HOME

HONNE have achieved a lot in the past year, with millions (and millions) of SoundCloud hits and an international tour already under their belts. If the London duo's latest single “No Place Like Home” is anything to go by, however, success has come at a price. A song about homesickness experienced while on the road, this is late-night, world-weary R&B at its finest, with additional vocals by the illusive chanteuse JONES only adding to the allure.

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That's it for this week guys! Until next time, why not check out our Indie Pop, Chill and EDM tabs for more music to keep you busy this fall? x

“Loneliness” by Laura Flores is licensed under CC BY 2.0 (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.