TOP INDIE SONGS – WEEK 46

by Jess Grant
11/14/16

The world changed on Tuesday. We're entering a dark and uncertain chapter in American history. For me to sit here typing about how much I love the new Yeo track almost feels offensively trivial. And yet you could argue that music is more vital and meaningful than ever. As the rightful President-elect Of The United States Reggie Watts recently wrote on Twitter:

So onwards and upwards to that new Yeo track – and to the nine other examples of fearless art featured in this week's edition of Top Indie Songs. Because if music provides even one of you with a sense of hope, or a prism through which you can better understand this turbulent planet, or whatever, then it's worth celebrating.

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HAKUNA – CALIFORNIA

The only information that I can find on Hakuna is that they hail “from the cold North, dreaming about hot summers,” but really, that gives you a good enough idea of what to expect from the band's debut offering. Entitled “California,” the song combines the crystalline nature of Nordic pop with elements of tropical house, resulting in a dose of positive vibes that's sure to keep you warm throughout November.

 

JARROD MILTON – BLUE

“Blue” by Atlanta native Jarrod Milton is one of those songs that reaches deep into the soul and brings dormant emotions to the surface. Featured on his forthcoming album Girl, it hears Milton pair afflicted vocal chops with a spacious electronic production, making for a truly visceral listening experience. Shot in Paris, the Ben Elias-directed video is also a must-watch, the evocative narrative of which is certain to stay with you long after viewing.

 

JOSEPH J. JONES – BLOODLOCK DOWN

Joseph J. Jones mashes up Kanye West's “Love Lockdown” and “Blood On The Leaves” and then puts them through a blues blender on his latest drop “Bloodlock Down.” “This is me adding a little soul and paying tribute to Yeezy,” says Jones of the atmospheric flip, which hears West's robotic chops replaced with the English crooner's brooding baritone and a melancholic, electronic-driven production.

 

SAM WAY – LAST PAGE

Chanel model-turned-musician Sam Way has me completely smitten with his heart-stopping latest single “Last Page.” A deeply romantic ballad that hears the English singer-songwriter pair poetic lyricism (“And if I write it in the story, will it make it come true?/Yes I, I want to end up on the last page with you”) with an emotional, piano-driven instrumental, it comes accompanied by an Emily Winiker-directed video that sees Way getting intimate with actress Amanda Sherryl in New York City.

 

YEO – FROST

Australian producer and BitCandy favorite Yeo gets groovy on his latest single “Frost.” An infectious, catchy-as-hell slice of electronic pop built on quivering synths and funk-esque guitars, “Frost” also packs an emotional punch. “'Frost' is about the extreme gravity you sometimes feel when there's an unresolved issue between you and your lover,” Yeo tells triple j. “You want to sort it out as soon as possible.”

 

BROOKER – SECRET

Once in a while, a song comes along that seems to stop time. “Secret,” the debut single from Brooker, is one of those songs. A truly enthralling ballad that hears the British chanteuse's emotive vocal pyrotechnics paired with a piano-driven, symphonic production, Brooker writes on Facebook that “Secret” is a song about growing up: “I think everyone, especially young adults can relate as we try succeed and sometimes fail in growing up and making something of ourselves. We're all still looking for what the secret is.”

 

BRUNO MAJOR – THE FIRST THING YOU SEE

Having previously charmed us with “Wouldn't Mean A Thing” and “There's Little Left,” English singer-songwriter (and brother to London Grammar's Dot Major) Bruno Major returns this November with “The First Thing You See.” Starting out as an acoustic ballad before gradually building into something more symphonic, it's yet another majestic offering from Major that's reminiscent of both Nick Drake and Radiohead circa-The King Of Limbs.

 

THEY. – RATHER DIE

Being a Nirvana fangirl, I'm rather cynical when it comes to any sort of cover or remix of Kurt Cobain and company. Los Angeles genre-bending duo THEY. have completely won me over with their flip of “Polly,” however, morphing the iconic guitar riff at the center of the Nevermind cut into something that's truly refreshing and contemporary. “We did what was best for the song and our fans just let it be what it was intended to be, two guys vibing to one of their favorite riffs of all time,” THEY. tell The FADER. Check it out.

 

NVDES – DON'T FVCK YOUR NEIGHBOR

Okay, so I admit that I'm eight months late to the party, but it's still a party nevertheless. To the rest of you who also slept on NVDES: The Los Angeles “creative collective” are sure to have you dancing in your desk chairs this Monday morning with the groovy “Don't Fvck Your Neighhbor.” Coming ahead of their debut EP Life With Lobsters, the song is an addictive, repeat-demanding blast of funky guitar riffs and vibrant electronic pop production that I'm only ashamed that I didn't discover sooner.

 

CHILDCARE – FILM CLUB

“This week's it Aladdin/You'll be Genie, I'll be Jasmine.” – And so begins “Film Club,” the explosive latest single from CHILDCARE. A straight up banger featuring frontman Ed Cares' tongue-in-cheek vocal chops set off against an off-kilter guitar riff and a bhangra-tipped bassline, “Film Club” is yet another on point anthem from this budding British four-piece, who recently killed it on tour with BitCandy favorites Bastille.

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Until next week. x

“Photo” by Nina Strehl 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.