TOP INDIE SONGS – WEEK 27

Happy Fourth Of July, America! I appreciate you taking time out from your backyard barbecues to check in with another edition of Top Indie Songs. You're probably here because the thought of having to listen to “Born In The USA” (or worse, “Party In The USA!”) again today is enough to make you bring up all of Uncle Joe's cheeseburgers, in which case, I have you covered! Put aside your not-so-patriotic playlists and instead treat your guests to some actual, like, cool music this Independence Day from Freedom Fry, St. Lucia, Sigur Rós, Wolf Alice, Two Door Cinema Club and more!

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FREEDOM FRY – SHAKY GROUND

Freedom Fry originally released their party-starting single “Shaky Ground” back in January 2015, and finally the French-American married couple return with the official video. Directed by Y2K, the clip sees Marie Seyrat and Bruce Driscoll living it up in Los Angeles with help from some anthropomorphic coconuts (relationship goals, much?!), and includes a bonus French version of “Shaky Ground” in the second half of the video.

ST. LUCIA – HELP ME RUN AWAY

Just in time for Fourth Of July, St. Lucia take us on an American road trip like never before in the music video for their synth pop anthem “Help Me Run Away.” Watch as a disembodied pair of white Chuck Taylors travel from New York City to Los Angeles in pursuit of some red high heels in the Norton-directed clip, which might be the first video to make me cry over an inanimate object since Blur's “Coffee And TV!”

SIGUR RÓS – ÓVEÐUR

Three years after releasing Kveikur, and a few days after circumnavigating Iceland (no, really, this actually happened!), Sigur Rós return with a new single, the abrasive “Óveður,” and a new video directed by Jonas Åkerlund to boot. Shot in Grindavík and choreographed by Erna Ómarsdóttir, the clip sees a homeless woman get inebriated on a bottle of vodka, before stumbling into a pub where things take a disturbing and violent turn.

WOLF ALICE – LISBON

My Love Is Cool, the debut album from Wolf Alice, recently turned one-years-old, and to celebrate, the London four-piece have unveiled an official video for The Virgin Suicides-inspired centerpiece “Libson.” Directed by Eat The Danger, the clip uses animation to explore themes of “love, loss and depression,” or as one YouTube commenter prefers to believe: “So maybe she just has resting bitch face.”

FRANCES – SAY IT AGAIN

Frances never ceases to amaze me! The English chanteuse, who reduced me to tears in April with the official video for “Don't Worry About Me,” returns this month with “Say It Again.” Penned alongside Adele, Beck and Sia collaborator Greg Kurstin, the song is an uplifting piano number complete with a dazzling and infectious gospel chorus. Frances: “It's a wonderful feeling to be in love. But sometimes we all have moments where we want someone to say 'I love you' again, just so we can check we heard them right.”

HOLYCHILD (FEAT. RAC) – POWER PLAY

Los Angeles duo and purveyors of brat pop Louie Diller and Liz Nistico aka Holychild team up with BitCandy favorite RAC on their latest single “Power Play.” Featuring Nistico's snarky and mischievous vocals set against a backdrop of hyperactive synth arpeggios, the America Oil Lamb EP cut is a blast of musical energy that's best compared to a five-year-old overdosing on a combination of candy and fizzy drinks. On repeat!

GUM – ELAFONISSI BLUE (CURATOR ROBERT DUFFY)

Eight months after unveiling his second album Glamorous Damage, Tame Impala and Pond multi-instrumentalist Jay Watson aka GUM returns with the official video for “Elafonissi Blue.” Directed by Alex Aulson, the clip is a four-minute meander through mind-altering psychedelia, with the technicolor aesthetics and optical illusions making for a perfect accompaniment to the flanger-laced groove.

TOM SPEIGHT – FALLING (CURATOR ROBERT DUFFY)

Having released his debut EP Little Love in January, London folk singer-songwriter Tom Speight is back this month with “Falling.” Featuring guest vocals from Scotland native Rachel Sermanni, the song is a bright, vibrant and acoustic-driven reverie that hears Speight plead to a special someone: “I only need a chance/To give you everything I have/Please just understand/I'm falling hard.”

THE TAPES – AT ALL

Sydney producer duo The Tapes deliver a serious dose of good vibes on their debut single “At All.” Bringing together reverb-drenched vocals, groovy finger snaps and deeper than deep basslines, the blissed-out electronica slice sounds like it came straight out of Future Classic (their “future” label, maybe?!), and is an essential addition to any summer mixtape.

TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB – ARE WE READY? (WRECK)

After a three-year silence, Northern Irish trio Two Door Cinema make a triumphant return this 2016 with “Are We Ready? (Wreck),” the first single to be unveiled from their forthcoming album Gameshow. Described as being about “rebelling against consumerism,” the song hears the band adopt a more experimental and cerebral approach to their music, while still maintaining that signature Two Door Cinema Club danceabiliity. Check it out!

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America, fuck yeah! x

“Photo” by Andrew Phillips 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.