THE 10 BEST INDIE SONGS OF THE WEEK ARE HERE

by Jess Grant
9/27/21

Photo by Brian Lundquist on Unsplash

Hi, everyone! How are you? How was your weekend? Did you manage to raise your glass to Nevermind at some point over the last couple of days? Just think about how many of the artists featured in this week's edition of We Are: The Guard's Best Indie Songs probably wouldn't be here today if it weren't for that album! Anyways! If you're looking to update your playlist as we continue to fall into autumn this Monday morning, then look no further than the following selection of songs from The Greeting Committee, alt-J, Bartees Strange, and plenty of others!

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THE GREETING COMMITTEE – MAKE OUT

Dandelion, the new album from The Greeting Committee, for the most part comes from a place of deep, profound heartache. The Kansas City outfit is starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, however, on the enthralling "Make Out." Bringing together distorted riffs and big drums, "Make Out" bottles and sells its electricity from the off, with Addie Sartino offering a vocal performance full of thrilling possibility: "Do you want me?/I'm here waiting/Let's just make out/What's the harm now?"

 

ALT-J – U&ME

As summer starts to fade across the Northern Hemisphere, alt-J is seeing out the season in simmering style on "U&ME." The first single to be unveiled from the British band's forthcoming album The Dream – due out February 11 via Infectious Music – "U&ME" is a humid heat mirage of a listen that alt-J says is about "being at a festival with your best friends, having a good time, togetherness, and the feeling in life that nothing could be any better than it is right now." Tune in. Drop out.

 

BARTEES STRANGE – WEIGHTS

This. Goes. Off. Coinciding with the announcement of the deluxe version of his debut album Live Forever – due out October 1 via Memory Music – Bartees Strange founder Bartees Leon Cox Jr. has shared the epic, anthemic "Weights." "We were separate, maybe distant/Plus all the reasons that we're different/Now when we catch up, catch up it's quick and breathless/Feelings spring up sometimes," sings Bartees over pummeling drums on the address to long-lost lovers, which nothing short of slaps.

 

LET'S EAT GRANDMA – HALL OF MIRRORS

It's been a minute since we last heard from Let's Eat Grandma, but the British duo is making their return this Monday with the glittering "Hall of Mirrors." According to Rosa Walton and Jenny Hollingworth, "Hall of Mirrors" is an ode to "the dizziness, intensity, and excitement" of queer love. With Rosa and Jenny's longing vocals coming backed by pulsing synthesizers, "Hall of Mirrors" feels like the aural equivalent of a fairground ride that smears its surroundings into dazzling lights.

 

PORTUGAL. THE MAN (FEAT. CHERRY GLAZERR) – STEAL MY SUNSHINE (LEN COVER)

Coinciding with the announcement that they're going on tour across North America with the aforementioned alt-J, Portugal. The Man has shared a joyous cover of "Steal My Sunshine" by LEN. While the original is a summer staple that can quite frankly never be beaten, Portugal. The Man's kaleidoscopic, psychedelic lo-fi take still makes for a glorious tribute, with Cherry Glazerr lead singer Clementine Creevy lending some delightful vocals alongside Portugal. The Man's John Gourley.

 

DUA SALEH (FEAT. AMAARAE) – FITT

Dua Saleh takes time out from stealing the spotlight on Season 3 of Netflix's Sex Education to unveil their new single "fitt." The follow-up to "dashery" and the first single to be lifted from Dua's forthcoming EP Crossover is an impenetrable banger that hears the Sudanese-American actor drawing from many influences, including hyperpop and Afrobeat. "Physically physically fit/Catcher in the Rye, want a taste of it," raps Dua over inky, haunted beats, showcasing their teflon flow and swagger.

 

EKKSTACY – IT ONLY GETS WORSE, I PROMISE

He recently teamed up with The Drums as part of Spotify's Fresh Finds program, and this Monday, Canada's EKKSTACY continues to position himself as the Generation Z answer to Jonathan Pierce and co with "it only gets worse, i promise." Clocking in at around three and a half minutes, "it only gets worse, i promise" is a mournful swirl made up of jangly guitars and propulsive drums. There's a hint of The Smiths about it, too, with EKKSTACY navigating the chiming surroundings with Morrissey-indebted gloom.

 

WABIE – HOLLY HOLLY

Having made his breakthrough on TikTok with "Hey Lover," Wabie is hoping to build a career beyond the confines of the video app with "Holly Holly." The first single to be unveiled from the Palos Verdes singer-songwriter's forthcoming EP Double Superfine, "Holly Holly" is a crunchy, wistful banger that reminds me of Weezer circa The Blue Album. "Holly Holly, it's alright/Just place your hands inside of mine," sighs Wabie against a wall of distortion, channeling a young Rivers Cuomo. Crank it up.

 

MRLEY – SO MUCH TO SAY

Introducing Mrley, the British act cracking the punk scene into two with the ferocious "So Much To Say." Having picked up the guitar for the first time since his teens over lockdown, "So Much To Say" hears Mrley pairing his rap roots with the violent, confrontational narrative of heavier genres of music. The result is savage, with Mrley announcing himself as a radical new voice in the alternative scene. "It's special to me as it contributes to the progression of music," says Mrley. Listen.

 

DORA JAR – SCAB SONG

Following on from the release of her debut EP Digital Meadow earlier this year, Dora Jar is leading us through her enchanted forest once again on "Scab Song." With her fanciful vocals meeting James Blake-esque digital remnants that soon erupt into a distorted climax, "Scab Song" is the definition of captivating. Dora: "I wrote 'Scab Song' when I was 19 because I had a scab on my leg that looked like Hawaii and then I thought about bodies for a while and now here is this song about that."

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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.